Vingegaard takes advantage in the first stage of the Tour de France in Barcelona

Brazil and Germany, the two most successful teams in World Cup history, are experiencing a decline that seems to have no brakes. Canarinha, five-time champions, said goodbye to North America 2026 in the round of 16, something that had not happened since Italia 1990. Since then, the team had reached at least the quarterfinals in seven consecutive editions, with two titles included (1994 and 2002).

For the first time in its history, Brazil has six World Cups without lifting the trophy. The sixth star looks increasingly distant.

Germany: from the semi-final to oblivion

The Mannschaft, four-time champions, were eliminated in the round of 32 against Paraguay. It is the third consecutive edition in which Germany does not surpass the eighth; in Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 he did not even pass the group stage.

The contrast is brutal: between 2002 and 2014 the Germans played in the semifinals in four World Cups in a row. Today, they don’t even secure a ticket to the round of 16. Although this is not their longest drought without a title – between 1990 and 2014 they spent five tournaments – achieving the fifth star seems like a distant feat.

The bottom has not yet arrived

Neither Brazil nor Germany have hit rock bottom: both continue to qualify for the World Cups. But its decline is evident. Italy, for example, has already missed the last three editions. History shows that powers can cease to be powers if failures accumulate.

The Moroccan team meets France again in a World Cup. Since Qatar 2022, the Atlas Lions have earned global respect by reaching the semi-finals, where they fell to Les Bleus. Four years later, fate confronts them again in a match that will determine their place in the next round.

The Moroccan coach, Mohamed Ouahbi, does not want to listen to premature praise. Although his team is already considered a revelation, he rejects it:

“When they say that we have had a successful tournament, I don’t like it. The evaluations must be done at the end. We are doing everything possible to win. We are not going to listen to those who say: ‘What they have done is already good, France is the favorite’. We will not fall into that trap.”

Ouahbi anticipates a complex match. Their message is clear: they will go out and play as if they were on the ropes. “The only prize is to win the Cup. Our strengths are what have brought us back here. We are evolving and so is France. We are better than in 2022,” he stated.

Brahim Díaz, a figure of the team, recognized the talent of the rival, especially his teammates at Real Madrid:

“Aurélien and Kylian are my teammates at Real Madrid. They are great players and beautiful people. But tomorrow we will be rivals. I have confidence in my team. I know we will play a great game.”

Morocco, with its sights on the cup, seeks to show that its performance in 2022 was no coincidence. This duel is an opportunity to write a new page in their football history.

Favorites for the title

With the quarterfinals at hand, only seven games separate the teams from the championship. The betting houses already have clear predictions.

France tops the list with an odds of +187. For every 500 pesos bet, the winner would receive 1,437 pesos if the Gauls lift the trophy on July 19. Trust falls on Kylian Mbappé, who has seven goals in five games. But first they will have to overcome Morocco.

Spain appears in second place, with a quota of +350. A bet of 500 pesos would generate 2,250 pesos in profit. France and Spain could meet in the semifinals if they both beat their rivals.

Betting and odds

Argentina and England occupy third and fourth place, respectively. The Albiceleste has odds of +400: 500 pesos bet would give 2,500 pesos if Lionel Messi wins the two-time championship. For England, the same amount would bring in 2,750 pesos.

The figure of Mbappé has been decisive in raising expectations about France. The betting houses reflect that confidence by positioning the Gauls as the main contenders.