Brazil striker Neymar believes England are unlikely to be contenders for World Cup glory next summer.

The Barcelona-bound 21-year-old, who will leave Santos this summer, is preparing to face Roy Hodgson’s side in a friendly at the Maracana this evening.

He claims England’s players are high achievers at club level but pose little threat in the international game.

And with Brazil hosting the 2014 World Cup and looking to win the tournament for a sixth time, he cannot envisage the Three Lions mounting a challenge.

Neymar said: “I have respect for a lot of the England players as they have achieved great things at their clubs.

“But, as a national team, I don’t look at England and think they are going to be a real threat at the World Cup. We want to win the World Cup in front of our home fans and the two nations I look at as a real threat are Germany and Spain.

“After that it’s a group including Argentina, Holland, Italy and one or two more. But England I don’t even think about.”