Khabib Nurmagomedov has shared his predictions for the FIFA World Cup 2026, sparking a lively debate among football fans. The former UFC lightweight champion, widely regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time, remains an avid football follower. As the World Cup progresses, Nurmagomedov offered his thoughts on the teams most likely to lift the trophy and the players expected to shine during the tournament.
Khabib's Top Contenders
Speaking during a recent interview, Nurmagomedov identified Germany as the strongest contender to win the World Cup. Although he admitted he is not personally supporting the German side, he explained that he believes they currently have the best chance of becoming champions. He ranked the Netherlands as his second choice and Spain as his third favorite for the title.
Golden Boot Candidates
The Dagestani star also named several players he expects to compete for the tournament's top-scorer award. According to Nurmagomedov, stars such as Kylian Mbappe, Lautaro Martinez, Vinicius Junior, Joao Felix, and Harry Kane have the ability to finish among the leading goalscorers. He also revealed that his personal support is with Uzbekistan, praising the team's determination and hunger to succeed on football's biggest stage.
Fan Reactions
After the interview clips appeared on social media, many fans responded with mixed reactions. One fan wrote, "how does he know so much about football but his top 2 favourites are absolute garbage." Another commented, "he's still stuck in the 90s." A third fan stated, "Sorry. But the MMA GOAT doesn't know much about football." One fan added, "And he's wrong on all of them; none of them are leading scorers."
Previous Football Comments
This is not the first time Nurmagomedov has spoken about football. Last year, he shared his opinion on the long-running debate between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. While acknowledging the achievements of both legends, he explained that Messi's success, particularly his World Cup triumph with Argentina, made it difficult to choose anyone else as the greatest player. Nurmagomedov said Messi's accomplishments speak for themselves and are impossible to overlook.
Known for his love of football since childhood, Nurmagomedov continues to follow the sport closely.
