Which two teams will reach the final – and who will win?

Spain and Portugal in the final, with Spain winning. I’ve played our Bracketology game 20 times and gotten 20 different paths but Spain always end up winning. Alexander Abnos

My latest tilt at the Guardian’s addictive Bracketology tool has thrown up a France versus Argentina rematch. Rather than roll the dice again. I’ll go with France to win. Nick Ames

The future that the 2007 photograph manifested: Lamine Yamal and Spain versus Lionel Messi and Argentina. It’s a toss-up; at the time of writing my coin lands for Spain. Ella Brockway

France beat Portugal in the final. Ben Fisher

England to beat France. They are deep and talented, have a manager whose strengths translate well to knockout football, at least appear to be prepared for the conditions and, crucially, possess the institutional experience that comes from runs to the quarter-finals and beyond at the last four major tournaments. Bryan Armen Graham

Spain will meet France in the final and the French will prevail. Maybe. Barry Glendenning

France to beat Argentina. Didier Deschamps has the attacking talent to make the difference when it matters the most. David Hytner

In my Guardian Bracketology draft I have England meeting Spain, with Spain the victors. This expresses a sudden rush of optimism about England despite several months of poor form and a belief that Spain’s squad is more rounded than France’s. I feel Spain’s technical ability and clear identity would be decisive in a final. Paul MacInnes

A repeat scenario: France and Argentina, but with a different outcome. France to take the trophy. Ewan Murray

France have the strength in depth to win a third title. As for the team that will play them? It could be Argentina once again. Osasu Obayiuwana

Spain and Portugal, with Spain elevating the rivalry even further with a famous win over the first-time finalist. Jeff Rueter

When I plotted it out a few weeks ago I had France beating Argentina – but since then more knowledgeable people say Argentina aren’t any good. So Spain. Or France. Or, no I won’t say it … could we? Max Rushden

I ran a whole simulation like the pro I’ve never been accused of being and landed on France and Argentina. And France win. They have more talent and experience than anyone. Leander Schaerlaeckens

The conditions might suit Argentina but I think they’ll lose to Spain in the final – assuming that Luis de la Fuente’s wingers are on form. Jacob Steinberg

France to beat Spain in the final. Spain are European champions but injuries and fatigue may hamper them, while France have the strength in depth to overcome the disadvantage of an overly cautious coach. Jonathan Wilson

Who will win the Golden Boot?

Mikel Oyarzabal. The Spain forward has the chance to rack up goals against Cape Verde in the group stage and will presumably be playing deep into the tournament, even if they don’t make the final as I predicted. AA

Even if he may not lift the trophy, Harry Kane is in irrepressible nick and could get enough joy in England’s first four games to rack up a decisive lead. Outside shout: Japan’s Ayase Ueda, the free-scoring spearhead of a side that should go very well. NA

Kane will take England to a semi-final against Argentina, and then a goal in the third-place game will push him past Kylian Mbappé for top scorer. EB

Kane could fill his boots. BF

Mbappé. No player has ever won the Golden Boot twice, but football’s most devastating transition player is a smart bet to become the first. Few players in this year’s tournament combine his finishing quality with the likelihood of playing seven or eight matches. BAG

Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal could fill his boots against Cape Verde in the group stage and score enough off the bench in subsequent matches to take home this prize. BG

Mbappé. DH

Kane. He is so reliable and England’s opening fixtures are not too demanding he could build up a decent total by the last 16. PM

Mbappé. EM

Could well come from a country that does not go far in the tournament, like Norway’s Erling Haaland. Gary Lineker won the Golden Boot at Mexico 1986 despite England not going beyond the quarter-finals. OO

In an era with worryingly few elite forwards, Kane cements his legacy, and his case for the Ballon d’Or. JR

I can’t jinx Harry Kane so I’ll say Brian Brobbey, because I like saying it. MR

Mbappé. Even in a troubled season, he scored 49 goals. A World Cup where play will slow down in the heat and exhaustion also plays right into his hands on the counterattack. LS

Kane is finally going into a tournament in top condition. JS

Mbappé: France will go deep and he will be their prime attacking spearhead and penalty taker. He already has 12 World Cup goals and could take Miroslav Klose’s all-time record. JW

Who will be the surprise team of the tournament?

