WC Roundtable: Players to watch, co-host pressure, who can disappoint?

It’s almost time to put the speculation and debate to rest.

We’re starting to see the 48 teams arrive at their training bases in Canada, Mexico and the United States ahead of the biggest show in sports. The teams and superstars are in their final preparations before things kick off at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Let’s answer some big questions before the curtain goes up.

Q: What is your best World Cup story to watch?

Matteo Bonetti: Can Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo perform the ultimate swan song in North America? Even in this expanded 48-team tournament, much of the talking point when Argentina and Portugal play will revolve around these two generational superstars who are now in the twilight of their careers. Watching their managers balance sentimentality with the ruthless physical demands of modern tournament football will be pure theatre.

Luis Miguel Echegaray: The expansion to 48 teams needs a Cinderella story to feel justified. So that’s what I want to see at this World Cup: for a Haiti, a Curaçao, a Cape Verde or even a Scotland to shock us with a deep run that’s so poetic, we can’t help but feel inspired. The fact that there are eight third-placed teams that can advance to the knockout round creates an even greater incentive for some of these teams to just push through.

Brian Sciaretta: I look forward to seeing how the American public embraces the sport compared to the 1994 World Cup – the last time the US hosted. In 1994, many Americans got their first exposure to soccer. That really started the growth to what we see now, where the sport is readily available on TV and games are well attended. Now, the next steps in progress depend on another wave of public enthusiasm from another World Cup on American soil. Will this tournament inspire more kids to play? Go to games? Do you understand the sport with sophistication?

Q: Which under-the-radar team should we keep an eye on?

Arda Güler and Kenan Yildiz will make Türkiye a difficult team to beat. (Photo by Mehmet Emin Menguarslan/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Bonetti: Turkey. Under manager Vincenzo Montella, the team has quietly become a technically brilliant, high-energy side. With elite footballers such as Real Madrid’s Arda Güler and Inter Milan’s Hakan Çalhanoğlu pulling the strings, it has the perfect midfield balance and creative spark to cut through a defence. Also watch out for Kenan Yildiz. The Juventus winger is direct and electrifying when he takes on his man. Turkey is the final group stage opponent for the USA, and that match on June 25 in Los Angeles could decide who wins Group D.

Sciaretta: I suppose it might be cheating to consider a co-host “under the radar,” but given Canada’s lack of WC success, I think that qualifies. There is no doubt that the 2022 World Cup was disappointing for Canada, but the team has responded well to manager Jesse Marsch. The 2024 Copa América run to the semi-finals was hugely positive. Canada isn’t deep and likely won’t have star Alphonso Davies for at least the June 12 opener against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto, but it has some good players who play hard. Playing at home can be a recipe for success.

Echegaray: I’ve been talking about it for a while now, but I think Japaneven without winger Kaoru Mitoma, can go far. It is a deeply cohesive unit with immense tactical know-how that plays in a viable group. Colombia – which will feel the extreme support of its community in the United States – could also surprise people. The group stage final against Portugal in Miami on June 27 will be absolutely cinematic.

Q: Who is a World Championship heavyweight poised to disappoint?

Bonetti: I would say England. The talent is obviously there to make it a top-5 favorite. But the crushing weight of anticipation and the phrase “It’s Coming Home” being used as cheeky banter makes it feel like history is repeating itself in America. Unless England find a way to block out the noise and adapt on the fly, a highly disciplined side will exploit the familiar mental lapses and send the team together long before the final.

Echegaray: The easy answer is England. After 60 years without a major trophy – I always say that despite the incredibly deep list – the biggest obstacle for the Three Lions is themselves.

Will it come home? It depends on Declan Rice and Co. (Photo by Michael Regan – FA/FA via Getty Images)

But you know what? I realize I’m taking a big swing here and no doubt in the minority, but I don’t think things are going to be that straightforward for France as we believe. It’s true, Les Bleus possess an embarrassment of riches. But the group is so competitive – Erling Haaland’s Norway and a game of extreme historical importance against Senegal (see 2002) – that France may not top it. After that, who knows? Sometimes shocks happen, like the aforementioned tournament in 2002, when France did not make it out of the group. And this could be one of them. I’m not saying that France will go home after the group stage, and in fact all odds are that the French will once again go far. But stranger things have happened in our game. You just never know.

France are stacked but a tough group awaits (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)

Sciaretta: Argentina is the heavyweight most likely to disappoint. It’s always very difficult for the defending champions, but a team that hasn’t had a healthy turnover doesn’t help. New blood is always needed to keep things fresh. When you try to stick to a winning formula for too long, you risk Spain in 2014 or Germany in 2018, which were two examples of defending champions who faltered. This 2026 Argentina squad looks a lot like the 2022 version, but are they still hungry? Is age now a factor? These are fair questions and real risks.

