When it comes to predicting the winner of the FIFA World Cup, EA Sports has a superb track record.
While obviously not 100% scientific, EA has previously simulated the World Cup hundreds of times using its game and correctly predicted the winners of the past four World Cups (Spain in 2010, Germany in 2014, France in 2018 and Argentina in 2022). Last time, they also correctly predicted Lionel Messi to win the Golden Ball award (best player).
Could they prove similarly mystic this summer? They have certainly tried. EA has again run hundreds of simulations on its new FC 26 World Cup game of this summer’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and they have now revealed the most repeated results.
He is, without a doubt, the most highly touted young player at the World Cup. Yamal will make his World Cup debut with Spain this summer, and EA predicts it will be a special six weeks for the 18-year-old winger.
EA predicts that Yamal will finish as the top scorer with *** INSERT GOAL NUMBER *** goals.
Of all the simulations, this might be the most surprising. Some of Europe’s biggest clubs are vying to sign Anderson this summer for his top-notch defensive work, but EA has seen his attacking side, too.
Their simulation found Anderson to be the top assister over the course of the tournament, notching ***INSERT NUMBER***.
Anderson registered only four assists across 38 Premier League games last summer, but maybe this tournament could be a breakout moment for his attacking game.
How did USMNT fare?
It will be a tall order for head coach Mauricio Pochettino to deliver the United States’ best-ever World Cup performance — they made the semifinal at the first World Cup in 1930 — and EA found as much.
The simulation found that the USMNT most commonly went out in the round of 16. That’s the same stage it exited the last World Cup (in a 3-1 defeat to the Netherlands), although it will need to play an extra knockout stage game at this expanded tournament to get there.
However, it also found they often made the quarterfinals, with attacker Malik Tillman their most likely top scorer ahead of winger Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun.
Pulisic and Tillman both made it into the list of top assist makers, but the crown was taken by Balogun. As for discipline, captain Tim Ream and defender Sergiño Dest were the recipients of the most yellow cards while forward Brenden Aaronson was the somewhat unlikely recipient of the USMNT’s only red card across all of the simulated tournaments.
And the predicted winners… Spain
With a strong track record in EA’s prediction for this year’s World Cup winner is Spain.
Spain has form for this. Their first World Cup title in 2010 came off the back of winning Euro 2008. So, as winners of Euro 2024, could history repeat itself?
EA found that Yamal would be their top scorer, with Pedri providing the most assists (four).
