2026 FIFA World Cup: Neil Beer predicts the path to glory

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup knockouts approaching quickly, every team competing will be dreaming of lifting arguably the most famous trophy in sport. These dreams vary in their realism, though, and ultimately only one team is going to emerge victorious in the USA this year. In this article, I’ll be predicting the winner, semi-finalists, and quarter-finalists, as well as giving some underrated players to watch who I think will do well for each team.

Portugal
The Portuguese team have a host of talent, including an amazing midfield featuring Bruno Fernandes and Champions League winners João Neves and Vitinha, as well as great defensive talents like Nuno Mendes and Rúben Dias. Their attack does have some quality in it like Rafael Leão, Pedro Neto, and, of course, Cristiano Ronaldo, but it probably isn’t as strong as the attacks mentioned previously.

Portugal will reach the quarter-finals but go no further

The fact that there are still debates, which started four years ago, about how much a 41-year-old Ronaldo can offer, and that their manager Roberto Martínez is not known for defensive solidity, leads me to think that Portugal will reach the quarter-finals but go no further. My one to watch is Matheus Nunes, who has been brilliant at right-back for Man City this season and, if given the chance, could do the same for Portugal.

Brazil
With a legendary manager Carlo Ancelotti at the helm, who almost always does well in knockout tournaments, Brazil is a team who, as always, has numerous stars like Raphinha, Gabriel, Vinícius Jr., and, of course, Neymar if he stays fit. They do have some holes in their squad, though, as their midfield and defensive depth is quite poor, and they have been underwhelming in big competitions like the Copa América in recent years.

I just don’t think their squad is good enough to make it further than the quarter finals

I think Brazil will get knocked out in the quarter-finals, like Portugal, despite having probably the best manager in the tournament, as I just don’t think their squad is good enough to make it further. Their one to watch for me is Igor Thiago, who I think will bring his great Premier League goalscoring form into the World Cup.

France
The French are a team who have been guided by elite manager Didier Deschamps to the last two World Cup finals, winning one of them and losing the other on penalties. They easily have the best attack in the tournament, with Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki, and Ousmane Dembélé being only the tip of the iceberg of their options. They have talent across the rest of the pitch, such as Ibrahima Konaté and William Saliba at centre-back, and Aurélien Tchouaméni in midfield.

I don’t think they’ll be as solid as some of the other French teams in recent years

Nevertheless, the rest of their team isn’t quite as good as their unbelievable attack. They have problems with their full-backs and are still relying on older players like Kanté and Rabiot in midfield. Yet the quality of their attack will surely make them one of the scariest teams to play against. I predict that they will reach the semi-finals but not the final, which might be slightly controversial, but I don’t think they’ll be as solid as some of the other French teams in recent years. My player to watch for France is probably Bradley Barcola, who I think has the quality to shine even among the host of attacking talent in the team.

England
After being so close but not able to get over the line with Gareth Southgate as manager, England now have a Champions League winner in Thomas Tuchel hoping to finally win something with the team. The team will mainly be relying on Harry Kane, who has had the best season of his career, to score the goals, but they do have other attacking talents like Saka and Rashford who can produce big moments too. The midfield is top quality with players like Rice, Rogers, and Bellingham, and other important players like Jordan Pickford (who has, as always, been great for my team Everton this season) and Reece James are sure to make an impact at some point. The defence is still very good, but probably not quite there with the best centre-back units, as they will be relying on John Stones, who has played little football this season, as well as Marc Guéhi and Ezri Konsa.

Some of the other teams may just be a little bit too strong for England to win the World Cup

Tuchel’s team selections have been quite controversial, as he has left out underperforming stars like Phil Foden and Cole Palmer, but I think the team cohesion and structure he is clearly trying to build will go a long way in this tournament. I think some of the other teams may just be a little bit too strong for England to win the World Cup, so I predict we will go out in the semi-finals. However, I hope that under Tuchel we have a strong chance at winning the next Euros, which we will be hosting in the UK. England’s player to watch is Elliot Anderson, who has had a great season in midfield for Nottingham Forest and will likely be playing alongside Rice as a holding midfielder.

Argentina
As the winners of the 2022 Qatar World Cup and also the highest-ranked team in the most recent FIFA Men’s World Ranking, Argentina will be hoping that they can win what seems to be one last international trophy with their star man Lionel Messi. Messi may be four years older now and playing in Miami, but everyone knows the moments of magic that he is still capable of producing. Surrounding him is a fairly strong attack, with the likes of Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez leading the line, as well as a great midfield with players like Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández, and Rodrigo De Paul being mainstays. They have a good centre-back pairing in Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martínez, playing in front of the always-reliable Emiliano Martínez in goal. Their weaknesses lie mainly in their full-back options and the age of some of their players.

They are a fairly settled squad who know their best team

Argentina’s strongest aspect is probably their work rate and tactical stability under the same manager who won them the trophy last time, Lionel Scaloni. They are a fairly settled squad who know their best team and how to play, with their 2024 Copa América win only adding to their momentum coming into this tournament. I predict them to reach the final but not quite be able to win the whole thing. My player to watch is Nico Paz, a 21-year-old attacking midfielder who has come off a great season with Como in Italy and was previously on the books at Real Madrid.

Spain
Spain are second in the World Ranking, and England fans will be all too familiar with how good they are after they beat us in that heartbreaking Euro 2024 final two years ago. Manager De la Fuente has done a fantastic job playing a slightly more direct wing-play style compared to the tiki-taka football that Spanish teams of the past have been known for. Their star man is, of course, Barcelona’s young talent Lamine Yamal, who is one of the best players in the world despite only being 18 years old. They have a brilliant squad all across the pitch, with other attackers like Nico Williams, a midfield boasting players like Pedri, Gavi, Fabián Ruiz, and Martín Zubimendi, and a defence with the likes of Marc Cucurella and Pau Cubarsí.

Even if [Yamal and Williams] aren’t at their absolute best, they should still be one of the best teams in the tournament

Spain’s main worry is the fitness of their main attacking threats, Yamal and Williams, who have both had injuries this season. However, even if those two aren’t at their absolute best, they should still be one of the best teams in the tournament. I predict that they are good enough to win the World Cup, and their player to watch for me is deep-lying forward Mikel Oyarzabal, who has been something of an unsung hero for Spain recently.