KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 — With the 2026 Fifa World Cup Finals set to kick off on June 11 (3am June 12 Malaysian time), a heated debate is raging over which team will lift the world’s most prestigious football trophy on July 19.

Although reigning champions Argentina are still considered among the title favourites, most football observers and analysts view Spain and France as possessing the most balanced squads and are best equipped to go far at the tournament, which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Assoc Prof Dr Mohamad Nizam Nazarudin, a senior lecturer in Sports and Recreation at the Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), has Spain as the frontrunner for the coveted title based on current performance, tactical stability and the right balance between youth and experience.

He said their triumphs in the 2023 Nations Cup and Euro 2024 proved that the La Roja outfit, under the guidance of Luis de la Fuente, possess a well-established playing system and the ability to maintain consistently high performance levels.

“Tactically, Spain have one of the best midfield lineups. World-class midfielder Rodri provides stability and composure in the engine room, while Pedri pulls the strings and dictates the tempo of the game.

“Their ability to dominate possession, create space and control the tempo of the game make them a tough team to beat in high-intensity tournaments,” the former Head of Sports Science and Performance Analyst of Sabah FC from 2021 to 2023 to Bernama.

He said Spain, who lifted the World Cup in 2010, are further strengthened by a group of young players who are reaching their peak development, such as Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams.

Mohamad Nizam said that this, coupled with the team’s squad depth and tactical stability, makes Spain the most balanced outfit heading into the 23rd edition of the World Cup Finals.

Experienced local coach Irfan Bakti Abu Salim, meanwhile, has named France and Argentina as his favourites for the title, based on the teams’ ability to adapt to the demands of modern football.

He said for teams to succeed in major tournaments these days, a lot depends of their ability to apply high pressing, quick transitions from defence to attack and field players capable of making the right decisions in high-intensity situations.

“Looking at the modern style of football, I’m plumping for France and Argentina because they play with high intensity, transition very quickly from defence to attack and possess fast and intelligent players.

“For major tournaments like the World Cup, these aspects are extremely crucial because every game requires the team to adapt quickly,” said the Kelantan Red Warrior head coach.

Local sports analyst Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli concurs. And he too has made France as his top pick to emerge triumphant for the third time after lifting the trophy in 1998 and 2018.

According to Pekan, the greatest strength of the Les Blues, under the guidance of Didier Deschamps, lies in quality available throughout the squad — from the starting XI to those on the bench.

“France are still my top pick because, for me, they are among the most valuable teams in the world right now. If we look at the full squad, they have world-class players in every position.

“Their forward line, meanwhile, is led by the outstanding Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, who are capable of turning a game on its head at any time,” said Pekan, who admitted that squad depth is often the factor that separates teams that are just competing and teams that are capable of winning the World Cup.

Pekan has also trumpeted Japan’s chances of creating an upset and becoming the tournament’s dark horses this time.

He said the Blue Samurai squad are filled with players plying their trades in Europe’s top leagues and have delivered consistent performances in recent years.

“If we look at their international friendly results and performances over the past few years, Japan have defeated several higher-ranked teams. They also rarely lose and have many players who are playing in Europe.

“I believe Japan can go far this time based on their previous achievements. The other big teams had better be wary of this dark horse,” he added.

The 2026 Fifa World Cup Finals will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico and will feature 48 teams, making it the largest-ever tournament organised in the history of world football since the inaugural edition in Uruguay in 1930. — Bernama