The 2026 World Cup quarterfinalists have been officially announced: France, Morocco, Spain, Belgium, Norway, England, Argentina, and Switzerland have successfully advanced. No team that stands on this stage has gotten here by luck; every match will be a tough battle. However, if I were to predict the ultimate champion, I would still bet on France.

France's greatest advantage is not any single star player, but its balanced squad. From the attacking power of the forward line, to the midfield control, to the big-match experience of the defense, there are almost no obvious weaknesses. The later the World Cup goes, the less it's about flashy offense and more about who makes fewer mistakes. 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 packed defense. Morocco has strong will and extremely high tactical execution, but France has more players who can change the course of the game. As long as they can score first, the rhythm of the match will likely fall into France's familiar pattern.