THE FUSE

Mark Doyle: There’s arguably no more united squad at the tournament than Argentina, which is why Lionel Messi and his band of brothers could become the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups. Of course, if Cristiano Ronaldo pulls his weight, Portugal have a real shot at lifting the trophy for the first time, given the magnificence of their midfield, while Spain proved at Euro 2024 that they’re a team of both style and substance. However, France always seem to come good at World Cups, and it’s hard to see any weaknesses in a stellar squad that could win the tournament in spite of their coach Didier Deschamps, rather than because of him.