SURABAYA – The excitement for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is already building ahead of the tournament’s kick-off, which will take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
Amid the global football fever, Madura United’s assistant coach, Rakhmat Basuki, shared his thoughts on which nations are most likely to claim the world’s most prestigious football trophy.
According to the coach from Madura, the 2026 World Cup is expected to be more competitive than previous editions. With 48 nations participating for the first time in history, the quality gap among teams is narrowing, giving several top contenders a legitimate chance to become champions.
Rakhmat Basuki admitted that predicting the eventual winner is not easy. However, he highlighted three teams that he believes have the strongest potential to lift the trophy.
“It’s difficult to predict which country will win the World Cup this time,” Rakhmat Basuki told SURYA.co.id.
“But nations like Argentina, Spain, and France have a very strong chance to emerge as champions,” he added.
Argentina enters the 2026 World Cup as the defending champion, having defeated France in the 2022 final in Qatar. That victory added to their previous World Cup titles from 1978 and 1986, bringing their total to three.
In addition to their three championships, Argentina has also finished as runner-up three times — in 1930, 1990, and 2014.
Spain, meanwhile, continues to be regarded as one of the world’s football powerhouses. Although they have only one World Cup title — from the 2010 tournament in South Africa — La Roja have consistently remained competitive in major international competitions.
France is seen as the team most capable of challenging Argentina’s dominance. Les Bleus have two World Cup titles to their name, won in 1998 and 2018, and have finished as runner-up twice, in 2006 and 2022.
According to Rakhmat, the strong prospects of these three nations lie not only in the quality of their individual players but also in the mental fortitude they demonstrate in high-pressure matches.
“One of the biggest factors, aside from the quality of the squad, is their mentality,” he concluded.
Argentina is expected to once again rely on several of its star players who have formed the team’s core in recent years. Lionel Messi remains the focal point as captain, supported by goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, midfielder Enzo Fernandez, and the striking duo of Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez.
For France, Kylian Mbappe continues to be the central figure leading Les Bleus’ golden generation. His presence, along with several experienced teammates, keeps France among the top favorites for the title.
With a new format involving 48 nations and three host countries, the 2026 World Cup is anticipated to deliver fiercer and more unpredictable competition than ever before.
