Vinicius Jr picks Ronaldo’s Portugal & Messi’s Argentina as 2026 World Cup standouts
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The Brazilian star will be Brazil’s key man for the 2026 World Cup.
Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr gave a daring answer with less than five months until the tournament starts, ranking Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal among the competition’s standout teams.
The Brazil national team, are undergoing a reconstruction under head coach Carlo Ancelotti, are likely to have Vinicius Junior as their key star in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
While Portugal are having one of their most successful runs in recent memory, Argentina, the reigning champions, will have the burden of defending what they achieved in Qatar in 2022.
Even if Messi and Ronaldo, their legendary captains, are nearing the conclusion of their careers, both nations’ squads are filled with top players, who will be looking to step up.
Vinicius Jr. names two national teams set to stand out in 2026 World Cup
Ahead of the competition, Vinicius was questioned about which national teams are ones to look out for interview on Spanish YouTuber Ibai Llanos. The Brazilian star gave a straightforward response:
“There are some very good ones, but I really like Portugal—how Portugal play—Spain, France, and Argentina. I think those four have the best teams, right? Because they’ve been playing together for a long time now. Since the last World Cup, they’ve changed very few players, and that makes a big difference.“
Though the Seleção have lacked stability in recent years in comparison to the favourites for the tournament (Portugal, Spain, France, and Argentina). Brazil are still one of the most recognised and noteworthy national teams in history.
They are not clear favourites after having four new managers since the last World Cup and finishing fifth in the CONMEBOL qualifications, but there is still a lot of faith in the team.
Which nations are favourites in the 2026 World Cup, according to Vinicius Jr?
Vinicius Jr. picked Portugal, Spain, France, and Argentina
Who are the defending World Cup champions?
Argentina won the 2022 World Cup and are the defending champions.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.