The World Cup 2026 champion could come out of Group I, as France are one of the prohibitive favourites to win the quadrennial tournament, per the World Cup 2026 odds.
France are favoured because Didier Deschamps has assembled one of the most stacked World Cup squads. One can argue that you can create two strong starting XIs from Les Bleus, with Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe leading the way as their skipper.
But that doesn’t mean that Les Bleus have room for complacency, as Senegal, Norway, and Iraq are planning to give them a huge run for their money. Sadio Mane will lead the way for Senegal, while Erling Haaland’s exploits with Norway and Manchester City are well-documented. Aymen Hussein is also a grizzled veteran ready to showcase his wares for Iraq.
As football’s showpiece event draws closer, SBOTOP continues to highlight the top players fans must watch out for in the formidable Group I.
Kylian Mbappe, France
Kylian Mbappe is on a mission to lead France to World Cup glory after they missed out in the previous edition in 2022. Against Argentina in the final, Mbappe went toe-to-toe with Lionel Messi, as his hat-trick single-handedly sent the match to extra time and the penalty shootout.
Unfortunately for France, they couldn’t seal the deal, as Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni missed their penalty kicks and Argentina went 4-for-4. But since then, Mbappe’s career has been on an upward trajectory, as he’s now Real Madrid’s main man.
Mbappe has now won back-to-back Pichichi awards with Los Blancos, becoming the first player not named Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi to do so in La Liga. He scored 25 times in the Spanish top-flight, edging out Mallorca’s Vedat Muriqi by two goals, despite missing significant time due to a nagging knee injury. In the Champions League, he scored 15 goals and one assist in 11 games, making him the tournament’s Golden Boot winner, even if Real Madrid only reached the quarter-finals.
He has already racked up individual accolades and records in his first two years with Real Madrid, but Mbappe still has yet to help the team win the league title. We expect him to approach this summer’s World Cup with ferocity, as he’s definitely hungry for another major crown.
Sadio Mane, Senegal
Sadio Mane is approaching the twilight of his career, as he just turned 34 a few weeks ago. However, the Al-Nassr forward remains integral to Senegal’s World Cup hopes as one of their key veterans.
Mane reminded us of his class when he scored a brace during the Teranga Lions’ 3-2 loss against the United States in yesterday’s international friendly at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. By doing so, Mane became the fourth-best African goalscorer of the 21st century with 55 goals in 127 caps, trailing only Samuel Eto’o (56), Didier Drogba (63), and his former Liverpool co-star, Mohamed Salah (65).
Like Kylian Mbappe, Mane is a man on a mission in this year’s quadrennial event, as he’s out to redeem his goose egg in the 2022 edition. The Senegalese forward was a key cog in Al-Nassr’s Saudi Pro League championship run this season. Mane recorded 10 goals and six assists, behind the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Joao Felix, and level with Kingsley Coman.
Senegal are a force to be reckoned with in Group I, as they’ll likely fight with Norway for the other Top 2 berth. Besides Mane, opposing defenses have to be worried about Iliman Ndiaye, Ismaila Sarr, Nicolas Jackson, and Ibrahim Mbaye as well.
Erling Haaland, Norway
Norway are back in the World Cup after notching eight straight wins in Group I of the UEFA qualifiers, and Erling Haaland’s goals proved to be pivotal during their scintillating run. The Manchester City star accounted for 16 of the team’s 37 goals to help secure their qualification to the finals.
In club competition, Haaland finished as Manchester City’s overall top scorer for the 2025-26 campaign, registering 38 goals across all competitions. He also won the Premier League Golden Boot with 27 goals – five ahead of second-placed Igor Thiago – as the Sky Blues finished second behind the Gunners in the English top-flight standings with 78 points.
Norway will certainly fancy their chances in the World Cup, as they have a deeper team this time around. Besides Haaland, they also have Jorgen Strand Larsen, Alexander Sorloth, Oscar Bobb, and Antonio Nusa, ready to create World Cup 2026 highlights. Martin Odegaard, Sander Berge, Julian Ryerson, and Torbjorn Heggem will also provide invaluable leadership in the middle and at the back.
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