The four-year World Cup is about to reach its final chapter! This edition saw the teams battling all the way to the semifinals, with almost no true super-upsets along the way. France, Spain, England, and Argentina are also the four most top-tier teams in today’s world football. Below, I’ll talk about my predictions for the semifinals and the final.

First up: France vs Spain.
Many people still feel Spain’s possession-based system is unbeatable, but today’s possession play no longer has the absolute dominance it had in its peak period. Against a team like France—one that has everything dialed in in terms of pace, physique, and counterattacking ability—Spain is likely to end up with a higher share of possession but struggle to find a breakthrough for a long time. Once the middle and back line is dispossessed, the threat up front from France is enough to be fatal in one strike.
So I’m more inclined to back France to advance, with the scoreline leaning toward 2:1 or 1:0.

In the other semifinal, Argentina vs England—I favor England more.
This World Cup, England’s Three Lions have been more stable than Argentina, both in form and in overall cohesion. The team is balanced in both attack and defense, the squad depth is strong, and the impact from younger players is also very significant. By contrast, Argentina—despite having a superstar like Messi—has seen its midfield control drop compared with its peak era. Facing high-pressing traps, they can easily fall into a passive state. And once Messi is heavily marked, the team’s ability to create chances will decline as well.

Overall, I think England has a higher probability of advancing, and I’d bet on a 2:1 or 1:0 score.

As for the final, my prediction is that it will be a France vs England showdown.
On paper, I still slightly lean toward France: their lineup is more mature, and they also have more experience in major tournaments. But the biggest charm of football is that it’s unpredictable. If I have to believe in a possible upset script, I’m willing to trust that England can break a wait of over 60 years for a championship and lift the trophy again.

If it really happens, I’d back England to beat France 2:1 or 3:2—returning to the top of the world after a century.