After the first series of matches of the 2026 World Cup, the opposite results between the top candidates received attention. Germany made an impression with a 7-1 victory over Curacao, while Brazil was held to a 1-1 draw by Morocco, the Netherlands shared points with Japan after a 2-2 draw, Spain could not defeat the newcomer Cabo Verde.
From my perspective, I believe that these results need to be viewed in many different ways, because this is only the first match and cannot fully reflect the strength as well as the ability of big teams to go far.
Even draws also have completely different meanings. The confrontation between the Netherlands and Japan, I don't see it as a surprise. These are the two teams with the best professional quality in the group. Japan has shown clear progress in recent years, and the Netherlands has always been a high-class team. Therefore, the draw between the two teams is completely predictable.
However, Spain's case makes people ask questions. Although the opponent is only Cabo Verde - the team that participated in the World Cup for the first time, the European representative still could not win. In my opinion, Spain did not play too badly in terms of performance. However, the problem lies in efficiency. This team has not achieved the necessary sharpness in deciding.
Therefore, people have the right to question whether Spain is having personnel problems or not. However, this is only a question mark at the present time when the tournament has just begun, and cannot be concluded hastily.
I still want to emphasize that the 2026 World Cup has just passed the first round of matches. Big teams still have matches ahead to adjust, correct and improve the limitations that have been revealed.
After all, passing the group stage is not too big a challenge for strong teams, especially when the new format opens up more opportunities to advance. Therefore, it is difficult to conclude which team deviates or is sure to succeed after the opening match. However, the recent results still suggest some issues worth watching.
The performance of the Asian representatives also brought positive signals. Japan drew with the Netherlands, South Korea defeated the Czech Republic 2-1, Saudi Arabia drew with Uruguay, and Qatar drew with Switzerland. In my opinion, the first thing to look at is the result, then evaluate the performance and professional quality.
If considered according to the standards of modern football, Asian teams today basically meet the requirements for fitness, technical foundation and tactical organization. Factors related to experience and international competition experience have also been significantly accumulated.
Qatar has participated in the World Cup for two consecutive tournaments. Saudi Arabia regularly participates in this playground and owns an increasingly heavily invested national championship. Meanwhile, the level of Japan and South Korea has been proven with a large number of players playing in top European leagues.
Therefore, in my opinion, the positive results of Asian football are not surprising. It is a true reflection of the process of preparation, investment and accumulation over the years. Of course, the journey ahead is still very long. To go deep at the World Cup, teams not only need a strong squad but also possess depth of force and the ability to create breakthroughs at decisive moments.
That is also when Asian representatives will face bigger challenges, when the difference in class between the world's leading football nations may be clearly revealed. I think there is still a lot of hope for Asian football at the 2026 World Cup. The good news is that what Asian teams have shown in the opening match shows that they are going in the right direction and promoting the values that have been built over the past time.
