Mbappé celebrates a goal for the French national team
Image: FRANCK FIFE / AFP
The Brazilian national team does not arrive as the favorite for the World Cup, which kicks off in one month across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Ranked sixth in the FIFA standings and coming off a rocky preparation cycle with four different head coaches, the five-time champions face an uphill battle. But who are the top contenders for the trophy, and how are they shaping up?
**France**
A finalist in the last two World Cups, France kept Didier Deschamps as head coach and achieved what seemed impossible: rejuvenating the squad without sacrificing technical quality. Kylian Mbappé remains the biggest star, but he has been joined by rising talents such as Désiré Doué, Bradley Barcola (both from PSG), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City), and Michael Olisé (Bayern Munich)—all breakouts from recent seasons. The list would have been even longer with Hugo Ekitiké (Liverpool), but the striker is injured and will miss the tournament.
Ousmane Dembélé has become a global star with the Ballon d’Or and Champions League title
Image: Facebook/PSG
Ousmane Dembélé is also a renewed force. The ambidextrous winger heads into his third World Cup in a 2.0 version: more involved, smarter, more decisive—and now with a Ballon d’Or and a Champions League trophy on his resume.
In his farewell campaign with the national team, Deschamps faces two major challenges. First, he must trim the squad to just 26 players from a nation that keeps producing talent. Second, he must manage the egos in a locker room with more and more candidates for the spotlight, especially after losing key leaders like Hugo Lloris and Antoine Griezmann.
Since losing the final on penalties to Argentina, France has played 38 matches, winning 26, drawing six, and losing six. Deschamps’ side fell in the Euro 2024 semifinals to Spain and cruised through qualifiers with five wins and one draw.
In March this year, France defeated Brazil 2-1 despite playing a man down from the 10th minute of the second half. Before the World Cup, France will play friendlies against Ivory Coast and Northern Ireland. In the tournament, they are in Group I alongside Senegal, Norway, and Iraq.
**Probable starting XI:** Maignan; Malo Gusto, Upamecano, Saliba, Theo Hernández; Tchouaméni, Rabiot, Cherki; Olisé, Dembélé, Mbappé.
Spain, led by Lamine Yamal, is in top form and a title favorite
Image: Getty Images
**Spain**
After three World Cups where they arrived as favorites and disappointed, Spain has been revived under Luis de la Fuente—a coach who went from unknown to Euro champion in under two years. The team heading to the World Cup shows an updated version of the playing style that dominated the world between 2008 and 2012.
The intention to dominate possession and the technical quality in midfield remain: Rodri, Pedri, Fermín López, Zubimendi, and Merino are just some options in that area. But in recent years, Spain has also become lethal in transitions and one-on-one situations, thanks to Lamine Yamal’s explosion as a Barcelona superstar and Nico Williams’ maturation.
The duo’s challenge now is physical: Yamal arrives at the World Cup in the final recovery stage of a muscle injury, while Williams has dealt with physical issues all season.
Spain’s post-Qatar cycle has been nearly flawless: they won Euro 2024, breezed through World Cup qualifiers, and reached two Nations League finals, winning one and losing the other on penalties to Portugal.
Since the last World Cup, they have only suffered two losses in regular time: a 2-0 defeat to Scotland in March 2023 in Euro qualifying, and a 1-0 loss to…
