Messi tops the list! Mbappé third! Ronaldo sixth! The power map of the North American World Cup has been revealed... Power ranking: Argentina leads the charge

*This content was translated by AI.

Defending champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi (39, Inter Miami), have been named the strongest favorites to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.

On the 8th (Korea time), the UK-based 'FourFourTwo' selected and released the 'Power Ranking Top 10' for major nations competing in the 2026 World Cup.

Argentina ranked first, followed by Spain in second, France in third, Germany in fourth, and England in fifth. From sixth to tenth place were Portugal, Brazil, Uruguay, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

Regarding Argentina, the defending 2022 Qatar World Cup champions and top-ranked team, the outlet stated, "Messi and head coach Lionel Scaloni continue to lead the team, maintaining world-class performance across all positions." It further predicted, "Argentina is in a group with Algeria, Austria, and Jordan and will likely advance smoothly from the group stage."

Spain, the 2024 European Championship champions, took second place. The outlet commented, "Under the leadership of coach Luis de la Fuente, Spain has enhanced its attacking power and boasts a solid defense."

Regarding third-ranked France, the outlet reported, "Coach Didier Deschamps, who will step down after this tournament, will challenge for the title once again with captain Kylian Mbappé and a deep squad."

Germany, which has undergone a generational shift, secured fourth place. The outlet noted, "Under the guidance of coach Julian Nagelsmann, young talents such as Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz stand out."

England, led by coach Thomas Tuchel, claimed fifth place. The outlet stated, "England advanced through the qualifiers with a perfect scoreless record and aims for the championship with Harry Kane, who boasts peak goal-scoring ability, as its weapon."

Portugal, where 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo remains a key figure, took sixth place. Brazil, now under the new leadership of coach Carlo Ancelotti, ranked seventh. The outlet explained, "As the tournament is held in the Americas, Brazil cannot be excluded."

Additionally, Uruguay, led by coach Marcelo Bielsa, rose to eighth place and was identified as a strong 'dark horse.' While lacking a definitive striker, the Netherlands, a regular in the World Cup semifinals, ranked ninth, and Belgium, which recently demonstrated its strength by defeating the United States, recorded tenth place.

Meanwhile, the 2026 North American World Cup, the first in history to feature 48 participating nations, will jointly open on June 11 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, embarking on a grand tournament of 104 matches.

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*This content was translated by AI.