Why Is Spain One Of The World Cup Favorites?

Spain’s redemption came in 2024 when they managed to win the Euros. The victory helped reestablish them as one of the top national teams. Since then, they also placed second in the recent edition of the Nations League. They were beaten by Portugal on penalties, but the match came after a long, hard season for most of the players. It was therefore not a crushing defeat.

With the World Cup 2026 qualifiers on the horizon, it became clear that Spain was a team to fear. They have some of the best players in the world, including Pedri, Lamine Yamal, and Rodri, the winner of last year’s Ballon d’Or. Putting all of them together created a team that, with enough effort, could challenge the powerhouse of Argentina.

September’s Qualifiers

It wasn’t a secret that Spain was the strongest team in their qualifying group, but they proved it beyond a shadow of a doubt with their first few games. First, they won 0:3 against Bulgaria during an away game. A few days later, they added an astounding 0:6 victory over Türkiye. This put them first in Group E, three points ahead of Georgia in second.

Spain’s wins were expected, but the matches reminded their rivals of the team’s strengths. Controlling the game, creating great actions, and, above all else, scoring goals are all things that make them rise against their opponents. If they continue playing the way they have been, their chances of taking football’s biggest trophy home will only increase.

Who Else Could Win It All?

But if Spain doesn’t live up to their potential, then who will become the champion of the world? The most obvious answer to that question is the team currently holding the title, Argentina. Even though it’s not certain whether Lionel Messi will decide to play in the tournament, they have recently proven that they can win without him. With names such as Julian Alvarez and the motivation of wanting to stay at the top, they can be tough opponents for anyone unlucky enough to have to face them.

Argentina isn’t the only other possibility. Another candidate that immediately comes to mind is France, the national team that just barely missed out on winning the World Cup in 2022. Despite not making it into the Euro finals, they are still a force to be reckoned with. As is England, the team that faced, and lost to, Spain in 2024. Or Portugal that did, after all, defeat the Spanish in the Nations League. Under the right circumstances, all three of them could come out on top.

End Of My Spain Rant

It is too early to definitively declare an undisputed favourite of the World Cup, but no matter what criteria we look at, Spain is one of the frontrunners. Whether the other teams like it or not, they have everything going for them. Now, all they need to do is convert the theoretical advantages into the ultimate win.