World Cup semifinals haunted by historic statistical curses

The 2026 World Cup reaches its semifinal stage with France meeting Spain and England facing Argentina. Betting analysis from Cloudbet puts France as the slight favorite, while the other match‑ups are seen as evenly balanced.

Each of the four semifinalists carries a distinct statistical curse that has never been broken by a world champion. France fields the current Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé – “never a player holding the Ballon d’Or at a World Cup has won the tournament.” England is coached by Thomas Tuchel, a foreign manager – “no team led by a foreign coach has ever lifted the World Cup.” Argentina entered as the top‑ranked nation in the FIFA rankings, a position that “has never produced a champion.” Spain is guided by 65‑year‑old Luis de la Fuente, and “no coach aged 60 or older has ever won the title.” The semifinals thus become a duel not only on the pitch but against long‑standing odds.