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.Speaking during SPORTbible’s: Hot Lap: at Silverstone, Verstappen offered a blunt assessment of the tournament as the quarter-finals got under way, insisting Didier Deschamps’ side remained the strongest team in the competition despite England’s impressive run to the last eight.England prepare to face Norway in the quarter-finals on Saturday after surviving a dramatic 3-2 win over Mexico, while France secured their place in the semi-finals with a 2-0 win over Morocco.
Verstappen predicts that France will win the World Cup
Asked if football would finally “come home” for England, Verstappen dismissed the possibility.“No, I don’t think it will happen,” said Verstappen. “I think France is very good.”The comment comes as England supporters continue to dream of ending six decades without a major international trophy.Thomas Tuchel’s side secured their place in the quarter-finals after beating 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, but held on to claim victory in a poor 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 will now face Norway for a place in the semi-finals.
France continues to justify the favorites tag
Verstappen’s prediction follows another dominant display from France.Les Bleus opened the quarter-finals with a 2-0 win over Morocco, extending their perfect record at the tournament to six wins from six games.
France’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates after France beat 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 emerged as one of the standout teams of the tournament, scoring freely while remaining solid in defense throughout their campaign.Spain now join them in the semi-finals after securing a 2-1 win over Belgium, setting up a blockbuster clash with Les Bleus.
Verstappen refuses to choose between Messi and Ronaldo
In the same interview, Verstappen was also asked to settle one of football’s longest-running debates by choosing between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.Instead of picking one over the other, the four-time Formula One world champion argued that the pair should not be directly compared because each achieved greatness in different ways.“You can’t compare it because it’s different,” Verstappen replied.“The way they achieve greatness, that’s what I’ve always found.”Messi remains in contention for another World Cup title with Argentina, while Ronaldo’s international career ended emotionally following Portugal’s Round of 16 loss to Spain.With England still needing to overcome Norway before any potential meeting with one of the tournament favourites, Verstappen believes France remain grounded. Whether Les Bleus can justify that status in the closing stages of the competition, remains one of the defining questions of FIFA World Cup 2026.