Lionel Messi names his World Cup 2026 favorites and gives his verdict on Lamine Yamal and Spain’s hopes

Yahoo Sports11h ago2 min readOriginal source →

TL;DR

Lionel Messi has named France, Spain, and Brazil as favorites for the 2026 World Cup, while downplaying Argentina's chances. He also commented on Lamine Yamal's potential impact for Spain in the tournament.

Key points

Lionel Messi names France, Spain, and Brazil as World Cup favorites
Messi downplays Argentina's chances for the tournament
Lamine Yamal expected to play a role for Spain in World Cup 2026

Mentioned in this story

Lionel MessiLamine Yamal

ArgentinaSpainFranceBrazil

Argentina's forward #10 Lionel Messi reacts during the 2026 FIFA World Cup South American qualifiers football match between Argentina and Venezuela at the Mas Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires on September 4, 2025. (Photo by Luis ROBAYO / AFP) (Photo by LUIS ROBAYO/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images Lionel Messi has shared his thoughts on World Cup 2026 as he bids to retain the trophy he won with Argentina last time out in Qatar. There will obviously be a host of Barcelona players at the World Cup, with Spain one of the favorites heading into the tournament. Lamine Yamal is expected to be fit in time for the tournament and is likely to join Barca team-mates such as Pedri, , , and Pau Cubarsi in ths squad. Messi feels that Argentina aren’t the hot favorites ahead of the competition and shared his thoughts on who might end up being crowned world champions. “We have to get excited, like Argentinians always do whenever there’s an official competition, whether it’s the Copa América or the World Cup, but we also have to know that there are other favorites ahead of us, who are coming in better as a group and as a team,” he said in an interview with the YouTube channel del Pollo. “This will always compete and give their best, just like they have since this group came together. “Right now, looks very good again. They have many top-level players. I think Spain, —although they haven’t been at their best lately—are always contenders and have the players to compete in all official competitions. “Then we all say the same things. , , the big powers… has a very competitive and good team too. And then there’s always some surprise…” Who do you think will win World Cup 2026? Share your thoughts and predictions in the comments below!

Q&A

What teams did Lionel Messi name as favorites for the 2026 World Cup?

Lionel Messi named France, Spain, and Brazil as favorites for the 2026 World Cup.

What did Messi say about Argentina's chances in the World Cup?

Messi stated that Argentina isn't the hot favorite and acknowledged that other teams are coming in stronger as a group.

Who is Lamine Yamal and what is his role in the World Cup 2026?

Lamine Yamal is a Barcelona player expected to join Spain's squad for the World Cup 2026, potentially impacting their performance.

Lionel Messi names his World Cup 2026 favorites and gives his verdict on Lamine Yamal and Spain’s hopes

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Key points

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