Hayters’ 2026 predictions: Surprise team, breakout star and more | OneFootball

With the new year upon us, the team at Hayters have given their predictions for 2026.

We asked our team of writers to make their predictions across several categories including the team that will surprise people, who they think will have a breakout year and much more.

See what our writers had to say below…

Dan Bennett

Team which will surprise people: Brentford. The Bees were tipped by many to go down this season under their new boss Keith Andrews but they have proved the doubters wrong and I think they could sneak into Europe.

Breakout star: Max Dowman. The teenager is out injured at the moment, but when he gets back fit I think he will have a big part to play for the Gunners this season and next. An outstanding talent.

Manager to have success: Oliver Glasner. I’m backing the Crystal Palace boss to bring another trophy to Selhurst Park by winning the Conference League.

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

England 11 for the opening game of the World Cup: Pickford; James, Konsa, Guehi, Hall; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Rogers; Kane.

Biggest surprise: Chelsea to go for it and sign a player over the age of 26.

Ballon d’Or winner: Lamine Yamal. The Barcelona winger will firmly establish himself as the best player in the world.

Gerry Cox

Team which will surprise people: Coventry City should win promotion, and thrive in the top flight if Frank Lampard gets a transfer fund in the summer

Breakout star: Luca Williams Barnett – Tottenham need a goalscorer, Spurs fans want to see one of their own, so why not see if this teenager can thrive in the first team?

Manager to have success: Sean Dyche should keep Forest up, take them to a European final and get another pub named after him, this time in his home town.

England 11 for the opening game of the World Cup: Pickford; James, Stones, Guehi, O’Reilly; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Rogers, Bellingham; Kane.

Biggest surprise: The return of Daniel Levy. If you thought you’d seen the last of the former Spurs chairman, you’d be wrong. Levy is likely to be back in the news soon – though we don’t know yet how it will pan out.

Vinai Venkatesham and Daniel Levy (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Ballon d’Or winner: Should be Harry Kane, especially if he lifts the World Cup as England captain, but more likely to be Mbappe or Yamal.

Nick Callow

Team that will surprise people: Arsenal. They are topping the charts, but still, many are tipping Manchester City to catch up in the Premier League and a similar implosion in the Champions League. This could be the year the club and their manager Mikel Arteta silence all the critics.

Breakout star: Elliot Anderson – the midfielder will be a star for England in the World Cup and that could lead to a mega-money summer transfer to one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

England and Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Manager to have success: Thomas Tuchel – when England win the World Cup.

England 11 for first World Cup game: Pickford; James, Konsa, Guehi, O’Reilly; Rice, Anderson; Saka, Bellingham, Foden; Kane.

Biggest surprise: My ridiculous predictions ALL coming true.

Ballon d’Or winner: Declan Rice – the player behind Arsenal and England’s successes above.

Nayan Murthy

Team that will surprise people: Tottenham Hotspur. After a really poor 2025 on the whole they will bounce back under Thomas Frank. He has always needed time to implement his ideas at clubs and here is no different.

Breakout star: Lennart Karl. He has already broken onto the scene but I think he and Bayern will win the Champions League which will cement him as one of the world’s best youngsters.

Manager to have success: Mikel Arteta. He’s finally going to get his Premier League title to take him from the manager that changed the culture at Arsenal to the manager that brought success back to the club.

England 11 for the opening game of the World Cup: Pickford; James, Konsa, Guehi, O’Reilly; Anderson, Rice; Bellingham, Saka, Rogers; Kane

Biggest surprise: Manchester United will finish above Liverpool.

Ballon d’Or winner: Harry Kane

England’s Harry Kane celebrates scoring against Latvia back in March (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Japtej Ghura

Team that will surprise people in 2026: Sunderland. They will finish in a European spot.

Breakout star: Noni Madueke. He is such an exciting player and there’s much more to come from him. 2026 will be the year he establishes himself as one of the best wingers in the Premier League.

Noni Madueke celebrates (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Manager to have success: Mikel Arteta. This is Arsenal’s season and Arteta is already one of the best managers in the world but by the end of this season it will be clear. 

England 11 for the opening game of the World Cup: Pickford; James, Guehi, Konsa, O Reilly; Rice, Anderson, Rogers, Saka, Rashford; Kane 

Biggest surprise: Ange Postecoglou comes back to Tottenham.

Ballon d’Or winner: Erling Haaland. It’s been coming for years and he is having a fantastic season.

Stan Smith

Team that will surprise people: Coventry City. They are a team that have been on the up in recent years, especially since their ownership change in January 2023. Currently top of the Championship under Frank Lampard, they look set to return to the Premier League for the first time in over two decades. Sunderland’s success this season will provide them with a blueprint, which they will look to replicate.

Breakout star: Josh Acheampong. He has all of the qualities to be a top level defender, and it seems now that all he needs is he opportunity to prove it. With Chelsea’s continued troubles at centre-half, it should be just a matter of time before the 19-year-old is trusted to play more regularly.

Manager to have success: Sean Dyche. Despite sitting just one place above the relegation zone, Nottingham Forest have the potential to go on a serious run in the Europa League under Dyche. He will turn the City Ground into a fortress and, with the quality in their squad, the Reds could go all the way.

Sean Dyche (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

England 11 for the opening game of the World Cup: Pickford; James, Stones, Guehi, O’Reilly; Rice, Anderson, Foden; Saka, Kane, Rogers

Biggest surprise: Thomas Frank to return to Brentford. Frank has endured some difficult at Tottenham so far. With Spurs sat 14th in the table, frequently performing poorly and fans unhappy with the brand of football, the Dane’s days may already be numbered.

Ballon D’Or winner: Erling Haaland. Haaland has been unstoppable so far this season and is showing no sign of slowing down. Of course the Ballon d’Or can often hinge on who claims the big prizes, but Manchester City do look capable of competing for every trophy this season. The Norwegian’s hopes could be harmed by his country’s tough World Cup group, especially if one of his rivals go all the way in the summer.