Ecuador. The South Americans let in a ridiculous five goals through 18 games of qualifying and will enjoy strong support. I have them making the semi-finals. AA

Ecuador fit the bill with a world-class defence, an outstanding midfield general in Moisés Caicedo and an ability to claw a foothold in virtually any game. Their path to the quarter-finals looks tough but nobody will relish facing a side that gives barely anything away. NA

Solid defences go a long way in tournament play and Ecuador have one. In 13 matches this year and last, they have conceded just six goals. That defensive foundation should make up for their lack of goalscoring and help them to at least the last 16. EB

Norway breezed through qualifying to reach their first World Cup since 1998, winning all eight matches and scoring 37 goals, Erling Haaland bagging 16 of them. They are stacked with talent going forward. I like Japan, too, even if they may qualify from Group F in third. BF

Senegal. They are difficult to break down and boast enough pace and creativity on the counterattack to trouble any opponent – and they’ll be on a revenge tour after the Afcon fiasco. BAG

Ecuador finished second to Argentina in South American qualifying and could raise a few eyebrows. They look a little light up front but have a superb defence, an excellent midfield and will be largely unperturbed by the conditions. BG

Japan have a horrible group but they make things horrible for their opponents with the way they hunt in packs. The question, as usual, will be whether they can score enough goals. Hajime Moriyasu’s expansive 3-4-2-1 provides the platform. DH

The promising teams outside the usual suspects all seem to be heading for the same quarter of the draw: Ecuador, Norway and Japan have good qualifying records, decent squads and a clear identity. They could all end up knocking each other out though. PM

Japan is a country of more than 120 million people but it has never been beyond the last 16 of the World Cup. They will do so this time. EM

Cape Verde. The Island country of 500,000 people may be making their debut at the World Cup, and do not have any superstars, but they are well-drilled and will not be anyone’s cannon fodder. Underestimate them at your peril. OO

A popular pick as 2022’s dark horse, Ecuador now have far more experience. Few teams can match a first-choice defense boasting Willian Pacho, Piero Hincapié, Joel Ordóñez and Pervis Estupiñán, and they’ve got the industry of Caicedo to keep them from being overworked. JR

Someone in the previews suggested Scotland’s midfield could give Brazil a game. MR

Norway. Been away since 1998 and, I think, could win a knockout game or two. LS

Ecuador have defenders who played in the Champions League, a midfield marshalled by Caicedo and are unbeaten in 18 games. They look awkward and might fancy themselves in these conditions. JS

Japan will be without Kaoru Mitoma, but even without him and a couple of other injury doubts, they swept through qualifying. Might be the best Asian side in history. JW

Who will be breakthrough player of the tournament?

Gilberto Mora, Mexico. The 17-year-old plays with a maturity beyond his years and a creativity that’s a joy to watch. He seems primed for a scene-stealing moment or two for the co-hosts. AA

I had desperately been hoping to say “Lennart Karl”. In the Germany prodigy’s unfortunate absence, Antonio Nusa of Norway might just steal the scene from better-known teammates if things click for the 21-year-old. NA

Côte d’Ivoire winger Yan Diomande could well have a standout tournament and subsequently earn a move to a bigger European club. He’s fast, a creator and has already been linked with Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain. EB

Rayan. The 19-year-old seamlessly adapted to the Premier League after joining Bournemouth in January and last month scored his first Brazil goal at the Maracanã. He has impressed Carlo Ancelotti, who preferred him to Richarlison and João Pedro. BF

Nusa. Nicknamed the Norwegian Neymar as a teenager, the 21-year-old RB Leipzig winger is a fearless dribbler with an eye for spectacular goals. With Norway back at the World Cup for the first time in 28 years, and Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard taking up so much of the spotlight, he feels perfectly positioned to announce himself to the world. BAG

On the off-chance Turkey lives up to their usual billing as dark horses, I expect 21-year-old winger Kenan Yildiz to be a standout player. BG

Diomande. Premier League scouts are watching. DH

This could be a good tournament for wingers, with the ability to beat a man at a premium in stultifying conditions. So maybe it will be the year Rayan breaks out, or Diomande, or Morocco’s Gessime Yassine or even Scotland’s Ben Gannon-Doak. PM

Japan’s Keito Nakamura. Also keep an eye out for Mexico’s 17-year-old midfielder Gilberto Mora. EM

Lamine Yamal. The World Cup is one to make his own if Luis de la Fuente’s tactics give him the platform to display his full potential. OO

Perhaps a tame pick, but Arda Güler is easy to overlook among Real Madrid’s cadre of galácticos. He’ll be the main man for Turkey in a winnable Group D. JR

Manuel Neuer, Enner Valencia, Dick Advocaat. MR

Ricardo Pepi. The PSV Eindhoven striker has looked incredibly sharp of late and will have the United States crowd behind him. He’s a goal machine who has never quite put it together – yet. LS

Enzo Fernández made his name at the last World Cup. This time I’m looking forward to seeing how another young Argentinian, Nico Paz, does. He has been excellent for Como. JS

Ibrahim Maza of Algeria is only 20 but already has a growing reputation at Bayer Leverkusen. A skilful No 10 with that vital capacity to see space a fraction before it appears. JW

Which player or team are you most looking forward to watching?

