Talking to Lao Dong, the former national team player said that he still has a special affection for Argentina. The Tango team is possessing a quality force and a stable tactical foundation after winning the 2022 World Cup. However, re-establishing the achievement 4 years ago is an extremely difficult task.
Argentina is a team I have always loved and supported. However, successfully defending the World Cup championship is not simple because this year's tournament gathers many strong teams," former player Pham Thanh Luong said.
According to him, world football is witnessing the strong rise of many major football nations. Teams such as: France, Spain, Brazil or Portugal all possess generations of talented players, who are at the peak of their careers and ready to compete for the championship. In particular, the 2026 World Cup expanding to 48 teams has significantly increased the number of matches, leading to major challenges in terms of fitness, squad depth and ability to maintain form throughout the tournament. This will be an unsolvable problem for any team, including the defending champion.
He is looking forward to the appearance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, two legends who may enter their last World Cup in their careers. Although he highly appreciates Argentina, he believes that the race for the 2026 World Cup championship will be very balanced and unpredictable. With fierce competition from European and South American giants, the Argentine national team will have to make a lot of effort if they want to continue to stand at the top of the world once again.
