LONDON, Aug 3, (Agencies): Brazil great Pele played down his feud with Brazilian FA chief Ricardo, saying the most important thing was that his country stage a memorable World Cup in 2014. Speaking at the announcement of an opus for his former club New York Cosmos in London, the 70-year-old also said he was confident Brazil’s preparations to stage the tournament were on track despite some “scares” regarding stadiums and transport. Pele, arguably the best player ever, was initially snubbed by Teixeira for the draw for the preliminary rounds of the World Cup in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday. However, Pele did play a role after being appointed his country’s international World Cup ambassador by Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff.

“Everybody has enemies, even when you don’t know,” Pele told reporters in the Dorchester Hotel. “The most important thing is that we have an excellent World Cup in Brazil. This doesn’t affect the football, we are just going to work hard.
“(Teixeira) has some small problems with journalists but so does Mr Blatter and FIFA is still there. I just want to make it clear, I haven’t had an argument with Teixeira. I respect him.”
Earlier this year Pele said Brazil risked “embarrassment” after delays in building stadiums, particularly the Corinthians Stadium in Sao Paulo which is planned to host the opening match, and improving the country’s rickety transport system.
While still concerned, Pele sounded more upbeat on Tuesday.

“We were a little worried because as you know we worked hard for two years to get the vote for the World Cup then we had political problems, especially in Sao Paulo,” he said.
“Until now Sao Paulo was a problem, whether we would have a game there, the final. We were worried about it because Sao Paulo is the capital of football in Brazil.
“But last week the president called me and we are working to get everything together.”
Organisers say Sao Paulo will stage the tournament’s opening match but work to enlarge the Corinthians stadium to the 60,000-capacity required by FIFA has been hit by problems.
Meanwhile, the presidents of Argentina and Uruguay are backing a joint campaign for both countries to host the 2030 World Cup.
The South American neighbors have been friendly and not-so-friendly rivals over the years, but both leaders say it’s time to work together for a shared future.
Argentina’s Cristina Fernandez and Uruguay’s Jose Mujica officially formed a bilateral commission to promote the World Cup bid, comprised of both countries’ presidents, cabinet members and football league leaders.

The bid is a long shot since it would come relatively soon after Brazil’s Cup in 2014. While Japan and South Korea’s joint World Cup in 2002 was seen as a success, world football leaders tend to favor single-country bids.
On the other hand, Argentine Football Association President Julio Grondona is close to FIFA President Sepp Blatter. And as FIFA’s senior vice president Grondona is thought to wield considerable influence.
A decision on who hosts the 2030 World Cup is some way off. FIFA, football’s world governing body, last year awarded the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 edition to Qatar.
Uruguay and Argentina have hosted and won the World Cup in the past. Uruguay hosted and won the first World Cup in 1930 and Argentina won it at home in 1978.
Mujica said the time has come for both neighbors to set aside their rivalries, in sports as well as business, politics and many other aspects of life.

“For too many decades we have lived with our backs turned to each other in Latin America, always looking toward Europe, always admiring what’s far away,” Mujica said.
“Now the time has come to take notice that our future will be determined with our neighbors, that we suffer from the same difficulties, and that we escape them together or not at all.”
The two presidents also signed accords implementing a shared natural gas project in Uruguay, a commission to foster shared business investments, the rehabilitation of railroad connections, the construction of a new international bridge across their shared Uruguay River, and a plan to pay for it all using their own currencies.
“One of the keys is not only dialogue and integration, but also association, because being a member helps all sides win,” Fernandez said.