The 2026 World Cup quarter-finals are officially set: France, Morocco, Spain, Belgium, Norway, England, Argentina, and Switzerland have advanced. None of the teams standing on this stage have gotten here by luck; every match will be a hard-fought battle. However, if I were to predict the final champion, I would still cast my vote for France.

France's biggest advantage is not a single star player, but a balanced squad. From the forward line's attacking power, to the midfield's control, to the defense's big-game experience, there are almost no obvious weaknesses. The deeper the World Cup goes, the less it's about flashy offense and more about who makes fewer mistakes — and France is one of the teams with the lowest error rate among the quarter-finalists.
Facing Morocco, France's biggest test will be how to break down a compact defense. Morocco has tenacious will and highly disciplined tactical execution, but France has more players who can change the course of the game. As long as they can score first, the match rhythm will likely enter a familiar track for France.