The 2026 World Cup quarterfinals are officially set, with France, Morocco, Spain, Belgium, Norway, England, Argentina, and Switzerland advancing. None of the teams standing on this stage have relied on luck to get here; every match will be a tough battle. However, if I were to predict the ultimate champion, I would still bet on France.

France's biggest advantage is not any single star player, but the balance of the squad. From the attacking power of the forward line to the control ability of the midfield and the tournament experience of the defense, there are almost no obvious weaknesses. The deeper the World Cup goes, the less it is about flashy offense and more about who makes fewer mistakes, and France is one of the teams with the lowest error rate among the quarterfinalists.

Facing Morocco, France's biggest test will be how to break down a densely packed defense. Morocco has strong willpower and high tactical execution, but France has more players capable of changing the course of the game. As long as they can score first, the rhythm of the match is likely to fall into France's familiar path.