Less than 24 hours separate us from the start of the 2026 World Cup, the first played across three countries at once - the US, Canada and Mexico. Four years after the spectacle in Qatar, the stories written in the desert still echo, and the four teams that went furthest then set off again chasing the same dream.

Argentina defends the crown it won in Lusail, France seeks revenge for the most painful defeat in its history, and two teams that on paper have no such right - Croatia and Morocco - come again to upset the order of the favorites.

Messi Chasing One More, the Last

Only two nations have so far defended the world champion title - Italy before World War II and Brazil with Pelé in the sixties. For more than six decades no one has managed it. Now Lionel Scaloni arrives in North America with the same brazen ambition he set off with to Qatar, and with a player many believe is the greatest in football history.

The task is almost impossible. But if anyone can pull off a miracle, it's the man from Rosario with eight Ballon d'Ors in his cabinet. The question isn't whether Argentina is capable, but whether time - that one opponent Messi has never beaten - will allow him one more story.

France Before a Historic Record

Despite Argentina breaking their hearts in the final, the French arrive as one of the biggest favorites. If they reach the final again, they'll become only the second nation in history with three finals in a row - so far only Brazil did it, between 1994 and 2002.

Motivation isn't lacking. This is Didier Deschamps's last World Cup on the bench, and his attack is too crowded for so many names - from Kylian Mbappé to Michael Olise, who after a season at Bayern entered a completely different league. Deschamps has the chance to retire as only the second manager in history with two world titles.

The End of an Era

After the thrashing in the 2018 final, many judged that Croatia had hit its ceiling and that the golden generation was slowly retiring into legend. Zlatko Dalić's team answered them quickly - another deep run in Qatar, stopped only in the semifinal by eventual champion Argentina.

Luka Modrić led his side to a bronze medal, and now, at 40, he sets off on a last dance. Few doubt he'll do everything to be unforgettable. One of the best midfielders in football history rounds off his career where it all began - in the national team shirt. His retirement closes the most successful period in Croatian football.

In the Balkans, this isn't just a Croatian story. Modrić is a face the whole region understands - a kid from Zadar who grew up in war, a player who never got football handed to him on a plate. At a tournament everyone will talk about as the last for Messi or Ronaldo, it would be a shame to overlook precisely him.

Does Lightning Strike Twice?

Morocco will have to prove that its run to the Qatar semifinal wasn't a fluke. The Atlas Lions then tore down a wall that had stood for decades - becoming the first African nation in a World Cup semifinal, knocking Spain and Portugal off the road.

This time the surprise won't come so easily, because no one underestimates them anymore. They open against Brazil in Group C - it's hard to imagine a tougher exam for a start. Expectations at home and abroad are high, and that's a weight they didn't carry before.

What to Watch For

All eyes will be on Mbappé, but it's Olise, after a dazzling season at Bayern, who could be France's new hero. Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez is already watching the winger closely - a possible mega-transfer to the Santiago Bernabéu as soon as the tournament ends. And Deschamps's dream of a second title, it seems, will depend precisely on the 24-year-old.