Guardian Writers Back Spain or France for 2026 World Cup, Split on Kane and Mbappé Golden Boot
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 10
Guardian Writers Back Spain or France for 2026 World Cup, Split on Kane and Mbappé Golden Boot
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 10
Summary
Guardian writers’ 2026 World Cup picks clustered around Spain and France as the likeliest champions, with several forecasting finals against Argentina, Portugal or England.
Spain drew support for its technical identity, depth and breakout star Lamine Yamal, while France was backed on squad strength and Kylian Mbappé’s firepower despite concerns about a cautious setup.
Harry Kane and Mbappé dominated Golden Boot predictions, though a few writers tipped Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal to exploit a favorable group-stage matchup against Cape Verde.
Ecuador, Japan and Norway emerged as the most common dark-horse selections, with Ecuador’s defense, Japan’s structure and Norway’s attack cited as reasons they could exceed expectations.
The preview also highlighted 17-year-old Gilberto Mora, Norway winger Antonio Nusa and Brazil’s Rayan as possible breakout players in a 48-team tournament spread across the US, Mexico and Canada.