aWith the new edition of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in charge, soccer fans are debating between the candidates and players who could stand out in the tournament. But artificial intelligence already has its favorites.
What’s surprising about this is that the AI didn’t pick star players like Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo and remove them from the top three favorites to win, but instead picked new talent to win the tournament’s Golden Ball.
Youth or heritage?
With his sights set on the tournament to be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19, Messi will aim to defend the title he won in Qatar in 2022, while CR7 will aim to bring home the cup for the first time in his career.
It may seem strange or far-fetched to leave these sports icons out of the discussion, but for AI this is not a problem.
According to SoyFutbol, Google’s artificial intelligence Gemini has declared that the best player at the 2026 FIFA World Cup will not be a former Barcelona or former Real Madrid player, but that the winner of the tournament’s Golden Ball will be a young star who has shone brightly for many years.
Kylian Mbapp, the 2018 world champion and 2022 runner-up, is AI’s favorite player and is having a great time at Real Madrid, following in the footsteps of CR7 (and breaking several of the Portuguese’s records).
Rounding out the top three candidates for the Golden Ball is No. 2 Lamine Yamal. Balla and Spain’s 18-year-old up-and-coming star is astounding with his talent. Completing the list is Kylian’s Brazilian teammate at Real Madrid, Vincius Junior.
This may come as a surprise to many fans, considering the fame and respect given to Lionel and Cristiano and their contributions to football history. Even their rivalry set a precedent. But AI’s choices also reflect a preference for a new generation that is not lacking in talent and hungry for victory and success.
In this way, the 2026 World Cup may not only have a new champion, but also a new face to lift the tournament’s Golden Ball. As the countdown continues, these predictions inspire eternal debate between legends and rising stars, confirming that football, like life, always moves forward.
World Cup in Argentina and Portugal for Messi and Cristiano
Lionel Messi’s Argentina national team will be in Group J alongside Austria, Algeria and Jordan. They will make their debut against Algeria on Tuesday 16 June, before facing Austria on Monday 22 June and Jordan on Friday 26 June. Despite this, Leo has not yet confirmed his participation in the tournament.
Meanwhile, in Group K, Portugal will face Colombia, Uzbekistan and the winner of the intercontinental play-off between Jamaica, Congo and New Caledonia. On Wednesday 17 June, Portugal will play their opening game against the winners of the intercontinental play-off. They will play against Uzbekistan on June 23rd (Tuesday) and Colombia on June 27th (Saturday).
