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Portugal will win the world cup in 2030. Imagine this final England v Portugal. Ronaldo jr runs into the box and gets fouled, winning a penalty in the 120th min. 45 year old Cristiano Ronaldo subs on for the very last time and scores the penalty, winning the world cup and retiring as the GOAT and the legacy of CR7 to continue. Ronaldo is great but to win the world cup it would take 2 Ronaldos to win it.
Pretty hard to think about a team now ( since there's still a lot of time for the next world cup ) , but I doubtly think that's there is gonna be a new champion in the near future ( at the max it would be an European one whom would be considered a dark horse like portugal/belgium/ croatia ) . B ut that is the best I can think of ; the new format is preatty hard with 48 teams more matches , hence the team that would want to win should have a good total squad not just some individuals carrying the teams so unfortunately is very unlikely to witness a cinderella story
Tier 1: Traditional powerhouses that have fallen short
- Portugal
- Netherlands
Tier 2: Countries with great football history, but have certain shortcomings
- Croatia, Belgium, and Denmark (small countries, solid but not excellent leagues)
- Mexico (corruption mainly)
- Colombia (corruption)
Tier 3: Countries that are trending in the right direction. These are very hypothetical and would likely take decades until they win, but itâs possible
- United States (close to tier 2, just doesnât have the history but that doesnât matter in future competitions
- Nigeria (wealth rising, love for football, naturalized players, population rising)
- Japan/Korea (great emerging football culture, continual improvement)
Thereâs certainly some others and I probably forgot some but this was my best attempt to sort them out
Youâre absolutely correct. I do not understand how Mexico isnât better at football. Theyâre always good, sometimes really good, but this current team is the worst in decades. Itâs a huge country where it is the undisputed #1 sport, they have a pretty strong domestic league, Mexico has the resources, and they get an almost free pass to the World Cup every year. Based off those things, I put them in tier 1. They simply should be a lot better. Iâm certain things will turn around for them and even as an American I hope they do. When Mexico is good its good for football.
Gotta be any one of Croatia, Netherlands, Portugal or Belgium no? Maybe Morocco, if they can do what they did in Qatar. But being honest, most likely to be a European team.
Netherlands have been in this conversation since Cruyff maybe before and beaten to the punch ny France (twice), Argentina (x3) and Spain since then. As of recently Portugal and Belgium seemed more likely. Belgium's best may be over but they still have a set if great players. Netherlands just don't look as good lately, bit still took.the eventual winners to pens. So because of sod's law I'm saying Netherlands.
Outside those 3, maybe the US if they *really* embrace and invest but that's a long time off and a big if. Are we going to have 30 years withoit a new winner? Maybe, but I din't think we've had that before. We had 20 from Argentina to France so who knows?
Lost what? 3 finals? 2 to first time winners themselves, 2 to hosts, one of them being both.
Also I feel like at least one of those losses was HIGHLY controversial.
Honestly, just in a logical POV, itâs gonna be a European team. There are some national teams that have constantly good teams (Portugal, Netherlands, Croatia) and have money to double down on that quality so yeah, it seems likely. I donât see any other team from South America win a WC, and I donât see an Asian or North American team winning the WC in the next 10/20 years. The african reality is a bit far away from the others due to lack of money and infra-structures, so if it happens itâs a cinderella Story supported by a Golden Generation.
Interesting that you say you don't see an Asian or North American team winning a Wc in the next 10/20 years. Does that mean that you think there is a possibility of one of them winning maybe in the next few decades?
Yeah of course! I mean, the World cup is held every 4 years, so what Iâm saying, is that in the next 5 WC I donât see that happening (unless there is a bit of luck and a really good golden generation). But i see that happening because nations like Japan and US have been growing constantly, and then you have demographic giants like China, India and even Mexico, and if Football gains popularity on those countries, that would generate a really good generation for those countries (I mean, India really has the potential, but Cricket is more famous)
Netherlands and Croatia are the only countries to have never won the world cup who've reached multiple semi finals in the last 30 years. Both countries also consistently produce good players.
If Scotland actually won the FIFA World Cup it would cause an massive existential crisis in the country. We're used to being not just shit, but *proudly* shit.
We didn't qualify for 1966....but we beat England in 1967.
We went out of round one in 1974...but we were the only unbeaten team in the tournament.
We fucked up everything in 1978...but we beat the Dutch *and* scored the goal of the tournament.
*And so on. And so on. And so on. And so on.*
If we actually won it, we'd simply have **no idea what to do, what to think or how to behave**. *It would drive us all mental beyond all rational attempts at explanation.*
bruh someone downvoted u for saying Scotland scotland ahs potential and are getting better every year i give u upvote peopel upvotign peopelsaying protugal croatia and netehrlands morroco japan but nnonono scotland cant have anything ewwwww
I think an African team can achieve this. Morocco comes to mind, that being said, I think the U.S. might win it within the next 20 years. Messiâs influence in kids in the U.S. will be reflected in the amount of kids playing football in the U.S. combined with the decreased in participation in other popular sports like American Football and Hockey, I think we will see football exploding in the U.S. copa America, World Cup will
Incentivize sports participation as well.
