World Cup 2026 Group J preview: Prediction, odds, full team overviews

No prizes for guessing the favorites in Group J.Four years after World Cup glory in Qatar, Argentina was handed a more-than-navigable draw for what should be Lionel Messi’s swan song with the national team.

Behind them, though, it’s anyone’s guess who will get out of this group.The Post previews Group J at the World Cup:Teams listed in predicted order of finish.* indicates third-place team predicted to advance to the knockout stage.Odds to win the group: -265What you need to know: The reigning world champions will bring a squad that blends winning pedigree with its up-and-coming next generation.

Messi, Julián Alvarez, Lautaro Martinez, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, Rodrigo De Paul, Nicolás Otamendi and Emiliano Martínez are among the returnees from the 2022 squad that gave deliverance to the nation, along with coach Lionel Scaloni.Winger Franco Mastantuono and midfielder Nico Paz are among the new faces with key roles to play, while Thiago Almada — who featured for just seven minutes in 2022 — is on that list as well.How they play: Scaloni’s success has come in his tactical flexibility, as well as his ability to get Argentina, which seemed to crumble under pressure under prior coaches, to band together as a team.

He usually employs a back four, and Argentina can use its central midfield — namely Fernández and Mac Allister — to control games.Star player: Though absolutely no one expected Messi to sit out this World Cup, confirmation that he would play for Argentina came down to the wire.He’ll turn 39 during the World Cup, and four years into playing for Inter Miami, it would be easy to dismiss him as past his prime.

Even so, Messi had eight goals and three assists for Argentina across 12 qualifying games, remains the heartbeat of his country’s soccer identity and can make magic happen.World Cup history: Argentina won the World Cup four years ago in one of the greatest games ever played.That was La Albiceleste’s third World Cup t...