Q: Which World Cup co-host has the most pressure?

Is Mexico ready for disappointment? (Photo: Omar Vega/Getty Images)

Sciaretta: If the American team does not perform well, it will be a huge missed opportunity. But Mexico has the most pressure. El Tri was suspended for the World Cup in 1990. Since then, they made it out of the group stage every tournament until 2022. Mexican fans demand and expect more. Hosting a tournament only raises expectations. The only two times Mexico has reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup are when it hosted in 1970 and 1986, and the team holds the record for the most World Cup matches without ever reaching the semi-finals. If Mexico fails to win at least one knockout game this summer, it will be disastrous.

Bonetti: Mexico playing in Mexico City – and especially in the mythical stadium where Pelé and Deigo Maradona lifted World Cup trophies – brings an atmosphere that is equal parts magical and utterly suffocating. The fútbol-obsessed Mexican fan base demands expertise and the media scrutiny is absolutely relentless. If El Tri stumble out of the gate at home, the pressure to banish previous tournament failures will be absolutely overwhelming. This isn’t the best Mexican site we’ve seen either. The consensus from fans seems to suggest that they believe this team is inconsistent and lacks the depth and talent of previous generations.

Echegaray: There is no doubt that it is USA for several reasons, but primarily because so much infrastructural and financial effort has been implemented in connection with this World Cup – from hiring Mauricio Pochettino to home pitches to the group stage – that it hair to do well. Not to mention the group is more than doable. USA needs a strong tournament. Anything else would be a travesty.

Q: Messi. Ronaldo. Modric. Which legend will have the best ‘Last Dance?’

The ageless Luka Modrić is going to the World Cup again. (Photo by Miguel J. Rodriguez CARRILLO/AFP via Getty Images)

Bonetti: Luka Modric. While the cameras will chase Messi and Ronaldo, Modrić remains the absolute master of dragging a team through the tournament. His spatial intelligence and motor simply defy aging. In a grueling format, his unique ability to slow down a game gives Croatia the best chance of one last magical run. He also just had a great season with AC Milan despite being in his 40s. Simply amazing.

Echegaray: I think it is Cristiano Ronaldo. Portugal looks strong and a group it can win. To be fair, I actually think Roberto Martínez’s side look more fluid without him in the starting line-up. But if you ask me who will go forward, I think it will be the Portuguese star. I envision a matchup of mammoth proportions in a potential quarter-final stage between Messi and Ronaldo, and the result would essentially answer this question!

– Messi vs. Ronaldo at the World Cup? How it can happen

Sciaretta: I’m going too Modriccould reach an astonishing 200 appearances for Croatia at this tournament. I like manager Zlatko Dalić’s roster for this World Cup. There is a good mix of youth and experience with a lot of players in their prime. Modrić is the legend, but he will have enough quality around him to ease the pressure. That’s why I think he can make the biggest impact.

Q: The golden ball goes to the top player. Who are some early candidates?

Erling Haaland is a goal machine for Norway. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

Sciaretta: Erling Haaland (Norway), Kylian Mbappé (France), Luis Diaz (Colombia)

It’s hard to think of anyone with more motivation at this World Cup than Haaland, who has been one of the best strikers of his generation and will now finally compete for Norway at a major international tournament. The question is whether there is enough of a supporting cast around him to push Norway far enough for him to compete for the Golden Boot. But this Norwegian team has impressive top-level talent – such as Martin Ødegaard, Alexander Sørloth and Antonio Nusa – to support Haaland. A Norwegian team at full strength can go far, and Haaland has all the skills to thrive this summer.

Echegaray: Harry Kane (England), Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain), Michael Olise (France).

I’m also keeping an eye on Colombia’s Luis Díaz and Vinícius Júnior with this rejuvenated Brazil under Carlo Ancelotti. Expect Haaland and Argentina’s Julián Alvarez to enter the mix for all individual awards. Lamine Yamal is obvious, but that depends on his availability as the Spanish superstar recovers from a hamstring injury.

Is Luis Díaz a Golden Ball candidate? (Sebastian Barros/Long Visual Press/Universal Images Group/Getty Images)

Bonetti: Harry Kane (England), Kylian Mbappé (France), Luis Diaz (Colombia).

Kane and Díaz have just completed sensational club seasons as the Bayern Munich teammates dominated the Bundesliga. While Mbappé’s time at Real Madrid has felt like a rollercoaster, despite putting up good stats, his time with France has been a different ordeal. He was unstoppable at Qatar 2022 and has proven capable of carrying his nation on his back at a major tournament.