World Cup 2026: Forget Messi — John Terry Names France as Tournament Favourites

Former England captain John Terry has backed France to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite admitting he has been highly impressed by defending champions Argentina during the tournament.

Terry made the remarks while discussing the World Cup knockout stage, insisting that Didier Deschamps’ side remains the strongest team he has watched so far.

France advanced to the Round of 32 after finishing top of Group I with convincing victories over Senegal, Iraq and Norway.

Les Bleus will now face Sweden in the knockout phase as they continue their pursuit of another World Cup title.

England also secured first place in Group L after defeating Panama 2-0 on Saturday, setting up a Round of 32 clash with DR Congo.

Meanwhile, Argentina booked their place in the knockout stage after victories over Algeria and Austria, with captain Lionel Messi scoring five goals in two matches, including a hat-trick and a brace.

Speaking on Piers Morgan Uncensored, Terry said France’s attacking quality gives them the edge over every other team in the competition.

“I’m still leaning towards France as the best team I’ve observed, particularly regarding their attacking capabilities and the threats they present,” Terry said.

The Chelsea legend also believes England have a realistic opportunity of lifting the trophy despite criticism over his predictions.

“I still believe England has a strong chance. I realise I received some criticism for selecting France and England as my top two teams,” he added.

Terry, however, reserved special praise for Argentina, saying their success cannot be attributed solely to Messi’s brilliance.

“I must admit, I’ve been quite impressed with Argentina,” he said.

“Forget Messi and the goals he’s scoring; when it comes to their pressing, observe how Argentina reacts when they lose possession. They immediately counter-press and reclaim the ball high up the pitch.”

According to Terry, Argentina’s aggressive pressing allows them to quickly regain possession before feeding Messi in dangerous areas, maximising his attacking influence.

“I think this is due to the understanding that they don’t have 11 players who will track back, with Messi being one of those. They recover the ball quickly, pass it to him, and he can create moments of brilliance,” he explained.

Despite his admiration for Argentina’s performances, Terry maintained that France remain his favourites to win the World Cup.