Brazil will not be completely ready to host the 2014 World Cup, according to former international striker Romario.

GettyImagesRomario: Now a politician.

Romario, now a politician with Brazil's Socialist Party (PSB), warned that the total cost for staging the competition in 2014 could jump from an estimated $44 billion to $55.5 billion and also claimed that renovation work on stadiums and transport in the country would not be complete in time.

"I think that Brazil won't be 100% ready. Of the 12 stadiums [that are to stage World Cup events] maybe 10 will be ready," he told magazine Istoe. "As to work on public transportation, none of the cities involved will be able to complete it fully."

The former striker has been critical of both the World Cup organisers and world football's governing body FIFA in the past, while Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo insisted a month ago that the work on stadiums would be completed ahead of schedule.

Rebelo said on the government-run NBR channel: "People might think that I'm exaggerating, but my impression is that if Brazil had to organise the World Cup in two months' time, we would be ready. We can do everything which is planned for the World Cup."