This World Cup is set to be Argentina's star Lionel Messi's final chapter... could be French legend Kylian Mbappe's quest to become football's undisputed king - and Spain's teenage sensation Lamine Yamal might just leave this tournament as the most famous footballer. This is SBS News’ World Cup Daily, The 90+ Podcast, where we bring you stories on and beyond the pitch. Today we're looking at players who could define the FIFA World Cup 2026 - and the nations whose hopes rest on their shoulders.
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TRANSCRIPT:
"I think France and Spain are where the smart money is."
That's former Central Coast Mariners head coach and Sydney FC assistant coach, Phil Moss, with his finals prediction for the World Cup.
"France have such depth. They've got such experience. Didier Deschamps in his last World Cup as the French manager. He will step down after this tournament. So I think there's a real emotional motivator there as well. But Spain, who would back against them."
I also spoke with our SBS French Executive Producer Christophe Mallet, who's also a journalist with SBS Sport.
I asked him if France wins this World Cup, will it then become Mbappé's tournament in the same way.
"Maradona there..and is that goal going to be allowed."
When Argentina's Diego Maradona's magic 'Hand of God' defined the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
"They've got a chance here it's Ronaldo! That might be the goal that wins the World Cup for Brazil! Ronaldo is back! He's back in business, he's back with a bang, two goals for Brazil, and they may well be the Champions for the fifth time in the history, that he has just moved level with a legend, he's level on goals for Brazil in World Cup matches with Pele. They don't come greater than that."
Or at the Korea-Japan tournament in 2002 when it belonged to Brazil's Ronaldo?
And that if Lionel Messi is football's past and present, then is Kylian Mbappé unquestionably the future?
He says anything less than a final will be a negative result for France.
"This is how high the stakes are for, the French people, for the, for the French national team, for pretty much everyone that revolves around the, the French team, and you are right, Mbappé is the man of this selection. When you look at the stats, he's lost only one match in his whole history at the World Cup. He's lost the final against Argentina while scoring three goals . Also being now in a club like Real Madrid to perform super well because we know the history of Real Madrid and some of the the players like (Portugal's Cristiano) Ronaldo and how they perform at World Cup, so massive, massive, massive expectation."
While France undeniably has become the benchmark nation of modern era, as winners in 2018 and finalists in 2022, Argentina arrives as defending champions and remains among the favourites.
SBS Spanish Executive Producer Carlos Colina tells me the analysis for the last matches suggests Argentina will get at least into the semifinals.
"So there's a strong strong feeling, especially amongst the Argentinian fans, that Argentina will be very high in the tournament and could reach the later stages of the World Cup 2026."
And that Argentina, with Messi is built on balance, tactical discipline and belief.
"In the 2022 Qatar World Cup, he said that it was going to be his last World Cup. But having said that, the followers and the fans are really keen on his experience, and because he's a leader, a natural leader, I think most of the team relies on his leadership, and they are really focused on what he can bring, even though physically he's not the same, but mentally and, and, and with the confidence that he gives to the other players, he can make the difference in this edition of the World Cup."
But Phil Moss says history suggests repeating is one of the hardest tasks in the world of football.
"As we know with World Cups, aside from the last one where I think the stars really aligned for Lionel Messi, and, and deservedly so, he deserved to have a World Cup winner's medal around his neck, there's no doubt with what he's done and continues to do for the game, but I don't think it'll be that clearly written in the stars this time."
And that it's almost a transition from legacy players to what's next on the world map.
"If you think of some of the, the established names around Lionel Messi, Vinícius Júnior, (Ousmane) Dembélé of France, of course, Mo Salah from Egypt, Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal. You know, they're some of the legacy players who have really, you know, set the international football world alight for many, many years now. But they're at the other end of their career."
So, we know that at every World Cup there is bound to be a new superstar.
This year, all eyes are on Lamine Yamal.
"And then you look at the likes of Lamine Yamal for Spain. You've got, (Yan) Diomande from Ivory Coast, (Jérémy) Doku from Belgium, and (Yaya) Toure from the Ivory Coast. They're some youngsters that are really starting to make a splash on the world scene, and in a lot of ways I think this is their World Cup."
But he's not alone - you'd also want to keep your eyes out for England's Jude Bellingham, Germany's Florian Wirtz and Portugal's João Neves.
