Arsenal legend Paul Merson has named his top five favourites to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Writing in his column for Sportskeeda, Merson placed Spain and France as his top two favourites because of the quality and talent in their squads.
He also included Germany among the teams he believes can do well because of the country’s strong history in the tournament.
“1. Spain. Spain have the X-factor.
I said that teams who keep the ball longer will have a better chance of winning the World Cup this time around. Spain excel at the art of keeping the ball, and that will be a big advantage in this weather,” Merson said.
“2. France. I haven’t ranked France at number 2 because of their centre-backs! Their attack is stacked. France have the ammunition to hurt any team in the world.
“3. Argentina. If Messi performs as he did in his early 30s, Argentina have a chance. I doubt he still has that cutting edge to win the World Cup back-to-back, though.
“4. Portugal. It would have helped Martinez if Ronaldo was actually banned for the first few games at the World Cup. I like the look of Portugal’s midfield. Vitinha, Joao Neves and Bruno Fernandes are all world-class footballers. Any team that keeps the ball well will have a strong chance in this tournament, and Portugal are one of them.
“5. England. England have a chance of winning it. But when push comes to shove against big teams in the latter stages, can they step up? That is our huge challenge, in my opinion. I’m hoping it might be different under Tuchel this time. England certainly have some match-winners.”
Merson believes Spain are the strongest team because of their ability to control possession, while France’s powerful attack makes them one of the most dangerous sides in the competition.
Argentina, Portugal, and England complete his top five favourites to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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