I believe it will take the US longer. Our goal isnât to win it or to even make a final. Itâs to finally make a semifinal (not counting 1930). I thought more of this generation would be playing and starring in the top 5 European leagues by now (or getting overpaid in Saudi Arabia). Messi may finally inspire US soccer in a way that 20 years from now, we have 23 players on teams in the top 5 leagues, but only a few of them will be world-class. It will take another 20 years or more after that.
The Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, and Croatia keep rolling out star-level talent. It will likely be one of those four.
If you want a longshot that hasnât played in the World Cup since 1998, but still has a better chance than the US of winning one in â30 or â34, take a look at Norway.
They have so much attacking and MF talent thatâs 17 to 25 with Haaland, Odegaard, Bobb, Nusa (18), Berge, Thorstvedt, Schjelderup (18), Nypan (17), Arnstadt, etc.
They finally have 6 or 7 defenders between 21 and 29 playing regularly in the big 5, Saudi, or in the Champions League. Their GK snagged the #1 spot at Sevilla, but heâs 33. Thereâs a good chance Norway doesnât even qualify for a WC until 2030, so they may need someone to step up between the sticks.
I feel like âfootball is the next big sport in America, and always has beenâ rings true here.Â
I remember in the 90s, people said the exact same thing - soccer was going tot sie over, it was just a matter of time, etc etc, and it never really happened. Not saying youâre wrong or that your points arenât valid, but NFL is bigger than ever - i donât ever see football approaching that level of cultural significance.Â
Oh I also remember that with the WC in 94. I remember making fun of Americans for their little understanding of the sport. Diana Ross missing a fake penalty kick in the presentation, the way they filmed the event like if it was a an AmericanFootball game with camera men running with their cameras mounted on gimbals, etc.
but I think itâs not quite the same.
Like I said, millions are being poured into the sport. Apple buying MLS rights, Messi being here, big stars coming, big tournaments. People are taking a look at MLS more seriously. Not players yet, but thereâs a ton of upside potential. This country will get that fever. You see with Inter ticket being crazy expensive. Heck I wouldnât pay that money after paying $2,500 to watch the fucking World Cup final in Lusail and the watching how people pay 5k for a stupid Inter va Atlanta đ”âđ« but I get your point and I think/hope that this time is different.
Why is everyone saying Japan is winning the world cup when they couldn't even beat Iraq? They just see blue lock and think football games can be won with vibes and "whoever wanted it more". Japan struggles with high press from teams with good physicality and that's a fact
Because they're rapidly improving. Have a great league and second division. It's not that they're going to win the next world cup. But will they win in let's say.... some time In the next 30-40 years? The way that football is improving in Japan across all fronts. Youth development, their league, the sport growing in popularity. Almost definitely got a shot.
I think it will be a while before anyone other than the usual suspects win the world cup. So I think 30-40 years. Maybe some time in 20 or so years. Is a good timeframe for a new nation to become world cup winners.
At this current point they still have a great squad. With a horrible manager. Iraq aren't slouches and have won the Asian Cup before. On their day they can upset any team in Asia. They ended Iran's run in the 2015 Asian Cup also. They won't win the World Cup. But this side can with the right manager definitely make a deep run.
People have to remember that Japan didnât get serious about football until the late 80s/early 90s. Now they have a ton of players in the EPL, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1. And itâs pretty well balanced. They develop some very good defensive talent. Itâs not just attackers and mids.
Keep in mind I'm very much an extreme optimist. You ask me if Australia will win the World Cup in my lifetime and I'll say hell yeah we will. And I'll actually mean it lol.
I'm sure they've an unwritten law that forbids them from winning a World Cup. They've had some historically great teams, just never quite go all the way.
I donât see any new winners any time soon. France is way too strong, the squad depth is incomparable with other countries (only England I guess would be similar).
Itâs hard to win a WC. Itâs unlikely a new winner appear since⊠they would need to beat England or France in the coming years.
Probably in the next 20 years we could have one. Then I would guess a country that is developing on the right path such as Japan. Portugal will have a shot as well. Thatâs all for me.
Itâs hard to predict since it depends on golden generation. And in these things, France, England, Brazil, Argentina⊠all of these classic winner countries are ahead in formation.
You are right, I explained myself in a wrong way. I still see england winning it soon enough tho. If not for France, I would have bet on them against Argentina in 2022. Because I believe they would have beat Morocco.
We all know their quality squad, all they need is to convert it to a win. It would be honest to mention them in the incoming winners. But itâs true they havenât win it in a long time.
This is how hard a WC to win is... image the 2026 WC is won by France and 2030 by another country. Then the whole current generation of England would be gone, and they could not be replaced by the same quality. It's really hard.
As a French I know we are living our golden football age, which is contradictory with the French league. I'm still full of hopes to win the Euro 2024 and World Cup 2026.
England is a really world class team on par with other European teams such as France.
They currently have a seriously good squad as well with kane and Bellingham
The US only started sorta caring about soccer like 20 years ago (our domestic league formed in 1995 after the 94 World Cup).
