Harry Kane is in the form of his life. Can the England captain fire the Three Lions to glory at the 2026 World Cup this summer? The post Harry Kane Might Be the Best Player on the Planet. Can He Cement That With World Cup Glory? appeared first on Opta Analyst .
Cristiano Ronaldo will play at a sixth World Cup this summer, but Portugal's chances of success lie with their many other exceptional forwards. The post Can Portugal Prove They Are More Than Ronaldo FC With a Run to World Cup Glory? appeared first on Opta Analyst .
With Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé and a host of elite forwards arriving in strong form, France possess frightening attacking depth ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The post Mbappé, Dembélé, Olise and More: Can France’s Embarrassment of Riches Power Them To World Cup Glory? appeared first on Opta Analyst .
For the uninitiated, Jordan's World Cup qualification may appear surprising, but they've been making waves in Asia for the past few years. The post Jordan’s First World Cup the Culmination of More than Two Decades of Work appeared first on Opta Analyst .
It's 28 years since Norway last played at a men's FIFA World Cup. Despite such a long hiatus, there's a sense they could be back with a bang this summer. The post From International Wilderness to Potential Shockwaves: Norway Mean Business at 2026 World Cup appeared first on Opta Analyst .
Sweden's path to the 2026 World Cup was tough, but what can we expect from an inexperienced squad, where most of the star power lies up front? The post Pragmatism, Inexperience and Viktor Gyökeres: How Graham Potter Hopes to Spring a Surprise With Sweden appeared first on Opta Analyst .
As NFL teams finalize rosters for the 2026 season, we’re using a data-driven power index to identify the best offensive positional units. The post Which Teams Have the Best Offensive Units Entering the 2026 NFL Season? appeared first on Opta Analyst .
Looking at past playoffs, here's how the Spurs (vs. the Knicks) can become the first team to win the NBA Finals after being 2-0 down at home. The post 2026 NBA Finals: The Spurs Show They Can Still Pull Off the Improbable appeared first on Opta Analyst .
Italy and Brazil have won successive World Cup titles, but nobody has done it since 1962. Can Lionel Messi lead Argentina to glory once again? The post Can Argentina Go Back-to-Back? Seven Key Talking Points For Reigning World Champions appeared first on Opta Analyst .
Only a few members of Belgium's golden generation will be at this summer's World Cup. Can the younger members of their squad help take the nation's legends to glory? The post Can Belgium’s Next Generation Get the Golden Generation Over the Line? appeared first on Opta Analyst .
We preview the FIFA World Cup 2026 groups, looking at the biggest storylines and Opta supercomputer predictions ahead of this summer’s tournament in North America. The post FIFA World Cup 2026 Groups: The Opta Supercomputer Predictions appeared first on Opta Analyst .
With 72 games to be played across 12 World Cup groups even before we get to the knockouts, we’ve picked out 10 that you should be sure to set your alarm for. The post You Can’t Watch All 72 World Cup Group Games, So Here Are 10 to Make Sure You Don’t Miss appeared first on Opta Analyst .
We analyse how West Germany and Austria seemingly colluded at the 1982 World Cup in a match later dubbed the 'Disgrace of Gijón'. The post The Non-Aggression Pact: Quantifying the ‘Disgrace of Gijón’ appeared first on Opta Analyst .
The smallest nation ever to qualify for a FIFA World Cup by population and area, Curaçao arrive at the 2026 tournament unbeaten in qualifying. The post Curaçao’s World Cup Dream Is Built on Dutch Influence and Caribbean Spirit appeared first on Opta Analyst .
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is just around the corner, but who will light up the competition and land the Golden Ball award? The post Golden Ball Contenders: Who Will Be the Best Player at the 2026 World Cup? appeared first on Opta Analyst .
We assess the leading contenders for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot, using the statistics to evaluate who is best placed to finish as the tournament’s top scorer. The post Who Will Win the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot? appeared first on Opta Analyst .
Uzbekistan will play their first ever FIFA World Cup game at Mexico City's Azteca. A ground synonymous with some iconic moments, they couldn't have chosen a more suitable arena to make their own slice of history. The post Uzbekistan Adventure No Mere Result of World Cup Expansion, But the Result of a Nationwide Vision appeared first on Opta Analyst .