I don’t know that I’d necessarily say I’m “looking forward” to this, but I am extremely interested to see how Iran perform given the unprecedented amount of non-football-related stuff that has affected their preparations, their everyday lives, and those of their families, loved ones and everyday people in their country. AA

It may be asking too much given his injury problems, but Alexander Isak would illuminate the tournament if Graham Potter can coax his best form. I’m keen to see if Morocco can double down on the ferocity and flair that brought them to the semi-finals in 2022 and whether an exciting Senegal can clear their heads of Afcon final grievances to achieve something similar. NA

Japan have been involved in some of the World Cup’s most entertaining upsets in recent years – they beat Germany and Spain in Qatar despite managing less than 30% possession in each game. The absence of Kaoru Mitoma is a blow but they have a fine path out of Group F. If other parts of the draw fall their way, a run to the semi-finals is not unrealistic. EB

There is a romance to those who know this, surely, will be their last World Cup. Edin Dzeko, Guillermo Ochoa, Luka Modric. See also New Zealand’s 36-year-old centre-back Tommy Smith, who plays for Braintree Town. BF

Lamine Yamal. It is rare for a player this young to already feel like one of the sport’s main attractions. Yamal arrives with a chance to become the defining player of his generation before his 20th birthday. Every touch carries the possibility of something unforgettable. BAG

As an Irishman, I can’t wait to see my compatriot Roberto ‘Pico’ Lopes line up for Cape Verde. A very likeable Dubliner who qualifies through his father, he’ll have two small nations fully behind him. BG

I’m going to say England and not just because I’m covering them. Thomas Tuchel is one of the most persuasive orators I’ve heard in the game. I like his attention to detail, the clarity of his plan, and it all seems to make sense. It will be fascinating to see how it all plays out. DH

I am fortunate enough to be scheduled to watch Brazil v Scotland. I remember David Narey, I remember John Collins and I’d like to see some more of that. PM

The answer to this would be Morocco were they not likely to inflict serious damage on Scotland. So it is Scotland, back on the biggest stage after a sometimes painful 28-year wait. EM

Cape Verde. Every connoisseur of the game loves an underdog that can defy the odds and have a brilliant World Cup run. OO

Belgium are free of the pressures accompanying their golden generation, but Kevin De Bruyne is still a world class string-puller and Jérémy Doku will dizzy opponents into fits. JR

I like the constants in life – Portugal being worse because of Cristiano Ronaldo, heroic early failure for Scotland, complete mania about whichever of Jude Bellingham or Morgan Rogers isn’t playing. Why can’t England keep the ball? I’m also looking forward to seeing how hot and bothered De Bruyne looks after five minutes in the heat in wherever Belgium are playing. MR

Spain. I don’t remember them being this young, this good and this exciting since Euro 2008. LS

Erling Haaland will be fascinating in his first international tournament. The Norway striker is a modern great at club level and doing it at a World Cup would ensure his legacy stands the test of time. JS

I really hope there’s a point at which the Netherlands, desperate for a goal, end up going long to a front pairing of Brian Brobbey and Wout Weghorst. Otherwise I’m delighted DR Congo, after so many near misses, have finally made it for the first time in 52 years. JW

How far will England and Scotland get?

England feel a strangely unknown quantity under Thomas Tuchel given their lack of elite tests and a new-look squad. The quarter-finals look a natural resting place. Scotland will reach the last 16 before packing their bags. NA

Semi-finals and last 16 respectively. BF

England will come a surprise cropper in the last 16 against co-hosts at 2,200 metres above sea level in Mexico City, while luckless Scotland will almost certainly be one of the four third-placed teams who don’t make it out of the group stage. BG

England are well set to justify their seeding and reach the semi-finals. Scotland to exit in the last 32. DH

England will make the final (or go out at altitude in Mexico three rounds before). Scotland, thanks to the levels of performance and not the unbelievably accommodating group-stage structure, will make it to last 32. PM

England will lose to Brazil in the quarter-finals. Scotland will already have been beaten by Mexico, in Mexico City, in the last 32. EM

England – not quite far enough. Scotland to get out of the group. MR

Thomas Tuchel’s an elite manager but England’s route is tough and history would not be on their side in a quarter-final against Brazil in Miami. Scotland to lose to Mexico in the last 32. JS

England to beat Scotland in the last 32 then go out to France in the quarter-final. That would feel very Scottish: finally getting through a group at a major tournament only for the worst possible outcome. JW

How far will the host nations get?

