Can the football save the Cup of Chaos?

 For the 2026 World Cup to be remembered for its football, it will have to be spectacular; the players are.

How fitting that a referee should be given the first red card!

After a tortured build-up, nothing sums up the chaos, angst and hypocrisy of the biggest World Cup ever than the “sending off” of Omar Artan, Africa’s top official, by US immigration before the tournament even started.

Welcome to the Trump-Infantino tournament.

Once it was hamstrings and metatarsals that we worried about before a World Cup: now it’s downed helicopters, missiles and ticket prices that have gone into orbit.

After holding our breath over whether the 48-nation, 104-match extravaganza would even take place, we can look forward to a truly mouthwatering line-up.

For starters, there is surely the final act of the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry, albeit in bite-sized cameos.

Can Argentina become the first country to retain the trophy since Brazil in 1962?

Or will France make up for their near-miss in Qatar? Will European champions Spain justify their favourites’ tag without a Real Madrid player?

All the big boys, bar Italy, are here, with Portugal the most fancied to add a new name to the trophy.

One of the most fascinating issues of the whole shebang is whether they are better with or without CR7.

Brazil, for once, has a manager more famous than many of their players in Carlo Ancelotti.

And will the recalled Neymar finally deliver at 34?

Is England the new Germany under Thomas Tuchel? Is Germany, after flopping in the last two editions, the new England?

Could a country from outside Europe or South America win it?

Japan looks the best from Asia, Senegal and Morocco from Africa.

And could a minnow produce an earth-shaking upset?

Shock results may be necessary to sustain interest through the 72-game group phase. A clean knock-out is always preferred, but even a solitary win for a rookie would be welcome and make the winners national heroes back home.

Long tournaments usually succeed if the host does well, and this one may need all three to reach the Round of 32.

And each country may need the full backing of its fans to do it.

As good as it is to see new blood in the tournament, it’s often the Golden Oldies who get the biggest crowds.

None are bigger than Messi and Ronaldo, both of whom will attract the most scrutiny.

Whilst you feel that the holders will still depend on Messi, even operating in carefully managed bursts, there’s an argument for saying Ronaldo is holding back Portugal.

Roberto Martinez’s side achieved two nine-goal wins when CR7 was absent and when you look at their midfield of Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva and Vitinha, you feel they are dark horses for the trophy.

Their pressing and quick counters may also work better without a 41-year-old loitering up front.

But Martinez will not drop his captain, who, truth be told, is probably the manager as well in all but name.

If Vitinha can pull the strings as well as he does at PSG, and Ronaldo responds, Portugal will be capable of beating anybody.

Argentina has the bulk of its 2022 winners to choose from, but Julian Alvarez could well be their main man this time instead of Messi.

But for sheer attacking verve, it’s hard to look beyond France.

Kylian Mbappe. Ousmane Dembele. Desire Doue. Rayan Cherki. Michael Olise. Bradley Barcola.

Just mention the names and you wonder how on earth Didier Deschamps chooses.

Perhaps it needs a water carrier, as Eric Cantona famously dubbed him, to pick his finest vintage.

Behind them is midfield controller Aurelien Tchouameni, with Ibrahima Konate and William Saliba at centre-back, and Mike Maignan in goal.

There’s an awful lot of talent on display in this gargantuan event, some golden oldies saying farewell and new boys making their mark.

No youngster has a higher profile than Yamal, already dubbed the new Messi, but different: definitely a new-age Messi.

Altogether more confident than the shy kid the Argentine was at his age, he’s already led Spain to the Euros and Barcelona to La Liga.

If he justifies the hype, Spain may well win. No top out-and-out striker? No problem, they can walk the ball in.

Luka Modric is still there at 40 and his Croatian side will once again be a threat to England, this time in the same group.

England has its best side since the Golden Generation, but Gareth Southgate was unable to turn them into trophy winners.

He came close with a semi-final and two finals (in the Euros), but defence is a weakness with the 34-year-old, 201cm Dan Burn likely to be turned into a statue by the aforementioned speedsters.

Still, Harry Kane is in the form of his life, Jude Bellingham could come of age and Tuchel will take the handbrake off.

On paper, the ingredients are there for a cracking six weeks of football. But there are quibbles about the pitches, the heat, the travelling and the atmosphere.

There is also the fact that a war is going on between two participants who could even meet on the field if they win their respective groups.

It used to be said that football was such a passionate game that it sparked a war, as it did over a qualifier in 1969. Honduras and El Salvador came to blows in a four-day affair before the 1970 World Cup.

Now, a much bigger war with the world economy held to ransom continues unabated.

Trump and Infantino will no doubt say the show must go on. But with hosts like these and organisers like FIFA, to ensure the tournament will be remembered for its football, the players will have to reach spectacular new heights.

It should be worth watching them try. - FMT

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.