The French national team appears destined to follow in the footsteps of Brazil and Argentina by replicating their pattern of World Cup triumphs.

Historically, Brazil and Argentina stand out as the only two nations to have claimed two World Cup titles across three consecutive editions.

In fact, Brazil uniquely managed to achieve this remarkable feat twice in its history.

On the first occasion, Brazil secured this record between 1962 and 1970, missing only the 1966 edition.

At the 1962 World Cup in Chile, Brazil lifted the trophy after defeating Czechoslovakia 3-1 in the final.

Then in 1970, Brazil once again captured the World Cup crown, thrashing Italy 4-1 in the championship match.

In 1966, however, Brazil’s run ended in the group stage. That year, England went on to win the World Cup after overcoming Italy.

On their second such run, Brazil won two titles from three editions in 1994 and 2002.

They missed out in 1998 despite reaching the final, losing 3-0 to France.

Meanwhile, Argentina became the other nation to mirror this historical pattern.

They achieved it in 1978 and 1986, with the only gap being their failure to win in 1982.

In 1978, Argentina clinched their maiden World Cup title by defeating the Netherlands 3-1 in the final.

Then in 1986, led by Diego Maradona’s legendary “Hand of God” performance, Argentina secured their second title after overcoming West Germany 3-2 in a thrilling finale.

While Brazil’s hopes of defending their titles in the 1960s were dashed by England, and later by France in 1998, Argentina’s aspirations were halted by Italy, who won the 1982 World Cup.

That year, Argentina only progressed to the second round as Italy ultimately lifted the trophy after defeating West Germany.

The 2026 World Cup will be the first to be hosted across three countries and feature a new format of 48 teams.

This presents a significant challenge for France as they aim to reclaim the title last won by Argentina.

Drawn into Group I with Senegal, Norway, and Iraq, France will look to cruise through the group stage smoothly.

Once in the knockout rounds, Les Bleus will aim to go as far as possible—ideally all the way to the final—to lift the trophy once again.

Given their squad depth and recent success, winning the 2026 World Cup remains a realistic goal for France.

French coach Didier Deschamps has acknowledged that his team has built high expectations through their consistent performance on the pitch.

Their record across major tournaments stands as solid proof of their quality.

The former Marseille manager hopes to see France achieve glory once again in the 2026 World Cup—which could well mark his final campaign as head coach of Les Bleus.

“We’ve built expectations based on our results,” Deschamps told FIFA’s official website.

“We lifted the World Cup in 2018 and reached the final in 2022, so naturally, our supporters expect France to be among the contenders again in 2026, come mid-July.”

“We are one of around 10 to 12 nations that can realistically aim for the title,” he added. “But in the end, only one will win, meaning at least 11 others will be disappointed.”

Local Voices on France’s Strong Prospects for the 2026 World Cup

Judging by the squad assembled by Didier Deschamps for the 2026 World Cup, few would argue against France being one of the strongest contenders.

That belief is shared by Difanda Pandu, a passionate France fan and member of Big Reds Regional Surabaya.

Pandu remains confident that France has the quality and balance needed to make a deep run in the tournament.

“As a long-time supporter of the French national team since the 2006 World Cup, I’m still optimistic that France can reach the final again in 2026,” Pandu told Tribunnews on Friday (June 5, 2026).

“With players like Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise—who’s in top form at Bayern Munich this year—alongside emerging talents such as Rayan Cherki and PSG’s Desire Doue, France’s squad looks nearly flawless across all areas.”

“So the hope of seeing France reach the final and possibly win it all is quite strong,” he added.

When asked about the team’s strengths, Pandu confidently described France as formidable across the board.

With Mbappe’s leadership, the return of Ngolo Kante, and the presence of a solid defensive trio, Les Bleus boast both experience and depth.

Considering the 2026 World Cup might be Didier Deschamps’ last dance as head coach, the squad will surely be motivated to deliver their best performance as a farewell gift for him.

“Every line in this French team looks excellent. Mbappe, as captain, carries the biggest responsibility,” Pandu said.

“The return of Kante, with all his experience, is expected to boost the team’s morale in every match.”

“In defence, players like Saliba, Konate, and Upamecano are rock-solid, while Mike Maignan stands firm between the posts.”

“Hopefully, France can win again—and maybe even give Deschamps the perfect send-off,” he concluded.

It will be fascinating to see how France performs and how far they can go as the runners-up from the previous World Cup edition.

(Tribunnews.com/Dwi Setiawan)