“That’s going to be cool and interesting,” Jürgen Klopp says, expressing his excitement for one particular 2026 World Cup match

Asked if he would ever watch a World Cup match unnoticed and relaxed in a bar, the former Liverpool and BVB boss replied: “Unnoticed? Yes, that would be nice. But it’ll never happen. I’m most looking forward to Scotland versus Brazil; it promises to be fascinating because two very different football philosophies will collide.”

Klopp sees a wide range of contenders at this World Cup. He includes the German national team among them, because, as he says, “Anything is possible!” Yet he could “name ten other teams that also have a great chance.” Success, he explains, requires luck, staying injury-free and genuine squad quality.

When pressed for his top contenders, he listed “world champions like Argentina, France, Spain and England, plus the Netherlands”. He also highlighted Portugal as a potential dark horse and Norway as a team with “a golden generation” spearheaded by Erling Haaland. Yet the 58-year-old refused to narrow his shortlist to just three.

When it comes to dark horses, Klopp advises: "I think you should keep an eye on the British teams. Because if they find a way to be ready for the tournament, they’ll go far. They have a good generation of players." 

He did not stop at Thomas Tuchel’s England, adding, “Scotland can hurt opponents in many ways; they have a good team. Ultimately, though, by the quarter-finals only the big favourites will remain.”

The tournament begins on 11 June with co-hosts Mexico facing South Africa, and the final is scheduled for 19 July at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. Klopp will analyse the action as a TV pundit for MagentaSport.