International Soccer Powerhouse Compared to Ohio State in 2026 World Cup Race

The 2026 World Cup semifinals arrived with a bit of history. France, Argentina, Spain and England, the top four teams in FIFA's rankings, all survived the expanded 48-team field, marking the only time in the tournament's 96-year history that the rankings and the final four have matched exactly.

Fox Sports analyst Laken Litman used the occasion to translate the World Cup bracket into college football terms, pairing each semifinalist with a College Football Playoff regular.

Her comparison linked No. 1 France with Ohio State. Les Bleus are the top-ranked team on the planet, while the Buckeyes opened July at No. 1 in ESPN's preseason Football Power Index.

Why France is the Ohio State of the World Cup

Litman wrote that Ohio State "always attracts the top recruiting classes and consistently develops top NFL talent," and that "like France, they enter nearly every season as a legitimate contender."

They have won all six matches this summer, outscoring opponents 16-4 behind Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise. Mbappe's eight goals lead a squad chasing a third star under Didier Deschamps, who is coaching his final World Cup after 14 years in charge.

France forward Kylian Mbappe — France's Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring their first goal against Morocco in the Round of 16. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ryan Day's roster carries the same profile heading into the fall. Quarterback Julian Sayin, receiver Jeremiah Smith and running back Bo Jackson all return from a 12-2 team, and ESPN gives Columbus a nation-best 17.1 percent championship probability.

The sturdiest connection is what both do after losing stars. Ohio State sent four defenders to the first round of April's draft and still projects as a top-10 defense. France loses nothing to attrition because its talent pool simply produces the next wave. Neither operation rebuilds. Both restock.

How Argentina, Spain and England match Alabama, Georgia and Texas

Litman's Argentina comparison reached backward, casting the defending champions as Saban-era Alabama, "the measuring stick by which every other team compared themselves." The comp fits the Argentines, who have survived three extra-time knockout matches behind 39-year-old Lionel Messi and his eight goals.

It says less about present-day Tuscaloosa. Kalen DeBoer enters year three with an unsettled quarterback competition between Keelon Russell and Austin Mack, and ESPN's FPI slots the Tide eighth. Argentina still lives the dynasty. Alabama is auditioning to restart one.

Argentina forward Lionel Messi and teammates — Argentina's Lionel Messi and teammates celebrate after beating Switzerland to reach the semifinals of the World Cup. | REUTERS

Spain and Georgia hold up better as mirrors. Litman called both "ruthless, relentless" with "an endless pipeline of talent," and the evidence backs her. La Roja has conceded one goal in six matches, while Kirby Smart won a second straight SEC title in 2025 with the league's second-youngest roster and returns Gunner Stockton as its quarterback.

England and Texas share the burden of history. The Three Lions have not lifted the FIFA World Cup Trophy since 1966, back when it was called the Jules Rimet Trophy. The Longhorns haven't won a national championship since 2005, when they were lifted by the performance of star quarterback Vince Young.

Jude Bellingham's two goals against Norway and the dazzling play of Harry Kane with six goals of his own in this World Cup give England its best chances to win the tournament in years. With the Longhorns anchored by Arch Manning, Colin Simmons, Trevor Goosby, Cam Coleman, Rasheem Biles and Michael Taaffe, Texas has a loaded roster, giving the fan base fresh reason to expect a breakthrough.

France and Spain meet Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET in Dallas on FOX, and England faces Argentina on Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET in Atlanta, with the winners advancing to the July 19 final in New Jersey.

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