Phil Moss - who worked closely with Australia's former head coach Graham Arnold, who's now Iraq's coach at the World Cup - says big names bring legacy.
But tournaments are often decided by the breakout stars.
"It's a massive generational shift, isn't it? 17 debutants, in the squad. It's our sixth straight World Cup. Tony Popovic is targeting the quarterfinals, which would be an historic first. Of course, we saw what Graham Arnold did at the last World Cup with some fantastic results, and he took a side that on paper probably looked quite average compared to the teams that we played against, but they got through their group into, into the knockout phases. But Tony Popovic has been really bullish and he's saying, "I'm not picking these players for the next World Cup and the one after that. I'm picking them for this World Cup," and I really like that line, from, from the head coach because it shows real belief."
As he breaks down the team.
"The experience will come from the likes of Matthew Ryan, Harry Souttar, Cammy (Cameron) Devlin, who was at the last World Cup. Didn't play much, but, certainly had the experience of the last World Cup. Of course, the injuries to, to Riley McGree and, (Lewis) Miller, the big right fullback, they're big losses, but, I think we can cover them, as long as the likes of Cristian Volpato, really fill that gap by, left by Riley McGree, 'cause he's such a creative player. We saw him lay on that, brilliant goal by Matt (Matthew) Leckie at the last World Cup against Denmark, and just his vision and ability to turn things in the blink of an eye, Riley McGree, that, that will be missed."
He says Volpato has been playing in the Serie A, so he brings real quality, and that it'll be interesting to see how Tony Popovic uses him in the tournament.
He tells me the games against Türkiye, the US, and, and Paraguay are all winnable games for Australia.
"Watch out for (Ousmane) Dembélé, of course, Ballon d'Or last year. He just won the Champions League a second time in a row back to back with Paris Saint-Germain. He's a massively key player in the French architecture. And then there's (Michael) Olise. Olise just scored, three goals, I think recently, in a hat trick win in France had, had just the last match before leaving, uh, for the USA."
And that this is the first go at national team management in a World Cup for the U-S coach Mauricio Pochettino, so it'll be interesting to see how the former Tottenham Hotspur manager goes.
"You've got both the US national team coach in Pochettino and the Canadian, head coach in Jesse Marsch, who we saw coach in the English Premier League, of course, both saying that these are the best squads that their nations have ever assembled. So that is designed obviously to give the squad that they've got confidence. If they are the best squads that have been ever named for the US and Canada and they're on home soil hosting a World Cup, that, that brings a whole, whole new pressure to it. And they'll all know that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to do really well in a World Cup on home soil. I think, you know, the likes of (Christian) Pulisic, (Weston) McKennie, (Folarin) Balogun, for the US I think are, are players to really keep an eye on."
Mexico is hosting the World Cup after 40 years.
"For Mexico, look, there's strong belief around this squad. And they've got a round of 16 curse really, seven straight exits in the round of 16. So the likes of (Raúl) Jiménez, (Guillermo) Ochoa, it's his sixth World Cup at the age of 40." You know, they are players that are really gonna have to stand up for Mexico and, you know, history says struggle, home soil says opportunity, so it'll be really interesting to see how they handle that."
Phil Moss gives his predictions for Canada.
"And for Canada, as I said, uh, Jesse Marsch has got what he believes is the best squad he's ever had, um, at his disposal as a Canadian national team coach. And I think the likes of (Alphonso) Davies, will, will be critical in making sure that Canada progress."
As Phil Moss was born in England, he says he's backing England's captain Harry Kane all the way.
But does he think England can lift the trophy?
"History will say no. Obviously, they haven't won it since 1966. They've come close to a European championships, uh, in between times, but, um, I don't know. There's a temperament thing with England that, uh, always has me wary when it comes to these big tournaments. Um, and of course history will tell you that Germany will probably, uh, stump them, but, uh, at some point of the, the tournament. But England have a German coach now in, uh, in Thomas Tuchel, so it wouldn't... Wouldn't that be ironic if a German coach took England all the way to the World Cup and, and lifted the trophy?"
He says although that's unlikely, he feels Harry Kane may finish with the Golden Boot as he sees them going on a deep run into this tournament.
And I'll bring you the latest tomorrow as we head into the first day of the World Cup, where we'll see Mexico against South Africa, and Korean Republic against Czechia.
Stay tuned for the latest at World Cup Daily | The 90+ Podcast.
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