Mock World Cup bracket: Just how far can the USMNT go?

The quarterfinals

We are down to eight teams, and if you asked anyone of knowledge of football which eight teams would make it to this stage, these are the probably the teams they would pick. That being said, these matches are going to be tight, they are going to be emotional, and they are going to be determined on the margins. From here on out, a win is a glorious victory, and a loss is nothing to be upset about.

To start this round, we have France and Morocco on July 9 in Boston. Two very well-rounded teams with real dreams of glory. The winner of the AFCON versus the runner up for the most recent World Cup.

The problem in this matchup is that their are tiers in player quality, and where Morocco has great players in almost every position, France has elite players in every position. Morocco has Bilal El Khannous and Brahim Diaz and Ismael Saibari where France comes in with Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olie and Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembele. For every great player Morocco has, France has three players that are better.

This is a huge opportunity for Morocco but just not one I can see them winning. France is too powerful and has been the best in the world for a very long time. France wins 3-1.

July 10, in Los Angeles, we get an absolute electric matchup between Belgium and Spain. Two teams with talent to spare going head-to-head in the quarterfinals and in the biggest entertainment city in the world. Lamine Yamal, just a few days before turning nineteen, will feel a level of pressure that no eighteen-year-old will be fully prepared for. Belgium will have real hopes to take the World Cup home for the first time in the tournament's history.

The problem that existed for the France and Morocco matchup exists here. Belgium has Doku and Onana, Spain has Yamal, Pedri, and Rodri. The talent pool is not that comparable. Further, what Belgium does well, Spain does better. Since March 26, 2024, Spain has only lost one game, and lost that game on penalties to Portugal. They have only allowed 24 goals in that stretch, compared to the 77 goals scored. By comparison, Belgium has dropped seven games since that date, conceding 26 goals and scoring 54 goals.

This will be a very exciting matchup, but Spain just seems better on nearly every level. Spain wins 4-2 and Lamine Yamal is living the dream of nineteen year olds around the world.

On July 11, in Miami, two of the best teams in the entire tournament go head to head as Brazil and England kit up for a huge matchup. After this matchup, the winner will likely become the favorite to win the entire tournament, and rightfully so. One of the greatest offenses in tournament history in Brazil versus one of the most well rounded rosters in England's tournament history. Harry Kane and Vinicius Jr.. Raphinha and Jude Bellingham. Matheus Cunha and Declan Rice. Soccer fans should go ahead and put in their work request for this day and the day after, because it should be an electric night of football. There will be goals galore and at least ninety minutes of nail biting action.

The question that determines the winner of this matchup is simple: can England's defensive stop Brazil's counter attack enough times. Asking them to stop 100% of the time is not a helpful or realistic goal, but if England can stop the counter attack half the time, even a third of the time, and give themselves time to set up and play defense, they can stay competitive with the South American powerhouse and have a win condition. However, that is a big "If" because this will not be an easy offense to keep up with.

Though they may not have been able to stop them, England held Spain to a 2-1 victory in the Euros. Meanwhile, Brazil has been handled by teams like France, Tunisia, Japan, and Bolivia within the last twelve months, being kept to 1 or fewer goals in eight of their World Cup qualifying matches.

It is my belief that England has the technical prowess and the roster talent to do the exact same thing to Brazil, while also having the offensive weapons to put enough shots in the net to bring home a victory and said the most successful nation in World Cup history home. England wins, 2-1.

If you thought the games could not get bigger, than you have another thing coming, because what might be the biggest matchup in the entire tournament is the last game of the quarterfinals. On July 11, in Kansas City, the defending champions Argentina will matchup against Portugal in what could very possibly go down as the most watched soccer game in history. Because, for what will likely be the final time, Lionel Messi will line up across from Christiano Ronaldo. The GOATs of modern soccer, two of the most famous human beings in the entire world, the inspiration behind millions, if not billions, of kids and young adults all around the world, come face to face for one last battle.

The two have squared up several times, but only twice when representing their countries. Once in 2011 where Argentina won 2-1, and once in 2014 where Portugal won 1-0. They have never met in the World Cup.

And none of that matters right now.

In 2026, the GOATs still matter, but the supporting cast is the real determining factor for this matchup. Portugal boast a suffocating defense, built around the Paris Saint-Germaine trio of Vitinha, Joao Neves, and Nuno Mendes. Ruben Dias and Matheus Nunes of Manchester City contribute heavily to that effort as well while Diogo Costa of FC Porto defends the net. Argentina wants to take possession of the ball in the midfield and set up on you. Alexis Mac Allister of Liverpool, Enzo Fernandez of Chelsea, and Alejandro Garnacho will do that while Lionel Messi of Inter Miami, Julian Alvarez of Althetico Madrid, and Lautaro Martinez of Inter take the shots.

Argentina's lack of games against European teams in recent years is noted here, although a dominant 4-1 win over Brazil last year is not going unnoticed.

This has been the hardest matchup to predict thus far, and in the end, it came down to soccer analytics. In qualifying matches, Argentina dominated (full stop) possession, possessing the ball 63.9% of the time. In qualifying, Portugal struggled to regain possession of the ball by force, ranking 48th in UEFA qualifying in teams in total interceptions, 49th in tackles per game, and 52nd in clearances per game. Argentina had the third most touches in the opposing penalty box in qualifying, meaning they are going to get into Portugal's defense, and if Portugal proved anything in qualifying, that is where you want to be as an opposing offense.

Argentina comes out on top, 2-0, sending Ronaldo home, and putting another emphatic contention behind Messi's GOAT status.

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