World Cup 2026 – potential England trouble, Italy’s last chance and the Haaland show | OneFootball

The qualification picture for the 2026 World Cup is now clearer, with just the play-offs remaining to be completed before the final 48-team line-up is confirmed.

The latest round of qualifiers generated numerous talking points, particularly in Europe, where there were several surprise results.

With that in mind, read on as we look at some of the key points from World Cup 2026 qualification, starting with England.

Bellingham sideshow could derail England

While England recorded eight wins out of eight to qualify without breaking sweat, not everything is rosy under manager Thomas Tuchel.

The former Chelsea boss has a penchant for falling out with ‘big-name’ players and appears to be following a familiar path with Jude Bellingham.

The Real Madrid star is undoubtedly a prickly character, yet his ability to change games in the blink of an eye makes him an invaluable asset.

Bellingham’s ego will provide Tuchel with a stern test of his man-management skills. How he handles the sideshow could make or break England’s World Cup hopes.

Italy must take their second chance

Four-time winners Italy are in danger of missing the tournament for the third successive time after two dismal defeats against Norway.

Italy won the 2020 European Championship, but have struggled to reproduce the same spirit they showed since that surprise success.

Appointing Gennaro Gattuso to replace Luciano Spalletti as manager seemed like a bad idea, and the 4-1 home defeat against Norway did little to dispel that notion.

Italy have a second chance to qualify for the tournament via the play-offs in March and cannot afford to spurn the lifeline.

Haaland could fire Norway to even greater heights

Erling Braut Haaland was the star of the show during qualifying, scoring 16 goals as Norway qualified without dropping a point.

Completing the double over Italy highlights why it would be foolish for other top teams to underestimate them next summer.

While Haaland is a key component for Norway, they are not a one-man team. They are well organised and capable of going deep at the World Cup.

With Haaland leading the line next summer, Norway’s chances of winning tight games are greatly enhanced.

Portugal cannot afford to start Ronaldo next summer

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 143 goals in 226 appearances for Portugal. His efforts in international football have given him legendary status in his homeland.

However, sentiment should play no part next summer. The 40-year-old is a fading force, and Portugal should no longer use him as a regular starter.

His petulant dismissal against the Republic of Ireland allowed manager Roberto Martinez to try something different against Armenia.

His team duly obliged, romping to a 9-1 victory. Ronaldo is undoubtedly worth taking to the World Cup, but he should be used as an impact substitute.

Koeman has plenty to prove with the Netherlands

The Netherlands qualified for the 2026 World Cup with a 4-0 victory over Lithuania, and manager Ronald Koeman believes his team is capable of lifting the trophy.

While Koeman’s bullishness is admirable, it is worth noting that the Dutch have a history of producing underwhelming performances at major tournaments.

Koeman also has plenty to prove. His team failed to beat Poland in the qualifiers, underscoring their tendency to deliver disappointing results.

With captain Virgil van Dijk a fading force at club level, talk of the Netherlands winning the World Cup is extremely fanciful.

Deschamps could finish with a flourish

While the Netherlands are unlikely to emerge victorious next summer, the same cannot be said for France.

The 2022 runners-up have qualified easily and should be a force to be reckoned with under manager Didier Deschamps.

He will head into the tournament knowing it is his last hurrah with Les Bleus – Zinedine Zidane is set to replace him after the tournament.

Given that France have quality players in every position, it would be no surprise to see Deschamps ride off into the sunset as a world champion.

Germany aiming to put past disappointments behind them

After two consecutive World Cups that ended in the group stage, Germany will head into the 2026 edition with a cloud hanging over them.

Manager Julian Nagelsmann ultimately guided Germany to the tournament, but they produced several unconvincing performances along the way.

His squad lacks the depth of other leading contenders, which places additional pressure on their top players to perform consistently.

The Germans no longer have the same aura surrounding them as some of their previous teams, and they may struggle to progress beyond the quarter-finals next summer.

Belgium

Belgium hammered Liechtenstein 7-0 to confirm their berth at next year’s World Cup, finishing their campaign unbeaten.

However, you would be hard-pressed to argue that their current squad matches up to their so-called ‘Golden Generation’ of players.

Many pundits believe that Belgium have missed their best opportunity to win a trophy and it is difficult to argue with that viewpoint.

A run to the quarter-finals is not beyond the Red Devils, but that will probably be as good as it gets.

Spain

Spain will head into the 2026 World Cup as the favourites to lift the trophy, and it would be a brave move to bet against them achieving the feat.

They sealed qualification after drawing 2-2 with Turkey, a result which demonstrated their ability to dig deep under pressure.

Manager Luis de la Fuente guided Spain to the 2024 European Championship title, and his team has continued to impress since then.

Many of Spain’s back-up players would be regular starters for other top teams, highlighting the strength of De la Fuente’s squad.