5 min readJul 8, 2026 01:29 PM IST
First published on: Jul 8, 2026 at 01:29 PM IST
European teams don’t generally do too well in FIFA World Cups in the Americas. Germany’s triumph in Brazil in 2014 has been the only instance of any of them going all the way to the title across the Atlantic. But with six of the eight quarterfinalists in the 2026 edition coming from Europe, the odds of a team from that continent lifting the trophy on July 19 may be bright, even though Morocco and Lionel Messi’s Argentina may have other ideas.
In fact, only twice has a European team won the World Cup outside its own continent – Spain won in South Africa in 2010 – but the balance of power in international football has shifted over the last couple of decades and it has only been Argentina that has been flying the flag for the rest of the world. Norway and Switzerland are not even traditional European powerhouses, but they are among the last eight while Brazil, Uruguay and Colombia are not.
ALSO READ | FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarterfinals Schedule: Qualified teams, match dates
The simplistic answer would be that Europe has better players, but it also boils down to infrastructure, player development and tactical maturity in the strongest leagues in the world. Most of the top players from around the world play club football in Europe but that doesn’t seem to help most of them when it comes to the World Cup. Sixteen European teams started the tournament and six remain, an impressive proportion. In comparison, only one of the six South American sides and one of one of 10 from Africa have made it to the quarters. It’s been a disappointing campaign for Asia with none of the teams from the biggest continent making it even to the Round of 16 of the expanded 48-team draw.
European dominance has been a trend over the last several World Cups, even though at one point in this tournament, it seemed that the script could change when powerhouses The Netherlands and Germany were knocked out on the same day, with four-time champions Italy not qualifying for the third straight edition.
At Qatar 2022, five of the eight quarterfinalists were from Europe and the corresponding numbers from 2018 and 2014 were six and four respectively. In fact, before Argentina lifted the trophy four years ago, one would have to go back to 2002 to find a non-European winner with Brazil triumphing in Japan and South Korea. In the interim, four different European nations were crowned champions of the world – Italy, Spain, Germany and France – proving that it’s not one or two countries, but the whole continent, that’s dominating.
Reasons:
According to Angel Nakamura writing in Marca, European teams and players ‘face world-class opponents, train under elite coaching staffs, and develop within organisations that invest enormous resources into youth academies and sports science. By the time those players arrive at the World Cup, many have already played in Champions League knockout matches, domestic title races, and high-pressure cup finals.’
The benefit is evident in the high-stakes environment of World Cup knockouts when European teams usually keep their cool. ‘They stay compact defensively, adjust tactically during matches, and often possess enough depth to change games with substitutes who would start for many other nations.’
Belgium eliminated the United States with clinical efficiency despite the surrounding fracas over Folarin Balogun’s overturned red card. England edged Mexico in the cauldron that was the Azteca Stadium. Switzerland knocked out Colombia in a tense penalty shootout after frustrating one of South America’s most talented squads for 120 minutes. Even Norway, who were appearing at a World Cup for the first time since 1998, eliminated Brazil on the back of their disciplined organization structure, tactical efficiency and the finishing ability of Erling Haaland. France refused to be riled by the overly physical approach adopted by Paraguay and got the job done without getting provoked.
According to Nakamura, South America continues to produce exceptional individual talent, but many domestic leagues struggle financially compared to Europe’s biggest competitions.
‘Producing technically gifted players is no longer enough, they (European nations) also develop tactical intelligence, positional flexibility, and mental resilience from an early age. Where European squads continue to separate themselves is in decision-making under pressure.
‘The best European teams rarely beat themselves. They defend as cohesive units, recognize moments to slow or accelerate the tempo, and capitalize on opponents’ mistakes with ruthless efficiency. That formula has carried six UEFA nations into the quarterfinals,’ Nakamura added.
FIFA World Cup 2026: Reigning European champions Spain are among the six teams from the continent to qualify for the quarter-finals. (AP Photo) 
Share
