Khabib predicts Brazil will win the World Cup and points to a Brazilian player in the running for top scorer.

Khabib Nurmagomedov Appears with sports legends. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram

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The passion of Khabib Nurmagomedov The Russian, who has been in the spotlight again for his football career, has retired from MMA in October 2020. The former undefeated UFC lightweight champion (up to 70,3 kg) surprised many by naming Germany, the four-time world champion team that could equal Brazil's number of World Cup titles, as the main favorite for the trophy. Furthermore, the Russian included Vinicius Jr., voted the best player in the world by The Best award in 2024, among the athletes with the best chances of finishing the competition as top scorer.

In an interview with Okko Sport, Khabib presented his analysis of the strongest teams competing in the World Championship. Despite stating that he doesn't support the Germans, the former fighter believes the team is in a privileged position to lift the trophy. He then pointed to two other European teams as the most likely contenders for the title.

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“First of all, Germany. I’m not rooting for them, but I think Germany is the big favorite. I would put the Netherlands in second place and Spain in third,” said the former champion.

Khabib was also asked which players could stand out individually in the competition. Without hesitation, the UFC Hall of Famer compiled his personal ranking of top scorer candidates. Among the names mentioned is Vinicius Jr., the main star of the Brazilian national team today. In addition to the Brazilian, he included prominent names from world football.

"Let me give you my top five. Mbappé, Lautaro Martínez, Vinícius Jr, João Félix, and we can also bet on Kane," he declared.

Known for his historic career in mixed martial arts, the Russian has maintained a strong connection with football since ending his professional career. Frequently seen in stadiums around the world, 'The Eagle' has built friendships with several stars of the sport, including Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo. The former UFC lightweight champion also often shares his opinions on national teams, clubs, and athletes in interviews.

Away from the octagon, Khabib continues to create champions.

Khabib, Makhachev, Umar and Usman at a UFC event. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC

Retired with a perfect record of 29 wins and no losses, he remains one of the most influential figures in MMA. Since leaving competition, the Russian has dedicated much of his time to his coaching career, assisting some of the top names on the team that was led by his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.

Currently, he closely follows the careers of athletes such as the UFC welterweight champion (up to 77,1 kg), Islam makhachev, bantamweight (up to 61,2 kg) Umar Nurmagomedov and the PFL lightweight champion, Usman NurmagomedovEven away from the octagon, he continues to exert a great influence on the sport and remains one of the most respected voices when it comes to high-performance competition.