How are the World Cup favourites shaping up?

PARIS – With the start of the June 11-July 19 World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico barely three weeks away, how are the leading contenders preparing for the first 48-team Finals?

Which team stand the best chance?

France (World No. 1)

Les Bleus have won the World Cup twice and lost two finals on penalties in the past seven editions. This will be their last tournament before long-serving coach Didier Deschamps steps down.

“It’s a strange feeling,” admitted the 57-year-old who has been in charge since 2012.

His side beat Brazil 2-1 and then defeated Colombia 3-1 with an entirely different starting line-up in friendlies in March, when both of those games were played in the US.

Unbeaten in nine matches since June 2025, France have a fearsome attack featuring reigning Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise and Rayan Cherki. They will take some stopping.

Spain (No. 2)

The European champions have not lost since winning Euro 2024.

Luis de la Fuente’s team are a perfectly-oiled machine in which the standout player is teenage star Lamine Yamal. But the 18-year-old Barcelona winger is currently out with a hamstring injury, and reports suggest he might miss their first two group-stage games.

His Barca teammate Fermin Lopez is set to miss the tournament with a foot fracture. Arsenal’s Mikel Merino, scorer of eight goals for Spain in 10 games in 2025, has not played since January due to injury. But they still boast quality players such as 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri and Pedri.

Argentina (No. 3)

Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina are dreaming of retaining the title they won in 2022. That tournament marked Lionel Messi’s crowning glory, and it is hard to see how he can hit the same heights again, especially since he turns 39 in June.

Nevertheless, Messi is very much at home in the US now and has 12 goals for Major League Soccer side Inter Miami in 2026.

Argentina also won the 2024 Copa America on American soil, and comfortably topped the South American World Cup qualifying table. Beyond Messi, they boast a wealth of attacking talent, including Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez, and Nico Paz, the Tenerife-born attacking midfielder with Como.

England (No. 4)

After several near misses under Gareth Southgate, with agonising defeats in the finals of the last two Euros and exits from the 2018 World Cup in the semi-finals and the 2022 edition in the last eight, England now hope Thomas Tuchel can deliver a first title since 1966.

The Three Lions cruised through qualifying and have formidable depth, but there are some doubts.

They drew with Uruguay and lost to Japan in March friendlies, while big names like Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer have not had straightforward campaigns with their clubs.

However, England will hope Harry Kane continues the remarkable form he has shown with Bayern Munich, for whom he has 58 goals in this 2025-26 season.

Portugal (No. 5)

Portugal, who have never reached a World Cup final, are serious candidates – provided they are not held back by the possibly overbearing presence of Cristiano Ronaldo.

At 41, this will be his sixth World Cup, but the quality of their midfield – which includes Vitinha, Joao Neves, Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes – could be the key.

Portugal stumbled a little in qualifying, losing to the Republic of Ireland as Ronaldo was sent off. He did not play in their previous game, a 2-0 friendly win over the US in Atlanta in March.

Brazil (No. 6)

Brazil’s progress under new coach Carlo Ancelotti will be fascinating to watch. The Selecao turning to an Italian says much about their ongoing footballing identity crisis, and their lack of depth has been exposed by his decision to name Neymar in their World Cup squad.

Now playing for Santos, the 34-year-old has not been capped since 2023, and Vinicius Jr is the nation’s attacking leader now.

Since winning their fifth world title in 2002, Brazil have reached the semi-finals only once, when they were humiliated 7-1 by Germany as hosts in 2014. They finished fifth in South American World Cup qualifying, losing six of 18 games.

“The World Cup won’t be won by a perfect team – because a perfect team doesn’t exist,” insists Ancelotti. “It will be won by the most resilient team.”

Germany (No. 10)

Julian Nagelsmann’s side sit behind the Netherlands, Morocco and Belgium in the world rankings, and it seems a stretch to suggest Germany could win a first World Cup since 2014.

They suffered group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022, and lost in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals as hosts.

However, the class of Joshua Kimmich, Florian Wirtz and Kai Havertz ensure Germany should be taken seriously. AFP