This year’s FIFA World Cup, beginning on Jun. 11th, could become one of the most competitive tournaments in soccer (football) history. Hosted across North America, 48 teams, compared to last year’s 32 teams, will compete in matches across 16 cities in three countries. Due to the new change, this tournament will feature a larger mix of experienced stars and rising young talent. ESPN reporters have “power ranked” their top picks for their winning predictions. Firstly, for Spain, much of the excitement comes from Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, one of Europe’s most talented wingers despite his young age of 18. Yamal’s rise also has put the spotlight on Barcelona’s other young players. “I think he’s a rockstar and I’m excited to see him play,” history teacher Matthew O’Neil said. Unfortunately, Yamal is currently has a hamstring injury, that may cause him to miss matches leading up to the World Cup, even if he can play in the tournament. Secondly, France is led by Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe who formerly led the team to their 2018 title and last tournaments final. The previous finalists have proven to have speed, strength and resilience, making France a serious contender. It’s important to note that in the past, France has sometimes struggled against quick counterattacks and the team is currently under new management. Despite this, freshman Ayden Islam feels that, “France has a strong starting lineup and bench right now, they’re even playing B team and winning matches. I’d say things are looking good for them.” The most recent champions of the World Cup, Argentina, promise to enter the competition strong with experience, tactical organization and teamwork. However, their weakness lies in the age of Lionel Messi who “carries” the team, at 38 years old. “[Messi is going to be] great but he’s aging. Last time we could really depend on him, but I’m not sure about this time,” junior Marley Sotelo said. England will enter with hopes of ending what many fans feel is a disappointing streak on the global stage. Despite having stars such as Harry Kane, Cole Palmer and Bukayo Saka, “The Lions” who trouble defenses, England still has struggled with high pressure knockout games, especially when penalties are involved as seen in their 2022 match against France where they lost 2-1. The World Cup is likely to deliver another exciting and unpredictable tournament with surprises defying expectations.