​At the outset of the World Cup, we invited Liverpool Offside readers to weigh in on two big questions: who they thought would lift the trophy and which player they would back to win the Golden Ball as Player of the Tournament, as part of SB Nation Reacts. Now that we’ve reached the quarterfinals, it’s a good moment to review how those early predictions are holding up and to give you another chance to share your views.
Before the tournament began, our readership leaned heavily toward certain nations. A full 34% of TLO readers forecast Spain as the champions, with France not far behind at 31% to finish as runners-up. Brazil attracted 12% of bets, England 11%, Portugal 7%, and Argentina 5%, rounding out the initial top six. Of course, the actual progress of the event has altered those projections: Spain and France remain contenders, while Brazil and Portugal have exited the competition, and England and Argentina have both offered compelling arguments for higher standings as the matches unfold.
Given the current landscape, it’s reasonable to expect Spain, France, England, and Argentina to continue to be favored, especially since the quarterfinals do not feature head-to-head clashes among these teams just yet. We also considered Norway as the potential upset special: they enter a path that begins with a match versus England, followed by the winner of Argentina versus Switzerland, positioning them as the underdog with the best shot at a surprise run.
Turning to the Golden Ball, or Player of the Tournament, the pre-tournament landscape showed a wide-open field. A sizable 35% chose “other” for the top honor, signaling a belief that the award could go to someone outside the usual suspects. Harry Kane attracted 25% of the votes, with Kylian Mbappé close behind at 24%. Lamine Yamal drew 11% of the projections, Lionel Messi 3%, and Cristiano Ronaldo 1%, rounding out the early poll.
As the tournament has progressed, some players have risen above expectations. Erling Haaland has shone and remains in the mix, especially with Norway still alive in the competition. Mbappé, Messi, and Yamal continue to be in consideration due to their continued impact and star power. The discussion around who will take the Golden Ball remains wide open, with the dynamic nature of the tournament likely to produce surprises.
We’re eager to see how the rest of the World Cup unfolds and how the participants’ stories evolve. Keep sharing your picks—your votes could still shape the outcomes as the knockout rounds press on and new standout performances come into focus.