This is probably the most difficult World Cup to win for any nation, because youโre still going to see a lot of African teams and even Asian teams go toe to toe with the European giants throughout this tournament.
The gap is not what it used to be. African and Asian football have evolved massively over the last two decades. Most of their top players are now developing in elite European leagues, playing at the highest tactical and physical level every week. When countries like Morocco, Japan, Senegal, South Korea, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Algeria, and others arrive at a World Cup, theyโre no longer showing up as underdogs hoping for a miracle, theyโre coming with players who are already competing against the worldโs best every weekend.
The coaching has improved too. Teams are far more organized tactically, better prepared defensively, and much smarter at exploiting weaknesses. Gone are the days when some nations would simply rely on passion and athleticism. Now theyโre arriving with detailed game plans, structured pressing systems, defensive blocks, and clear attacking patterns.
What weโve seen so far in this World Cup is proof of that. European teams are still strong, but theyโre not steamrolling opponents the way many people expected. Teams like Morocco drawing Brazil, Japan holding the Netherlands, Cape Verde drawing Spain.
Thatโs why lifting this World Cup will be incredibly difficult. It wonโt just be about beating the traditional powerhouses like Brazil, Argentina, France, England, Germany, or Spain. Youโll also have to navigate dangerous African, Asian, and even CONCACAF sides capable of punishing any mistake.
The era where people could look at the fixture and automatically hand big team
three points is gone. Football is becoming more global, the talent pool is deeper than ever, and this World Cup is showcasing exactly that. Every game feels like a potential upset waiting to happen.
I understand a fan of a team rationalizing things a bit. But holy hell the number of Nuggets fans trying to claim they have equal injuries to the Wolves because missing Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson is the same as missing Donte DiVincenzo and ANTHONY EDWARDS is koo koo.