Spain national team
Currently ranked No. 1 in the world, winning EURO 2024 and possessing top talents in all positions, the Spanish national team is a strong candidate to go deep at this year's World Cup. However, in reality, since winning the 2010 World Cup, they have only won 3 matches at subsequent World Cups. The Spanish team has been eliminated early in the round of 16 at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
Therefore, this year, their goal is first of all to win the top spot in the group to get a ticket to continue, before considering further ambitions.
Lamine Yamal
Yamal has proven the class of one of the best young players in the world at EURO 2024, as well as stable form in Barcelona colors. He promises to be a key figure for Spain's ambition to win the 2026 World Cup. However, he left open the possibility of participating in the opening match due to injury.
Cabo Verde National Team
Cabo Verde is currently ranked 67th in the world, this is the first time they have qualified for the World Cup. The team nicknamed Blue Sharks defeated Cameroon, a team that regularly participates in the World Cup, to top the qualifying group and win a ticket to North America, and now they are ready to debut in the international arena.
Ryan Mendes
Mendes may not be the best player in the team, but at the age of 36, he is the embodiment of fighting spirit with 92 caps for the national team. Having played in France, Turkey, UAE and England, Mendes promises to bring experience to help his teammates play well in a difficult group.
Saudi Arabia national team
The Saudi Arabia team is currently ranked 61st in the world, a team that regularly participates in the World Cup. Their best achievement is reaching the round of 16 at the 1994 World Cup. Therefore, their goal in this year's tournament is none other than to win a ticket to the group stage.
They have gone through a long journey to reach this summer's tournament, ranking third after Japan and Australia in the third group stage of the Asian qualifiers. In the 4th qualifying round, the Saudi Arabia team topped the group with 3 teams, ranked above the Iraq team thanks to sub-indices to get a ticket to the World Cup.
Salem-Al Dawsari
As the team's current top scorer, Al-Dawsari is also the captain of Al-Hilal club, and a Saudi Arabian international. As an experienced player who can play in many positions, this 34-year-old player will definitely be the center of every team attack.
Uruguay national team
Uruguay was once a power of world football, with 2 World Cup championships in 1930 and 1950. Coming to the 2026 World Cup, they hope to shake off their below-average performance at Qatar 2022 with a more impressive performance this summer.
Four years ago, Uruguay did not get through the group stage, their worst record since 2002. To overcome that, the South American team will rely on a squad of players from all over the world, under the guidance of experienced strategist Marcelo Bielsa, to regain their position as one of the top teams in the world.
Federico Valverde
This 27-year-old player is at the peak of his form as a starting midfielder for Real Madrid, and he is expected to bring similar world-class skills to his national team in North America.
