German football legend Jürgen Klinsmann, a member of FIFA's technical study group, has offered an analytical vision of the World Cup tournament.
Klinsmann is participating in his second consecutive World Cup as part of FIFA's technical study group, which provides advanced analysis of all matches at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with the aim of enhancing and developing the global understanding of football.
In an interview on FIFA's official website, Klinsmann shared a comprehensive technical perspective on the first World Cup to be held with the participation of 48 teams.
The former Germany head coach said: "The tournament has seen many wonderful surprises with 48 teams participating as a result of the expansion, and many teams have put in outstanding performances... Cape Verde almost beat Argentina, and other teams came close to defeating established footballing nations. The tournament is also currently excellent in terms of attendance, with all stadiums filled to capacity."
He noted: "The fact that all three host nations have reached the knockout rounds is important in a tournament of this size — it is a great achievement. The 2026 World Cup has been a tremendous success both on and off the pitch, and I believe fans, both local and foreign, have greatly enjoyed it."
He added: "The strong performances of the four teams participating in the tournament for the first time confirm that the qualifying rounds were tough and that they deserved their place at the World Cup. Any team that qualifies from Africa has to be strong. These teams have produced exciting and entertaining surprises, and have written a wonderful story at the World Cup."
Klinsmann said: "In the quarterfinals, expectations will be familiar, but there is always the possibility of surprises that write great stories at the World Cup and add even more excitement to the tournament."
When asked about Egypt's progression to the advanced stages — despite never having won a World Cup match before — and about Norway's impressive performances, the German legend replied: "These two teams are going to become major powers. They can be among the top 10 teams in the world in 15 to 20 years."
He continued: "Egypt has always commanded great respect from everyone in the world, but they have not yet proven that at the World Cup in the way Morocco did when they reached the semi-finals of the 2022 Qatar World Cup. However, Egypt are always in the elite bracket of the Africa Cup of Nations and have outstanding players professionally competing in European leagues, and that means a great deal."
He went on: "As for Norway, they resemble the Croatia team of the 1990s. They are a team that stands out for their determination, talent, and technical abilities, which also qualify them to become a major power over the next 15 years, much like Croatia is today."
Klinsmann added: "There are some similarities. The Norway team is bigger than just relying on its two stars Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard — they have a strong core, they are an ambitious people, and the athletes there have a distinctly positive mentality, which also shows at the Olympic Games, where Norway ranks among the best countries."
Klinsmann also addressed the participation of a large number of veteran players, in their late thirties and early forties, in the World Cup for a fifth or sixth time, saying: "The longevity of these stars, with a good lifestyle and hard work throughout their careers, and participating in the World Cup four, five, or six times — these are all wonderful and admirable things, because no one could have imagined 20 or 30 years ago that we would find players still active on the pitch after passing the age of 40."
He added: "This phenomenon has emerged across all sports, not just football, and I consider it a great source of inspiration for children and young people — a message to them that they can continue playing for more than 20 years if they maintain their physical fitness, focus, and dedication."
The 1990s Germany international said: "A group of veteran players have participated in the 2026 World Cup, including Luka Modrić, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Manuel Neuer, and others."
He concluded: "We also see promising young talents such as Lamine Yamal and Jude Bellingham, and they have role models before them. If I were in Florian Wirtz's shoes and saw Messi and Ronaldo in front of me, I would imagine that I am capable of continuing on the pitch for 15 to 18 years if I maintain my physical fitness and avoid serious injuries. These great stars are wonderful role models for younger generations."