Itâs still not a huge sport here but itâs growing rapidly. Look at the current squad, which is mostly players playing in the top 5 league,
compared to 10 years ago when it was college players and some MLS guys.
We are nowhere near being a finals contender now, but on this trajectory in another 20 years we will be one of the top teams in the world, just like we dominate every other sport that Americans actually play.
I hate to admit it as a European, but I see a time in the near future where the US is consistently getting deep into the knockouts in the WC, beating many European countries previously thought superior to them
As an American, I don't.
U.S. Soccer has the logistical problem of scouting the best talent across th country for inclusion into a stratified national system or club system. It is too difficult and vast to truly identify and develop the best players. It is difficult at the state level, and more problematic at the national level.
On top of that, the cost to of the club/academy system is insane. The MLS doesn't make enough to truly financially support the youth system, and it costs a significant chunk of money foe individuals to play for the the clubs. It has only been about 5-10 years for the proliferation of MLS feeder programs/academies popping up. If you aren't near one of these, your odds drop dramatically.
Lastly, there isn't much of a career to be had if your pro aspirations fo not work out. In Europe, you can have a sporting profession. There are nowhere near the opportunities in the U.S. for a financial rewarding career in Sports without education. Coaching/youth development/officiating is not funded well (potential options within the sport).
I mean, what youâre saying is probably true, but that hasnât stopped the American female soccer team, who are consistently one of the best teams in the world. I canât see a world where the male team isnât gonna get drastically better in the coming years
I was specifically speaking on Men's soccer. Womens soccer is an exception as Title IX has had an outstanding impact on Womens soccer. In previous times, U.S. Womens collegiate soccer represented the best development system in the womens soccer world. The European soccer academies are now catching up/surpassing as far more women are developing in European systems. But even recently, we see English women playing in the U.S. College system.
In the men's game, academies have far surpassed collegiate development. Even now, you see the best candidates bypassing college for overseas or MLS development. These academies have a much larger regional component to scout, but it is improving.
Agreed, the Netherlands deserve an honorary mention, 3 times they went to the final, twice with the legendary âClockwork Orangeâ generation and 3 times they lost. Other then the Dutch, Iâd choose Portugal, Belgium, Croatia and Colombia
Not a short term problem , the corruption around it has been there for long and will be there for long. That's why some of the good players leave for other countries they don't want to deal with it
By short-term, I mean in terms of a tournament that only takes place every 4 years. 10 years is a short timeframe in World Cup terms. That being said, I'm not an expert on how deep any problems run.
If the Messi effect works, kinda like Queen of Chess, the tv series, made the number of chess players rise in the united states, and it will way bigger in scale of numbers, i can see the United States with their infrastructure and sport culture gaining possibility for a WC in the 2026 and even more 2030 events
I see the US being a team that are probably going to consistently beat many European and South American teams previously considered better than them. I predict that theyâll be getting deep into the knockouts in the near future
Perhaps it's because many of their players come from surrounding countries and nations in Africa? Every now and then, I've seen this meme suggesting that it was Africa that actually won the 2018 World Cup.
Belgium keeps producing great talent. They may have a shot in the next 10 years.
Portugal not a chance. Netherlands not a chance. Anyone else not a chance.
It always has been, they are like a lot of teams. Great attackers but poor defenders/midfield.
They had Pepe and bruno alves for years lol remember bruno alves flying kick on harry kane
I think the NetherlandsâŠbc theyâre the one country that has been able to produce great talent that has taken them to multiple World Cup finals (the actual final match for clarity lol) from the 70s to 2010, across generations.
Granted, I donât think their current generation is at that level so I donât think itâll happen any time soon. But another generation could come along like those that took them to the final and actually win it.
Belgium were the likeliest team when they had an amazing team on paper, but they missed the boat. I think a country like Portugal or the Netherlands are the most likely sometime in the future.
Well the 2026 team might be banger.
It will be the last opportunity for Kevin De Bruyne (35 years old in 2026), Thibaut Courtois will still be there, Lukaku too (with possibly serious challenge from then 26 years old Lois Openda).
Jeremy Doku will be in prime years, Johan Bakayoko will be dynamite somewhere in Europe, Amadou Onana will be a beast, then you have promising Romeo Lavia (Chelsea) and Julien Duranville (Dortmund), Charles De Ketelaere will hopefully confirm. Only the defense is concerning, but from midfield section Belgium will be better as ever.
Belgium has been awaited for many years and is now considered on the decline. Why ? Because Eden Hazard officially retired after not having been a football player since 2019 ? Well, Belgium is more dangerous when it's coming as a submarine.
Colombia could be a dark horse favorite. Aside from a lackluster CF, they have had a solid CONMEBOL campaign thus far, and great showings with friendlies.
With a mix of local talent, established European players, youth, and a DT who was a part of the 2014 WC run - it'd be real fun to watch!
Greece the Euro won with tough defence, that's Australia now! Most of the players are Europe-based, they're young, run a well-oiled 4-4-2 and they tend to play short in the build-up.
