Formula One world champion Max Verstappen does not believe England will end their long wait for World Cup glory, with the Dutch driver backing France to lift the FIFA World Cup 2026 trophy instead.Speaking during SPORTbible’s Hot Lap at Silverstone, Verstappen offered a blunt assessment of the tournament as the quarter-finals get underway, insisting Didier Deschamps’ side remain the strongest team in the competition despite England’s impressive run to the last eight.England are preparing to face Norway in Saturday’s quarter-final after surviving a dramatic 3-2 victory over Mexico, while France have already secured their place in the semi-finals with a 2-0 win over Morocco.
Verstappen predicts France will win the World Cup
Asked whether football was finally “coming home” for England, Verstappen dismissed the possibility.“No, I don’t think it will,” Verstappen said. “I think France is too good.”The comment came as England supporters continue to dream of ending six decades without a major international trophy.Thomas Tuchel’s side earned their place in the quarter-finals after edging hosts Mexico 3-2 in one of the most dramatic matches of the tournament. England played the final 40 minutes with 10 men after Jarell Quansah was sent off for a high challenge on Jesús Gallardo, yet held on to secure victory in a hostile atmosphere at the Estadio Azteca.
England players celebrate after winning the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Mexico and England in Mexico City, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
The Three Lions now face Norway for a place in the semi-finals.
France continue to justify favourites tag
Verstappen’s prediction follows another commanding display from France.Les Bleus opened the quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory over Morocco, extending their perfect record at the tournament to six wins from six matches.
France’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates after France defeated Morocco during the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between France and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Kylian Mbappé recovered from a first-half penalty miss to score the opening goal before Ousmane Dembélé added a second, sending Didier Deschamps’ side into a third consecutive World Cup semi-final.France have emerged as one of the tournament’s standout teams, scoring freely while remaining defensively solid throughout their campaign.Spain have now joined them in the semi-finals after securing a 2-1 victory over Belgium, setting up a blockbuster clash with Les Bleus.
Verstappen refuses to pick between Messi and Ronaldo
During the same interview, Verstappen was also asked to settle one of football’s longest-running debates by choosing between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.Rather than selecting one over the other, the four-time Formula One world champion argued that the pair should not be directly compared because each reached greatness in different ways.“You can’t compare them because it’s just different,” Verstappen replied.“The way they achieved greatness, that’s what I always find.”Messi remains in contention for another World Cup title with Argentina, while Ronaldo’s international career came to an emotional end after Portugal’s Round of 16 defeat to Spain.With England still needing to overcome Norway before any potential meeting with one of the tournament favourites, Verstappen believes France remain the benchmark. Whether Les Bleus can justify that status over the closing stages of the competition now remains one of the defining questions of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
