Wenger Backs France for Third World Cup Title
Former Arsenal manager and current FIFA chief of global football development Arsene Wenger has predicted that Kylian Mbappe-led France will win the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026. He believes that if any team can stop them, it is Spain, the 2010 champions, who he feels are technically superior.
France's Dominant Run Continues
France will face Morocco in the quarterfinal, a repeat of the 2022 semifinal where France ended Morocco's historic run. Spain, meanwhile, takes on Belgium, the 2018 bronze medalists, boasting stars like Romelu Lukaku, Kevin de Bruyne, and Thibaut Courtois.
Wenger's Reasoning
Speaking on the 'Felix and Toni Kroos Podcast' as quoted by Goal.com, the 76-year-old said, "France will win the World Cup. I know you are going to say it is because I am French. But when you analyse the tournament a bit, the train is moving at a certain speed today. And you have to be capable of getting on board that train." France's only tight match was a 1-0 win over Paraguay in the round of 16.
Spain as the Main Challenger
Wenger dismissed England's chances under Harry Kane and believes Morocco and defending champions will struggle against France. He added, "For me, the real question mark is Spain. If any team is capable of beating France right now, I would say it is Spain. Because they have a better technical level than France. They have a quality of collective play, and a culture of collective play, that nobody else in the world has at the moment. Not at this level, anyway. So it is between those two in my opinion. After that, of course, France is stronger physically."