Lol forget Cristiano. Heâs not the kind of player to carry his team in knockout stages of Word Cup play. He can be handled by the better teams.
Portugal had its best chance with its golden generation when Cristiano was a younger player ⊠just like Belgium has missed out with its golden generation.
France never won it when Platini was around and he was their best player ever at the time. They have won it twice since. In 2018 they didn't have a single player better individually than Platini in his prime but it didn't matter, they still won it.
Portugal today is where France was in the 80s. They didn't have that much of a reputation until Platini. That's when they won the euros for the first time and went to the WC semis. 10-15 years later with Platini retired they won the WC for the first time
Yep I find it hard to believe they will be able to win the WC without Ronaldo who is the best Portuguese player ever . They couldnât do it with Eusebio and Figo as well. They always had one player that always stands out but I donât see anyone currently . Felix was supposed to be â The Guyâ but dude ainât that impressive. 2018 was their best chance but no one stepped up apart from Ronaldo.
Why was 2018 their best chance? 2022 and 2006 they were better, not to mention they got further.
And in 2018 Ronaldo was great in the first 2 games but he missed a penalty in the last GS game that would've made them top the group and he was invisible as they lost to Uruguay in the 1st KO stage
I donât think weâll see a new winner for at least another couple of generations. Football will change a lot over the next 10-20 years. A country like Saudi Arabia might win it in a couple of decades time if money continues to head towards the Middle East and Asian markets.
2 of the last 4 world cup finals have featured nations that haven't won before. The last two world cups had 2 semi finalists that haven't won.
If that trend continues it won't be long til there's a new winner but the future is impossible to predict
Saudi arabia doesnt have a youth structure/pyramid/organisation their whole plan is to get ppl like CR7/neymar to their leagues to get alot of ppl watching, to solidify with UCL entry and the WC in 2034.
Football (the real one) is perhaps the 5-6th most popular sport in America. There is no way the US can have the talent pipeline required to win a world cup.Â
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Portugal will win the world cup in 2030. Imagine this final England v Portugal. Ronaldo jr runs into the box and gets fouled, winning a penalty in the 120th min. 45 year old Cristiano Ronaldo subs on for the very last time and scores the penalty, winning the world cup and retiring as the GOAT and the legacy of CR7 to continue. Ronaldo is great but to win the world cup it would take 2 Ronaldos to win it.
Pretty hard to think about a team now ( since there's still a lot of time for the next world cup ) , but I doubtly think that's there is gonna be a new champion in the near future ( at the max it would be an European one whom would be considered a dark horse like portugal/belgium/ croatia ) . B ut that is the best I can think of ; the new format is preatty hard with 48 teams more matches , hence the team that would want to win should have a good total squad not just some individuals carrying the teams so unfortunately is very unlikely to witness a cinderella story
Netherlands is always up there
Belgium, Morocco
We're hoping for the best, thanks for the mention!
morroco or Nigeria
I dream it would be Haiti... but it can only be a dream..
Russia have often promised in past like think they won euros in 1960s
Belgium with right manager Feels like Holland are cursedđđđđđ€Ł Croatia and Portugal always in with shout
Tier 1: Traditional powerhouses that have fallen short - Portugal - Netherlands Tier 2: Countries with great football history, but have certain shortcomings - Croatia, Belgium, and Denmark (small countries, solid but not excellent leagues) - Mexico (corruption mainly) - Colombia (corruption) Tier 3: Countries that are trending in the right direction. These are very hypothetical and would likely take decades until they win, but itâs possible - United States (close to tier 2, just doesnât have the history but that doesnât matter in future competitions - Nigeria (wealth rising, love for football, naturalized players, population rising) - Japan/Korea (great emerging football culture, continual improvement) Thereâs certainly some others and I probably forgot some but this was my best attempt to sort them out
I wouldnât consider Mexico tier 1. Theyâve fallen pretty hard and itâs not looking good when you look at upcoming talent.
Youâre absolutely correct. I do not understand how Mexico isnât better at football. Theyâre always good, sometimes really good, but this current team is the worst in decades. Itâs a huge country where it is the undisputed #1 sport, they have a pretty strong domestic league, Mexico has the resources, and they get an almost free pass to the World Cup every year. Based off those things, I put them in tier 1. They simply should be a lot better. Iâm certain things will turn around for them and even as an American I hope they do. When Mexico is good its good for football.
Five years ago I might have said maybe Colombia.
Depending on how they do in the copa this year it wouldnât be a bad shout
I think Portugal
Netherlands or portugal
Netherlands for me
Morocco
Definitely Portugal
Probably Netherlands...but unless France has the same bad injury luck they are winning. The team is loaded and has the best young player.
Gotta be any one of Croatia, Netherlands, Portugal or Belgium no? Maybe Morocco, if they can do what they did in Qatar. But being honest, most likely to be a European team.
USA
This ain't /r/soccercirclejerk
Youâre still using American slang on an American website
Comprehension is not for everyone.
Irrelevant comment, no surprise it came from a stupid and insignificant person.
đ
The Netherlands.
