11 Jun 2026 11:41:13
Before the first game tonight, I am predicting that the Netherlands will finally win their first World Cup. (I have my body armour on in preparartion for all the replies and comments). ?
11 Jun 2026 11:56:25
Can't see past France. The forwards they have can out score anyone.
11 Jun 2026 12:08:54
ArAy, I agree with you. I have Holland and Portugal as the finalists and Holland to win. But knowing my luck they will get knocked out early.
11 Jun 2026 12:23:49
I don't think the Dutch can win it, they don't have the players imo, Spain, France & Portugal have the best chance imo.
11 Jun 2026 12:24:27
Spain for me to win.
Surprised by the amount of pundits picking England. Tuchel is a mess.
11 Jun 2026 12:32:10
No chance, I wouldn't be surprised if they struggled (periodically) against Japan.
11 Jun 2026 12:44:42
I would just love it if an underdog won it, for a change. The usual suspects make it boring, a bit. And world football has evolved a lot with more and more of a level playing field. This would be proof of that. (And I still think that Dutch 1974 team deserved to win it).
11 Jun 2026 12:49:02
The climate will be the biggest killer for the likes of England, Scotland, Norway etc. Has to be the likes of Spain, Portugal or Argentina with the best chance. I reckon the football standard will be crap too, given the heat.
11 Jun 2026 12:50:04
England to win. I'm surprised by the amount of people not backing them. They are a strong unit playing under a successful manager.
11 Jun 2026 12:55:19
1jj, You must be having a laugh mate.
11 Jun 2026 13:05:08
I too think France, but my pick for surprise package is Ivory Coast. I'm not saying they will win it, but think they will surprise a few people.
11 Jun 2026 13:06:39
England have a chance, but I struggle to see them beating the likes of Spain or France.
I think we could beat the rest, if we play to our absolute best, but those two will be the most difficult games, imo.
That being said, this is England, and we like doing the whole flatter to deceive thing at tournaments.
11 Jun 2026 13:08:59
Portugal for me.
11 Jun 2026 13:11:07
Who is going to score goals for the Netherlands? They have a decent midfield and defence, but the attack is extremely bad. I don't see them lasting to the QF.
As the others said, Spain, France, Portugal are the favorites. I have Spain as the winner since I feel the defence of France is more fragile.
11 Jun 2026 13:18:08
Either France, Spain, Portugal or Brazil for me, my outsider being Morocco.
11 Jun 2026 13:24:48
I think it's very hard to look beyond France. The squad depth they have is just unbelievable. That'll do for me.
11 Jun 2026 13:30:50
England to win it.
The Dutch have looked really average in their friendlies. I can't see them beating Japan myself.
11 Jun 2026 13:35:28
Irish, you're talking about the blue kit, French speaking, African team, right? ???
11 Jun 2026 13:54:39
My outside bet is Turkey. I was surprised how good their squad is.
11 Jun 2026 13:55:07
Thing about France is that it's the Mbappe circus with him being the head clown. He's become the albatross around the neck of any team he has plays for and I can see France exiting before the final and it going to crap in a way that would make the Dutch or Roy Keane look like small fry.
But no matter who the winner of the trophy is, the real winner won't be football. It'll be Infantino who'll continue to enrich himself and bloat his offshore bank accounts. That's who the real winner is out of this.
11 Jun 2026 14:05:52
I think it'll be one of the South American teams, Mexico to do a decent run with being a 'host', but ultimately falling short. I don't give England a prayer. I wouldn't be surprised to see us out in the R16.
But struggling to get excited for this one, I love the World Cup. However, with everything going on, it's not getting the same scrutiny as Qatar, with some questionable decisions.
The fees being banded around for tickets etc, and Blatter lite saying it's better in our pockets than the touts, and I feel this will not live long in the memory. That's before the elephant in the room that's Trump and whatever he will do throughout!
Hopefully the football can bring it to life, but I see that being a pragmatic bore fest.
11 Jun 2026 14:13:51
That's the thing I was thinking about also, Viktor. We've seen how a single or collective of big egos can destroy any team's chances of winning. We saw that with the Dutch, in particular, in the past, with characters like Seedorf and Sneijder. And France has those characters with big egos, now.
11 Jun 2026 14:38:49
Really?
Netherlands?
Their team is pretty average imo.
That attack is so basic.
Midfield lacks a match winner too.
France for me.
11 Jun 2026 14:48:51
I'm on France beating Portugal in the final 25/1.
11 Jun 2026 14:17:06
Iran, just to stick it to the Fanta fascist.
11 Jun 2026 15:00:39
Brazil for me, the Don factor proving genius.
11 Jun 2026 15:05:00
I'm going for Senegal.
11 Jun 2026 15:06:12
Brazil is my perennial favorite, but they've disappointed in recent Cups.
11 Jun 2026 15:31:37
Portugal for me.
Unless FIFA play favorites with Argentina.
11 Jun 2026 17:01:00
I'm going Brazil too.
11 Jun 2026 20:10:30
Portugal.
11 Jun 2026 23:27:04
I'm in regular touch with a nice old lady named Nellie who I first met on the road to Mandalay. She was telling me that her rascally son Donald and his bestest friend Gianni are convinced the US of A are going to win and make America great.
Being a bit more serious, I think England will surprise people, they are, oddly, a difficult team to beat and they might go a fair way, although I don't think they'll win it.
My vote for the winner is Portugal. They have a pretty good squad and they are entertaining to watch.