The World Cup bracket is now set, and the remaining 32 teams are moving into the knockout phase with five rounds between them and the trophy. The group stage delivered all three host nations into the last 32, while stars such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane remain in the hunt.
That has created a wide-open debate about which team looks best, which matchups are most appealing, where the shocks might land and which player will take control of the tournament. www.nytimes.com asked its writers for their picks, and France, Japan, Argentina and the United States all drew strong support in different categories.
France, Japan and the U.S. stand out for different reasons
When the question was the best team to watch, France came up repeatedly for their quality and attacking power. Writers also highlighted Japan for their fluency and movement, while the United States were praised for the intense vertical style Mauricio Pochettino has brought into the tournament.
Japan’s unbeaten run through a difficult group impressed several contributors, with Wataru Endo and Kaoru Mitoma missing through injury but the team still playing with visible control. France, though, were the most common answer for the most complete side, especially after Ousmane Dembele’s hat-trick against Norway underlined their depth.
Messi still has the edge in the best-player debate
The best-player conversation was even less spread out. Lionel Messi was the clear favourite for most of the panel, even with Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior also earning praise for their form and influence.
Several writers noted that Messi, now 39, continues to perform at a level that keeps Argentina dangerous every time he steps on the pitch. Mbappe was backed by others as the player most likely to finish the tournament on top, but the overall sentiment still leaned toward Messi as the one everyone else is chasing.
Coaching praise is headed to Cape Verde first
The standout coaching story was Cape Verde’s Bubista, whose team reached the knockout stage after conceding only two goals in a difficult group. The praise was not just about results, but about the organisation, unity and confidence his side have shown along the way.
Ronald Koeman also received strong recognition for the Netherlands, whose attack and selection choices have helped them start strongly. Elsewhere, Emerse Fae was credited for taking Ivory Coast into the knockout stage for the first time in the nation’s history.
Netherlands vs Morocco is the tie to circle
For the best round-of-32 game, the strongest consensus pointed to Netherlands vs Morocco. The matchup offers talent, style and added context, with several Morocco players born in the Netherlands, including Noussair Mazraoui and Sofyan Amrabat.
Japan vs Brazil and Mexico vs Ecuador also drew interest, with the latter described as a primetime meeting in Mexico City between a host side backed by loud support and a team accustomed to altitude. One writer also pointed to Portugal vs Croatia, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric both still central at advanced ages.
The biggest shock candidates are already easy to imagine
Among the predicted shocks, the United States failing to reach the quarter-finals was the most common fear. Several writers also suggested Japan could trouble Brazil, while Ecuador against Mexico and Bosnia against the U.S. were among the other upset possibilities raised.
There was also a strong sense that one of the hosts could stumble before the tournament reaches its deepest rounds. Ivory Coast over Norway, South Africa pushing past Canada, and England going out before the quarter-finals were all mentioned as possible turning points.
Fans, goals and the rest of the bracket
Argentina’s fans were widely praised for their volume and passion, while the Scots, Ecuador supporters and Norway’s “row” celebrations all stood out. The Dutch and several African supporter groups also earned mentions for their noise and atmosphere.
For the golden boot race, Mbappe was the most popular pick, though Messi and Harry Kane were also seen as major threats. Some writers believe the winner could need a haul high enough to match the biggest totals in World Cup history, which would fit the scoring pace already on display.
The bracket now shifts from debate to elimination football, with France, Japan, Morocco, Argentina and the hosts among the teams drawing the most attention. As the knockout rounds begin, the biggest questions are whether the favourites can keep holding up and which underdog will turn the bracket upside down first.
