Is Japan more likely to win than Portugal? Korean media are shocked by the results of the strength rating of participating countries in the 2026 World Cup

The American portal "Yahoo Sports" announced the top ten list of participating countries in the 2026 CONCACAF World Cup on November 20, local time. The championship prediction list is: 1st FIFA leader Spain, 2nd Argentina, 3rd England, 4th France, 5th Morocco, 6th Netherlands, 7th Japan, 8th Portugal, 9th Colombia, 10th Norway. Traditionally strong teams such as Brazil, Germany, and Belgium were not included in the list.

The Japanese men's football team ranked 18th in the latest FIFA world rankings and ranked first in Asia.

In October, the Japanese team achieved a historic first victory in a warm-up match against Brazil, shocking the world. The Japanese men's football team ranks 18th in the latest FIFA world rankings and No. 1 in Asia. "When they faced the Brazilian team led by coach Carlo Ancelotti, they reversed a two-goal disadvantage and won 3-2. This was the first victory against the Brazilian team, which has won the World Cup five times. This is not only an excellent result, but also a sign of their future performance. " "Yahoo Sports" praised it. Furthermore, "At the World Cup in Qatar, they defeated Germany and Spain to top the group and advance to the last 16. This time, they are ready to aim for a higher stage. Led by coach Yasuichi Mori, the team, which is a mix of European base players and domestic league players, is eager to attract the spotlight from Europe and South America, and there is no reason to think they cannot This goal will be achieved in July next year. "

Faced with this ranking, the Korean media "MyDaily" could not hide its shock and reported with the title "Even Japan, which Brazil has defeated, is more likely to win the World Cup than Portugal? This is a shocking evaluation" and pointed out that "Japan's performance in the Concacaf World Cup is highly recognized."

"The American "Yahoo Sports" included Japan among the top ten candidates to win the CONCACAF World Cup, ranking Japan 7th in the strength list. The media commented: 'Japan is the first team to lock in the finals in the qualifying stage. Japan, which has entered the main draw for eight consecutive years, is a seriously underestimated team.'"

The report further added: "The media advocated that 'it is entirely possible for them to achieve an unprecedented feat - becoming the first Asian team to reach the World Cup finals. This is a team that never stops struggling.'"

The victory over Brazil in October has obviously greatly increased the outside world's expectations for Japan.