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 2026 FIFA World Cup instead.Speaking at SPORTbible’s Hot lap at Silverstone, Verstappen gave a quick assessment of the competition as the quarter-finals got underway, insisting Didier Deschamps’ side remained the strongest team in the competition despite England progressing to the last eight.England are set to face Norway in Saturday’s quarter-finals after a stunning 3-2 survival against Mexico, while France already booked 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 had “returned” to England, Verstappen denied the possibility.“No, I don’t think it will,” Verstappen said. “I think France is the best.”The comments came as England supporters continue to dream of going six decades without a major international tournament.Thomas Tuchel’s side booked their place in the quarter-finals after beating Mexico 3-2 in one of the most impressive games of the tournament. England played the final 40 minutes with 10 men after Jarell Quansah was sent off for a tackle on Jesús Gallardo, but still held on to win in brutal conditions 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 in the semi-finals.
France continues to justify the beloved tag
Verstappen’s prediction follows another dominant display from the Frenchman.Les Bleus opened the quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory over Morocco, extending their best record in the competition to six wins from six games.
Kylian Mbappe of France celebrates after France beat Morocco during the soccer match between France and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Kylian Mbappé recovered from a penalty miss in the first half to score the first goal before Ousmane Dembélé added the second, sending Didier Deschamps’ side into their third consecutive World Cup semi-final.France have been one of the standout teams in the tournament, scoring freely while remaining defensive throughout.Spain are now through to the semi-finals after 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 end the longest debate in the sport by choosing between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.Rather than picking one over the other, the four-time Formula One world champion said the two should not be directly compared as each reached greatness in different ways.“You can’t compare them because they are different,” Verstappen replied.“The way he finds greatness, that’s what I always find.”Messi is still in contention for another World Cup with Argentina, while Ronaldo’s international career came to an end after defeat by Portugal in the Round of 16 in Spain.With England still needing to beat Norway before facing one of their favourites, Verstappen believes France are still on the mark. Whether Les Bleus can justify this at the end of the competition now remains one of the defining questions FIFA World Cup 2026