2026 FIFA World Cup: Why England, Brazil and Portugal Won’t Win Based on Historical Trends
- Spain is the favourite to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada, according to multiple predictions
- EA Sports and Opta’s supercomputer both backed La Roja to win their second world title since their first crown in 2010
- However, three among the favourite teams - Brazil, England and Portugal must break a jinx if they want to win the trophy
The Spanish national team are the favourite to win the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup, but England, Brazil and Portugal will not win based on past trends.
European champions Spain, according to Opta’s supercomputer, has the highest chance of winning, while EA Sports, which has rightly predicted the last four winners, named them as sole favourites.
Source: Getty Images
La Roja began their World Cup campaign with a shocking goalless draw against debutant Cape Verde, but remained favourites to win the tournament.
Defending champions Argentina beat Algeria 3-0, 2022 finalists France defeated Senegal 3-1, England beat Croatia 4-2, while Brazil have four points after drawing Morocco and beating Haiti.
Portugal are the only country among the favourites who have demonstrated obvious signs of struggles and cracks during their 1-1 draw against DR Congo.
Why Brazil, Portugal, England won’t win
Brazil are record five-time winners and have not won since 2002 in Japan and South Korea. Football has not gone home to England since 1966, while Portugal have never won it.
However, all three countries are likely to continue to wait for another win or inaugural win for Portugal based on a past trend that has repeated itself.
According to DAZN, all countries that have won the FIFA World Cup have done so with indigenous managers, including those that have won multiple times.
21 managers have won the World Cup since its first edition in 1930, which Uruguay won. Italy’s Vittorio Pozzo is the only one who won twice in 1934 and 1938.
Lionel Scaloni led Argentina to victory in 2022, Didier Deschamps in 2018, Joachim Löw in 2014 and Vicente del Bosque in South Africa in 2010.
This presents a huge challenge for England, Brazil and Portugal, all of whom are managed by foreign managers at the ongoing tournament.
Source: Getty Images
German tactician Thomas Tuchel is in charge of England, Italian veteran Carlo Ancelotti manages Brazil, and Portugal are managed by their Iberian neighbours, Spanish boss Roberto Martinez.
All other favourites have indigenous managers: Scaloni and Deschamps are still in charge of Argentina and France. Luis de la Fuente manages Spain.
Julian Nagelsmann is in charge of Germany and the Netherlands, which, according to ESPN German mathematician Joachim Klement predicts to win, with a Dutch manager in Ronald Koeman.
Supercomputer predicts World Cup winner
Legit.ng previously reported that Opta's supercomputer predicted the 2026 FIFA World Cup winner after debutants Cape Verde held Spain to a draw.
The result dipped Spain’s chances of winning the World Cup by almost 1%, but Luis de la Fuente’s side remains the favourite to win the tournament.
Source: Legit.ng
