Argentina faces historical World Cup champion's curse risk at 2026 tournament

SALADIN, Iraq — Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, will compete at the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, but a recurring pattern in tournament history suggests the defending champions often struggle to advance past the group stage in the following edition. The phenomenon, known as the "champion's curse," first appeared in 1950 when Italy exited during the group stage in Brazil. Brazil suffered the same fate in England four years later during the 1966 tournament. France's 1998 title was followed by a group-stage elimination in South Korea and Japan in 2002, while Italy's 2006 triumph ended with another group-stage departure in South Africa in 2010. Spain, the 2010 champion, was eliminated in the group stage during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil after losses to the Netherlands and Chile. Germany, which won in 2014, finished bottom of its group in Russia four years later following a defeat by South Korea. France, the 2018 champion, broke the trend by reaching the 2022 final in Qatar, making it the most recent exception to the pattern. No further details about Argentina's preparation or outlook for 2026 were immediately available.