Truly anything seems possible for this US group. I’ll say last 16 and prepare to be wrong, one way or the other. Mexico will make a run to the quarter-finals. Canada’s run will end in the last 32. AA

The US: Should make it out of the group, even without Chris Richards at full strength, but what comes after that is less certain. Canada: Star left-back Alphonso Davies will probably miss the opener after suffering a hamstring knock at the end of Bayern Munich’s season. Best case: quarter-final. Worst case: round-of-32 exit. Mexico: Have a favorable draw and should finish first in Group A. Doing so, though, would put them on a crash course to face the Group L leader (probably England) in the last 16. EB

All three should survive the first hurdle of a bloated format. After that, reality bites. The US and Mexico are all but certain to be bundled out by the first genuine heavyweights they encounter, whether in the round of 32 or last 16, while a glance at Canada’s squad leaves me feeling almost nothing at all. Anything more will likely require the same kind of host-nation pixie dust that propelled South Korea to the semi-finals in 2002. BAG

Canada will be thrilled to advance beyond the group stage for the first time before bowing out in the round of 32. Mexico and the United States will go a step further before round of 16 exit. JR

I suspect the US will crash out in the last 16. Canada and Mexico will be stranded at that stage as well. Home advantage only gets you so far and all three countries have individual talent but are collectively limited. LS

Which African nation will go the furthest?

Morocco became the first team from Africa to reach a World Cup semi-final in Qatar four years ago. The Atlas Lions have the ability to do so again and, even, go further if Mohamed Ouahbi, the coach who took over from the very impressive Walid Regragui can tweak the team in the right manner. OO

What are you most looking forward to outside of the games?

There is a lot of justifiable negativity surrounding the tournament, and I don’t think that’s going to stop. So I’m looking forward to seeing smaller stories that counterbalance that: joyous moments of cultural exchange, Americans getting turned on to the best sport in the world, and the like. AA

The warm, hospitable, open, compassionate side of the United States that, from this distance and in these corrosive times, it has been too easy to forget exists. It would be nice to return home holding a little more faith in humanity’s direction of travel. NA

Sentences being said that have never been said before: “The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Raymond James Stadium is a cathedral of sport”, “Spain have arrived in downtown Chattanooga”, “The world’s largest coffee pot was flown to St Louis to follow Bosnia and Herzegovina”. The World Cup is beautiful. EB

Visiting Canada for the first time. Staying fully fit would also be welcome – by this point at Euro 2024 I was on crutches, so it’s been a solid start. BF

George Carlin’s line that “it’s a big club and you ain’t in it” could serve as Fifa’s unofficial motto these days. The governing body expects to make around $13bn from this World Cup, even as tickets remain out of reach for most ordinary fans. Yet for all the cynicism and almost comically bad vibes in the run-up, I will always cherish the World Cup’s unique ability to introduce you to countries, cultures and communities you might otherwise never encounter. Today, I feel Cape Verdean. BAG

I’m lucky enough to be staying in Hollywood for the group stage and, as a keen Harry Bosch fan, plan to visit some of the fictional detective’s favourite restaurants and jazz bars. BG

I’m interested to discover first-hand how America truly feels about this wonderful game of ours. DH

Finding the pockets where the joy, enthusiasm and genial nonsense of the football fan spills out on to the streets. PM

Del Amitri’s gig in Boston on 18 June. EM

I’m keen to see whether the global cynicism around this World Cup, stemming from geopolitical issues, will dissipate. Only high-quality football – or the distinct lack of it – will answer this pertinent question. OO

The defiant joy of community around soccer in spite of Fifa’s ticket pricing. The truest beauty of a World Cup comes from the sheer scale of community that enjoys it together – and you can’t put a price on that. JR

Am I looking forward to living in the same apartment as Barry Glendenning for the next six weeks? I don’t know. He claims he is very low maintenance. I certainly enjoy annoying him, so there is every chance I will break him before he breaks me. MR

I really hope the United States and Canada catch soccer fever – this is a permanent condition in Mexico, so no concerns there – and elevate the sport to a higher plane. I’m skeptical this will happen given how hard it will be for people to just wander into a game, the way they did in 1994. But I remain optimistic. LS

Fifa accepting increasing the number of teams to 48 is a mistake. Ha! JS

Being in the World Cup bubble, where nothing else matters and renewing acquaintances with people you only ever see at major tournaments. JW