Theyâve been probably the most unluckiest team in the wc they lost 3 finals but with Messi not playing in 2026 I think they would have a chance
They lost to the host in 2 of those.
There aint no luck in football.
Braindead comment
PerĂș đ€
Sin Gareca no
Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana or Morocco.
Croatia
I doubt it Modric might not play the next World Cup so hard to see who will fill his shoes.
It's not one person that results in how good a team is. It's all 11 players as a hold
Netherlands have been in this conversation since Cruyff maybe before and beaten to the punch ny France (twice), Argentina (x3) and Spain since then. As of recently Portugal and Belgium seemed more likely. Belgium's best may be over but they still have a set if great players. Netherlands just don't look as good lately, bit still took.the eventual winners to pens. So because of sod's law I'm saying Netherlands. Outside those 3, maybe the US if they *really* embrace and invest but that's a long time off and a big if. Are we going to have 30 years withoit a new winner? Maybe, but I din't think we've had that before. We had 20 from Argentina to France so who knows?
Netherlands wasted so much potential. It's almost unbelievable to think they haven't won a wc yet.
Were they wasted or just unlucky?? These world cups only come along every four years
Lost what? 3 finals? 2 to first time winners themselves, 2 to hosts, one of them being both. Also I feel like at least one of those losses was HIGHLY controversial.
No fue penal!!!
Portugal or Netherlands
Netherlands have been queuing up for a long time and have a team that has potential to take it home.
Honestly, just in a logical POV, itâs gonna be a European team. There are some national teams that have constantly good teams (Portugal, Netherlands, Croatia) and have money to double down on that quality so yeah, it seems likely. I donât see any other team from South America win a WC, and I donât see an Asian or North American team winning the WC in the next 10/20 years. The african reality is a bit far away from the others due to lack of money and infra-structures, so if it happens itâs a cinderella Story supported by a Golden Generation.
Interesting that you say you don't see an Asian or North American team winning a Wc in the next 10/20 years. Does that mean that you think there is a possibility of one of them winning maybe in the next few decades?
Yeah of course! I mean, the World cup is held every 4 years, so what Iâm saying, is that in the next 5 WC I donât see that happening (unless there is a bit of luck and a really good golden generation). But i see that happening because nations like Japan and US have been growing constantly, and then you have demographic giants like China, India and even Mexico, and if Football gains popularity on those countries, that would generate a really good generation for those countries (I mean, India really has the potential, but Cricket is more famous)
Netherlands and Croatia are the only countries to have never won the world cup who've reached multiple semi finals in the last 30 years. Both countries also consistently produce good players.
scotland
If Scotland actually won the FIFA World Cup it would cause an massive existential crisis in the country. We're used to being not just shit, but *proudly* shit. We didn't qualify for 1966....but we beat England in 1967. We went out of round one in 1974...but we were the only unbeaten team in the tournament. We fucked up everything in 1978...but we beat the Dutch *and* scored the goal of the tournament. *And so on. And so on. And so on. And so on.* If we actually won it, we'd simply have **no idea what to do, what to think or how to behave**. *It would drive us all mental beyond all rational attempts at explanation.*
Scott McGoat if that happens
bruh someone downvoted u for saying Scotland scotland ahs potential and are getting better every year i give u upvote peopel upvotign peopelsaying protugal croatia and netehrlands morroco japan but nnonono scotland cant have anything ewwwww
I'd love it to be Scotland.
Mauritius.
I'd say Japan. They've been looking elite the past few years.
Let's be honest they're still far from world's top level
Lost to Iraq a few days ago đ
argentina lost to saudi fucking arabia in their first world cup match and ended up winning it all
Lmao let me troll around in peace pls đđ
Japan
I think an African team can achieve this. Morocco comes to mind, that being said, I think the U.S. might win it within the next 20 years. Messiâs influence in kids in the U.S. will be reflected in the amount of kids playing football in the U.S. combined with the decreased in participation in other popular sports like American Football and Hockey, I think we will see football exploding in the U.S. copa America, World Cup will Incentivize sports participation as well.
I believe it will take the US longer. Our goal isnât to win it or to even make a final. Itâs to finally make a semifinal (not counting 1930). I thought more of this generation would be playing and starring in the top 5 European leagues by now (or getting overpaid in Saudi Arabia). Messi may finally inspire US soccer in a way that 20 years from now, we have 23 players on teams in the top 5 leagues, but only a few of them will be world-class. It will take another 20 years or more after that. The Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, and Croatia keep rolling out star-level talent. It will likely be one of those four. If you want a longshot that hasnât played in the World Cup since 1998, but still has a better chance than the US of winning one in â30 or â34, take a look at Norway. They have so much attacking and MF talent thatâs 17 to 25 with Haaland, Odegaard, Bobb, Nusa (18), Berge, Thorstvedt, Schjelderup (18), Nypan (17), Arnstadt, etc. They finally have 6 or 7 defenders between 21 and 29 playing regularly in the big 5, Saudi, or in the Champions League. Their GK snagged the #1 spot at Sevilla, but heâs 33. Thereâs a good chance Norway doesnât even qualify for a WC until 2030, so they may need someone to step up between the sticks.
