Will Antoine Griezmann make it to the 2026 World Cup with France? We analyze statistics, current events, and his role with Les Bleus on their way to the most important tournament on the planet.
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WHAT WILL BE THE BIGGEST SCORE OF THE 2026 WORLD CUP?
In every World Cup, there's a match that goes down in history for the sheer number of goals scored by a single team. From Hungary's 10-1 thrashing of El Salvador in 1982 to Spain's 7-0 demolition of Costa Rica in 2022, lopsided scores are part of World Cup folklore. With the new 48-team format for the 2026 World Cup, the chances of witnessing a shocking rout are even higher. In this article, we'll tell you which teams could produce the tournament's biggest scoreline, what history tells us, and which teams should be worried.
The biggest routs in World Cup history
Before looking to the future, let's take a tasty look back at the most brutal routs a World Cup has ever seen. Some were so lopsided that even today they remain records that both amaze and hurt.
Top 5 scandalous results
Hungary 10-1 El Salvador (1982): the biggest rout in history. A tsunami of goals.
Germany 8-0 Saudi Arabia (2002): Klose scored three and the Germans didn't stop.
Portugal 7-0 North Korea (2010): Cristiano and company crushed them mercilessly.
Spain 7-0 Costa Rica (2022): positional play and goals like they were played with a joystick.
Germany 7-1 Brazil (2014): in the semifinals and against the host nation… unforgettable for being so unexpected.
These routs happen due to differences in hierarchy, tactical errors, or simply because a team goes into tornado mode. And with more teams making their debut in 2026, the risk of seeing another one of these is very high.
Which teams could suffer a heavy defeat?
The 2026 World Cup will have 48 teams and 104 matches. With more debutants or teams with less history, scenarios are opening up where the powerhouses could cruise through the group stage. Although football always delivers surprises, there are some teams that could be victims of a historic thrashing.
Candidates for a shocking result
Solomon Islands or New Caledonia: if they manage to qualify from Oceania, they could face Brazil or France. The difference is enormous.
Haiti: with a chance to qualify from Concacaf, its defensive system is still fragile against top-level opponents.
Equatorial Guinea: if it qualifies from Africa, it could face teams like England or Argentina with unbalanced squads.
Indonesia: World Cup debut and a very low FIFA ranking. A classic scenario of a "dance" if it faces a powerhouse.
Of course, everything depends on the draw. If an unbalanced group like Spain-Costa Rica's in 2022 is repeated, we could see a 6-0 or more. Furthermore, the number of goals also depends on the hunger of the big team: whether they want to finish the game off or simply put on a show.
Which teams could deliver the thrashing?
Just as there are likely victims, there are also favorite executioners. Some teams are built to crush rivals. They have speed, technical quality, and an unforgiving attacking philosophy. If they face a weak team, a rout may be just a matter of time.
Candidates to score without mercy
France: Mbappé, Griezmann, Camavinga… their attacking prowess is frightening. They already scored big in 2018 and 2022.
Brazil: if the new project with youngsters like Endrick and Rodrygo works, it could be a samba-fest of goals.
England: very offensive and with Kane, Bellingham, Foden, Saka… if they get going, they're devastating.
Spain: the lethal possession game is back. If they find space, they'll score 4 in 20 minutes.
Argentina: with Lautaro, Julián, Messi (if he returns) and young players firing on all cylinders, they can be a machine.
Everything points to the biggest scoreline of the 2026 World Cup coming from a match between a European or South American powerhouse and a World Cup debutant with a low FIFA ranking. Just like in 2002 Germany beat Saudi Arabia 8, in 2026 we could see a 9-0 between France and the Solomon Islands. And it wouldn't be a surprise.
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