5 Reasons why India can qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026

#4 The Surprise Package of the Minnows

Japan gave many big teams a run for their money

Japan beat Colombia. Iceland drew Argentina. Defending champions Germany were ousted in the group stage by South Korea. The Tiki-Takas bowed out against the lowest ranked side of the tournament, Russia.

FIFA World Cup 2018 has essentially been an event full of surprises and upsets. While the traditional powerhouses such as Argentina, Germany and Portugal failed to impress, teams such as Senegal, Iran, Russia and Japan have ushered in a new era in their footballing history.

Japan, in particular, has been the torch-bearer for the Asian countries, with stellar performances against higher-ranked sides like Colombia and Belgium, by almost making it to the quarter-finals.

While 4 times champions Italy, 2010 runners-up Netherlands and Copa America champions Chile failed to qualify for the Finals, some of the not much fancied teams made it to the knockout stages.

Thus, meticulous planning, team efforts and mindful calculations can lead to success, even against the best in the business. Iceland, a team which was ranked 131 back in 2012, is now ranked 20 and has shocked the world with their exponential growth in International Football.

Indian team has gone from strength to strength in the past few months, and the future looks bright with a young team. Thus, a certain level of polishing in the brand of football and the Indian team can be expected to take the field in the quadrennial tournament in 2026.