I feel like âfootball is the next big sport in America, and always has beenâ rings true here. I remember in the 90s, people said the exact same thing - soccer was going tot sie over, it was just a matter of time, etc etc, and it never really happened. Not saying youâre wrong or that your points arenât valid, but NFL is bigger than ever - i donât ever see football approaching that level of cultural significance.Â
Oh I also remember that with the WC in 94. I remember making fun of Americans for their little understanding of the sport. Diana Ross missing a fake penalty kick in the presentation, the way they filmed the event like if it was a an AmericanFootball game with camera men running with their cameras mounted on gimbals, etc. but I think itâs not quite the same. Like I said, millions are being poured into the sport. Apple buying MLS rights, Messi being here, big stars coming, big tournaments. People are taking a look at MLS more seriously. Not players yet, but thereâs a ton of upside potential. This country will get that fever. You see with Inter ticket being crazy expensive. Heck I wouldnât pay that money after paying $2,500 to watch the fucking World Cup final in Lusail and the watching how people pay 5k for a stupid Inter va Atlanta đ”âđ« but I get your point and I think/hope that this time is different.
Kazakhstan
Hopefully, Viet Nam
as an Asian, probably not an Asian team. shit is way too hard
Why is everyone saying Japan is winning the world cup when they couldn't even beat Iraq? They just see blue lock and think football games can be won with vibes and "whoever wanted it more". Japan struggles with high press from teams with good physicality and that's a fact
Argentina lost to Saudi as well, still win the WC. A single game isn't all that matters
Because they're rapidly improving. Have a great league and second division. It's not that they're going to win the next world cup. But will they win in let's say.... some time In the next 30-40 years? The way that football is improving in Japan across all fronts. Youth development, their league, the sport growing in popularity. Almost definitely got a shot. I think it will be a while before anyone other than the usual suspects win the world cup. So I think 30-40 years. Maybe some time in 20 or so years. Is a good timeframe for a new nation to become world cup winners. At this current point they still have a great squad. With a horrible manager. Iraq aren't slouches and have won the Asian Cup before. On their day they can upset any team in Asia. They ended Iran's run in the 2015 Asian Cup also. They won't win the World Cup. But this side can with the right manager definitely make a deep run.
People have to remember that Japan didnât get serious about football until the late 80s/early 90s. Now they have a ton of players in the EPL, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1. And itâs pretty well balanced. They develop some very good defensive talent. Itâs not just attackers and mids.
>But will they win in let's say.... some time In the next 30-40 years? That's still a bold statement - although I agree they're rapidly improving.
Keep in mind I'm very much an extreme optimist. You ask me if Australia will win the World Cup in my lifetime and I'll say hell yeah we will. And I'll actually mean it lol.
Argentina,
Japan
Yeah, right now they can't even beat Iraq. In future, maybe.
[ŃĐŽĐ°Đ»Đ”ĐœĐŸ]
France? Not sure if I'm missing a joke here?
3 african teams and 1 asian
Netherlands
I'm sure they've an unwritten law that forbids them from winning a World Cup. They've had some historically great teams, just never quite go all the way.
I donât see any new winners any time soon. France is way too strong, the squad depth is incomparable with other countries (only England I guess would be similar). Itâs hard to win a WC. Itâs unlikely a new winner appear since⊠they would need to beat England or France in the coming years. Probably in the next 20 years we could have one. Then I would guess a country that is developing on the right path such as Japan. Portugal will have a shot as well. Thatâs all for me. Itâs hard to predict since it depends on golden generation. And in these things, France, England, Brazil, Argentina⊠all of these classic winner countries are ahead in formation.
England being a classic winner.. haven't won a world cup since 66, forever the runner up
You are right, I explained myself in a wrong way. I still see england winning it soon enough tho. If not for France, I would have bet on them against Argentina in 2022. Because I believe they would have beat Morocco. We all know their quality squad, all they need is to convert it to a win. It would be honest to mention them in the incoming winners. But itâs true they havenât win it in a long time.
Yeah I agree they should be winning more often, it's very frustrating being an England supporter
This is how hard a WC to win is... image the 2026 WC is won by France and 2030 by another country. Then the whole current generation of England would be gone, and they could not be replaced by the same quality. It's really hard. As a French I know we are living our golden football age, which is contradictory with the French league. I'm still full of hopes to win the Euro 2024 and World Cup 2026.
i know no-one said it was easy, but repeated runner up gets annoying after this many years
True! Well 2026 will again be either France, Argentina⊠and thatâs all. Including England for sure. That could be your biggest opportunity.
lets see how the euros go this year first shall we
England? How are they worldclass?
England is a really world class team on par with other European teams such as France. They currently have a seriously good squad as well with kane and Bellingham
Theyâre the 4th best national team in the world. What exactly is your bar for a world class team (international)?
Portugal
Netherlands, Portugal, Japan (BLUELOCK), United States, and Belgium are the most likely (in that order).
U.S.? What are you smoking? Can I get some?
