World Cup Quarterfinals: Messi, Morocco, and Six European Teams Dominate Again
Miami Gardens, Fla. — The 2026 FIFA World Cup has reached its quarterfinal stage, featuring a familiar lineup: six teams from Europe, one from South America, and one from Africa. This outcome continues a long-standing trend in World Cup history, where European and South American teams have historically dominated the tournament.
The current edition of the World Cup began with 48 teams, now narrowed down to eight. Unless Morocco achieves a remarkable series of victories in the coming weeks, it appears that the champion will emerge from either Europe or South America, a pattern that has persisted throughout the tournament’s nearly century-long history. Since the inaugural World Cup in 1930, there have been 22 tournaments, with 12 champions hailing from Europe and 10 from South America, while no other confederation has claimed a title.
North America’s Disappointment
This year’s World Cup was particularly significant for North America, as the United States, Mexico, and Canada co-hosted the event. However, none of these teams advanced to the quarterfinals. The U.S. team was eliminated by Belgium in the round of 16, suffering a 4-1 defeat. U.S. forward Christian Pulisic remarked on the need for the team to overcome the next hurdle, emphasizing the importance of competing against the world’s best.
Despite a promising start, where the three host nations collectively posted a 9-2-1 record in the group stage and round of 32, the knockout stage proved to be a different story. England narrowly defeated Mexico 3-2, while Canada faced a 3-0 loss to Morocco. The combined record of the three hosts in the knockout phase was 0-3-0, with a total goal deficit of seven.
French soccer legend Thierry Henry noted the disparity between the group stage and knockout rounds, expressing disappointment that all three host nations were eliminated. He highlighted the unique nature of the World Cup, where the group stage often presents different challenges than the knockout rounds.
A Long Wait for CONCACAF
The absence of a CONCACAF team in the quarterfinals marks a continued struggle for North American soccer. The last time a CONCACAF team reached this stage was Costa Rica in 2014. Prior to that, the U.S. made it to the quarterfinals in 2002, its best performance since finishing third in the inaugural tournament. Canada has yet to advance past the round of 16, while Mexico has participated in the last nine World Cups but has not progressed beyond the round of 16 during that time.
Mexican midfielder Erik Lira expressed the team’s disappointment, stating that despite giving their all, it was not enough to secure advancement.
Africa’s Hopes Rest on Morocco
Morocco now carries the hopes of Africa in this tournament. The African continent sent ten teams to the World Cup, with nine making it to the round of 32. However, many teams saw their campaigns end in heartbreak, often conceding late goals. Notably, Ivory Coast, South Africa, and Congo all exited after allowing decisive goals in the final minutes of their matches. Senegal and Egypt both suffered particularly painful defeats after leading 2-0 in their respective games, only to lose 3-2 to Belgium and Argentina.
Egypt’s coach, Hossam Hassan, suggested that officiating decisions may have influenced the outcome of their match, implying that there may have been a desire to keep prominent teams like Argentina in the competition.
Messi’s Resilience
Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, continues to be a formidable presence in the tournament. This marks the fifth time in the last six World Cups that Messi’s team has reached the quarterfinals. After overcoming a 2-0 deficit in a knockout match, Messi acknowledged the difficulty of such a comeback, particularly in the current competitive landscape where no team gives anything away easily.
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Published on 2026-07-09 01:51:00 • By the Editorial Desk
