🌍 World Cup 2026: how are the favourites looking a year out? 🤔
🌍 World Cup 2026: how are the favourites looking a year out? 🤔
The 2026 World Cup kicks off in... a year, on June 11, 2026! Argentina, Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Brazil: we're taking stock of the state of the big nations 365 days before the big day!
They're on fire ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Argentina, Spain
Argentina, the current world champion, is leading the qualification group in South America. Lionel Scaloni's players have been officially qualified for several weeks now, and nothing seems to be disturbing them a year before the World Cup.
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On the Spanish side, the year that followed their Euro 2024 title was... almost perfect. La Roja hasn't lost a single match since March 22, 2024 (a 1-0 defeat to Colombia in a friendly), and the defeat in the Nations League final to Portugal on penalties won't plunge Lamine Yamal and his teammates into doubt.
It's promising ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Portugal
Vitinha, João Neves, Bruno Fernandes, Rafael Leão, Rúben Dias, Cristiano Ronaldo: Portugal's squad is certainly the most complete and intimidating in the world! The victory in the Nations League should give confidence to the entire team and, above all, credit to Roberto Martínez. Although not everything is perfect yet, and sometimes not pretty to watch, the last two matches against Germany and Spain are promising!
It's coming together ⭐⭐⭐
Germany, England
On the German and English sides, the two teams, respectively led by Nagelsmann and Thomas Tuchel, are in the midst of (re)building. Again, not everything is perfect, but we're starting to see where the two coaches want to go...
They're raising questions ⭐⭐
France, Brazil
France's post-Euro 2024 period doesn't allow us to approach the 2026 World Cup with full confidence. The defeats against Italy, in Croatia, and against Spain were worrying... just as the victories against Germany, in Italy, or against Croatia at the Stade de France were promising.
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Didier Deschamps has exactly one year to get his Blues out of the fog...
On the Brazilian side, the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti should help relaunch a selection that has been struggling in recent years.
📸 Ricardo Moreira - 2025 Getty Images
Big danger ⭐
Italy
Absent from the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, Italy could miss... the 2026 one!
Beaten 3-0 over the weekend in Norway, the Squadra Azzura is already lagging behind Erling Haaland's teammates in the qualifying campaign for the World Cup.
Luciano Spalletti was fired, and the team is in crisis. Above all, talented players are terribly lacking. Italy's generational gap is worrying.
Also read:
- PSG unveils its 2025-26 home jersey
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- Jersey news from last week
- Euro U21 2025: our 5 players to watch
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.
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