World Cup 2026: Chelsea legend names 'surprise' nation who could win the tournament

The World Cup is acceptable to footwear disconnected successful little than a week, and fans astir the globe volition beryllium watching eagerly to spot who volition assistance the trophy connected July 19.

Several of the acquainted aged names person been touted arsenic favourites to triumph the World Cup this year, with Spain, France, and England among this group.

Argentina are the holders of the contention and volition beryllium aiming to go lone the 3rd federation to triumph consecutive World Cups, pursuing successful the steps of Brazil and Italy.

Fans are not the lone ones aiming to foretell the winners of the contention this summer, pundits are trying to show their adept footballing cognition by besides naming who volition assistance the trophy successful the mediate of the summer.

One sanction that has fixed his presumption is erstwhile World Cup victor Marcel Desailly, who has named who helium wants to spot triumph the tourney and why.

Marcel Desailly hopeful Portugal volition triumph the 2026 World Cup

In 1998, Desailly was famously portion of the France squad that won the World Cup for the archetypal clip successful the nation's history, beating Brazil 3-0 successful the final.

While this was arguably the pinnacle of his career, a superior debased came portion captaining Les Bleus astatine the adjacent iteration of the competition, arsenic helium captained France successful a dismal defence of the trophy astatine the 2002 World Cup, with the broadside finishing bottommost of Group A.

Having experienced the highs and lows of World Cup football, Desailly had an exclusive speech with Sports Mole acknowledgment to BetVictor to sermon who helium wants to triumph the 2026 iteration of the competition.

He said: “Portugal could beryllium the surprise.

“I privation Cristiano [Ronaldo] to win, arsenic I emotion some Cristiano and Messi equally, but I would similar Portugal, which has a beardown team, to triumph the World Cup truthful that Cristiano tin person the aforesaid reward arsenic Messi did successful 2022.”

Is Cristiano Ronaldo acceptable to articulation an elite radical of footballers by winning the World Cup?

Cristiano Ronaldo and his fans volition cognize that helium tin lone beryllium considered the champion subordinate to ever grace the crippled if helium lifts the World Cup, with 2026 being the past realistic accidental helium has of achieving this feat.

Portugal’s skipper would beryllium among the speech with Pele, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi if so, but the lone happening that helium is missing erstwhile it comes to this statement is simply a World Cup.

Portugal are seen arsenic 1 of the favourites for the tournament, yet their champion decorativeness successful the contention came successful 1966 erstwhile they placed third.

They person qualified for each World Cup since 2002, with their champion decorativeness successful the 21st period being 4th successful 2006 with Ronaldo arsenic portion of that squad.

However, since that tally to the semi-finals 20 years ago, Portugal person ne'er been past the quarter-finals of the World Cup, progressing that acold successful 2022 earlier being sent location by Morocco.

Marcel Desailly was speaking to Sports Mole connected behalf of BetVictor - cheque retired our best betting sides for the World Cup here.