HONG KONG - Keisuke Honda, one of Japan's biggest football stars in the first two decades of the millennium, said on Tuesday his country has the potential to win the World Cup next year.

"They have the potential (to) become at least the best four in the World Cup next year, maybe champion," said Honda, who won 90 Japan caps and played for his country at three World Cups, at the AVCJ Private Equity Forum in Hong Kong.