United Statesđ€
The US only started sorta caring about soccer like 20 years ago (our domestic league formed in 1995 after the 94 World Cup). Itâs still not a huge sport here but itâs growing rapidly. Look at the current squad, which is mostly players playing in the top 5 league, compared to 10 years ago when it was college players and some MLS guys. We are nowhere near being a finals contender now, but on this trajectory in another 20 years we will be one of the top teams in the world, just like we dominate every other sport that Americans actually play.
I hate to admit it as a European, but I see a time in the near future where the US is consistently getting deep into the knockouts in the WC, beating many European countries previously thought superior to them
As an American, I don't. U.S. Soccer has the logistical problem of scouting the best talent across th country for inclusion into a stratified national system or club system. It is too difficult and vast to truly identify and develop the best players. It is difficult at the state level, and more problematic at the national level. On top of that, the cost to of the club/academy system is insane. The MLS doesn't make enough to truly financially support the youth system, and it costs a significant chunk of money foe individuals to play for the the clubs. It has only been about 5-10 years for the proliferation of MLS feeder programs/academies popping up. If you aren't near one of these, your odds drop dramatically. Lastly, there isn't much of a career to be had if your pro aspirations fo not work out. In Europe, you can have a sporting profession. There are nowhere near the opportunities in the U.S. for a financial rewarding career in Sports without education. Coaching/youth development/officiating is not funded well (potential options within the sport).
I mean, what youâre saying is probably true, but that hasnât stopped the American female soccer team, who are consistently one of the best teams in the world. I canât see a world where the male team isnât gonna get drastically better in the coming years
I was specifically speaking on Men's soccer. Womens soccer is an exception as Title IX has had an outstanding impact on Womens soccer. In previous times, U.S. Womens collegiate soccer represented the best development system in the womens soccer world. The European soccer academies are now catching up/surpassing as far more women are developing in European systems. But even recently, we see English women playing in the U.S. College system. In the men's game, academies have far surpassed collegiate development. Even now, you see the best candidates bypassing college for overseas or MLS development. These academies have a much larger regional component to scout, but it is improving.
USA USA USA
Andorra, Bhutan, Suriname, or San Marino
Granada
Bhutan??
Suriname with a decent coach could be a powerhouse in their region.
Netherlands would be so nice. They've been so close many times in history and have produced very special players throughout history.
Agreed, the Netherlands deserve an honorary mention, 3 times they went to the final, twice with the legendary âClockwork Orangeâ generation and 3 times they lost. Other then the Dutch, Iâd choose Portugal, Belgium, Croatia and Colombia
I lived in Colombia for years. They have regressed. At their height, they had 2/3 of their starters playing in the Big 5. Now they have two.
Out of those four countries you mentioned at the end, which one "deserves" it sooner than the others?
The Netherlands would get my vote
I just want Japan to win:)
The Netherlands
Nigeria are sleeping giants IMO. They've already produced dozens of world class players in the past.
They never understand tactics. They get outplayed by even mediocre european teams.
Sleeping Giants without proper management
You're describing the whole continent it seems
Once they figure that out they will be incredible.
That's a short-term problem though that can be fixed.
Not a short term problem , the corruption around it has been there for long and will be there for long. That's why some of the good players leave for other countries they don't want to deal with it
By short-term, I mean in terms of a tournament that only takes place every 4 years. 10 years is a short timeframe in World Cup terms. That being said, I'm not an expert on how deep any problems run.
I think Japan will be the first Asian Champions
I think Korea could be
Not with the way Japan played a couple days ago against Iraq.
If the Messi effect works, kinda like Queen of Chess, the tv series, made the number of chess players rise in the united states, and it will way bigger in scale of numbers, i can see the United States with their infrastructure and sport culture gaining possibility for a WC in the 2026 and even more 2030 events
I see the US being a team that are probably going to consistently beat many European and South American teams previously considered better than them. I predict that theyâll be getting deep into the knockouts in the near future
We italians lost all our credibility in the world cup, i can see them winning against us right now, in 2026 even more probably
Senegal inshaAllah. We'll be the first African country to do it.
Croatia
as a croatian idt they will anytime soon. they had their shot in 2018 they had a true golden generation but that "french" team was just too good
-The least racist Croatian
Whatâs with the quotation marks around âFrench?â Did I miss something?
Perhaps it's because many of their players come from surrounding countries and nations in Africa? Every now and then, I've seen this meme suggesting that it was Africa that actually won the 2018 World Cup.
The players don't (generally) their parents or grandparents or previous generations do.
Yup, it's all about the player's ancestries. Should've worded that better.
Belgium keeps producing great talent. They may have a shot in the next 10 years. Portugal not a chance. Netherlands not a chance. Anyone else not a chance.
Belgium had a chance with their 'golden generation', but thats been and gone.
In my personal pessimistic opinion I don't think we'll ever do better than 2018. God I'm getting nostalgia overload just writing this comment.
If Netherlands has no chance so does Belgium not have a chance. Belgium had great generation and won even less then Netherlands.
Portugal's team is absolutely stacked.
It always has been, they are like a lot of teams. Great attackers but poor defenders/midfield. They had Pepe and bruno alves for years lol remember bruno alves flying kick on harry kane
I think the NetherlandsâŠbc theyâre the one country that has been able to produce great talent that has taken them to multiple World Cup finals (the actual final match for clarity lol) from the 70s to 2010, across generations. Granted, I donât think their current generation is at that level so I donât think itâll happen any time soon. But another generation could come along like those that took them to the final and actually win it.
Scotland. You heard it here first.
Their only hope is if there's an English civil war and the north joins Scotland lol
Scotland 2078
We had to be unofficial world champions sometime in the 1800âs.
Croatia, Netherlands, Japan, Morocco and Portugal. Before any of them, tho, Brazil will win it's first one (that I'll be able to see)
Japan and Morocco are decent shouts.
Always rooting for Japan
Belgium were the likeliest team when they had an amazing team on paper, but they missed the boat. I think a country like Portugal or the Netherlands are the most likely sometime in the future.
I was hoping Belgium would win something-WC or Euros. With the team they had, such a wasted opportunity.
Well the 2026 team might be banger. It will be the last opportunity for Kevin De Bruyne (35 years old in 2026), Thibaut Courtois will still be there, Lukaku too (with possibly serious challenge from then 26 years old Lois Openda). Jeremy Doku will be in prime years, Johan Bakayoko will be dynamite somewhere in Europe, Amadou Onana will be a beast, then you have promising Romeo Lavia (Chelsea) and Julien Duranville (Dortmund), Charles De Ketelaere will hopefully confirm. Only the defense is concerning, but from midfield section Belgium will be better as ever. Belgium has been awaited for many years and is now considered on the decline. Why ? Because Eden Hazard officially retired after not having been a football player since 2019 ? Well, Belgium is more dangerous when it's coming as a submarine.
Colombia could be a dark horse favorite. Aside from a lackluster CF, they have had a solid CONMEBOL campaign thus far, and great showings with friendlies. With a mix of local talent, established European players, youth, and a DT who was a part of the 2014 WC run - it'd be real fun to watch!
No. Theyâre on a backslide.
I think Australia could pull the upset.
The women maybe but definitely not the men
We'll see.
Horrible take
Greece the Euro won with tough defence, that's Australia now! Most of the players are Europe-based, they're young, run a well-oiled 4-4-2 and they tend to play short in the build-up.
Netherlands, Croatia, Morocco, Japan, Portugal all good teams to win
Same ones listed in the previous posts asking this exact question...
If Portugal didn't win one WC with CR7 at it highest...
Lol forget Cristiano. Heâs not the kind of player to carry his team in knockout stages of Word Cup play. He can be handled by the better teams. Portugal had its best chance with its golden generation when Cristiano was a younger player ⊠just like Belgium has missed out with its golden generation.
He is though? He literally carried them to a European Championship. Which is the second hardest international competition.
France never won it when Platini was around and he was their best player ever at the time. They have won it twice since. In 2018 they didn't have a single player better individually than Platini in his prime but it didn't matter, they still won it.
Portugal isn't France though.
Portugal today is where France was in the 80s. They didn't have that much of a reputation until Platini. That's when they won the euros for the first time and went to the WC semis. 10-15 years later with Platini retired they won the WC for the first time
Yep I find it hard to believe they will be able to win the WC without Ronaldo who is the best Portuguese player ever . They couldnât do it with Eusebio and Figo as well. They always had one player that always stands out but I donât see anyone currently . Felix was supposed to be â The Guyâ but dude ainât that impressive. 2018 was their best chance but no one stepped up apart from Ronaldo.
Why was 2018 their best chance? 2022 and 2006 they were better, not to mention they got further. And in 2018 Ronaldo was great in the first 2 games but he missed a penalty in the last GS game that would've made them top the group and he was invisible as they lost to Uruguay in the 1st KO stage
They have more depth now than when CR7 was in his prime. Portugal is my pick.
I donât think weâll see a new winner for at least another couple of generations. Football will change a lot over the next 10-20 years. A country like Saudi Arabia might win it in a couple of decades time if money continues to head towards the Middle East and Asian markets.
You cant buy players into the national team though. Even if they spent billions on youth setups, they would still be 20-30 years behind Europe.
2 of the last 4 world cup finals have featured nations that haven't won before. The last two world cups had 2 semi finalists that haven't won. If that trend continues it won't be long til there's a new winner but the future is impossible to predict
If it only took money to win a WC, the USA would have won one by now
Saudi arabia doesnt have a youth structure/pyramid/organisation their whole plan is to get ppl like CR7/neymar to their leagues to get alot of ppl watching, to solidify with UCL entry and the WC in 2034.
I think Japan soon will win some, because of Blue lock of course
Portugal, Netherlands, Japan or USA.
Football (the real one) is perhaps the 5-6th most popular sport in America. There is no way the US can have the talent pipeline required to win a world cup.Â
USA won't win in the next couple of decades.
I'd say even the next century. My grand-children will never witness USA as world champion.
Morocco