Argentina, Brazil, Portugal, and Morocco have qualified for the Round of 32. Which of these teams has best lived up to expectations?

Once all group stage matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup concluded, attention has now shifted to the Round of 32. Beyond the upcoming knockout stage competition, international media is also closely observing how top football nations are delivering on the expectations they carried into the start of the tournament.

Argentina, Brazil, Portugal, and Morocco emerge as four notable case studies. All four sides successfully qualified for the Round of 32, yet each navigated the group stage with entirely different narratives. Their group stage results also serve as an early indicator of whether they can meet public expectations.

For Argentina, the core expectation is to defend their status as reigning world champions. While Lionel Messi remains the most heavily scrutinized figure, the Albiceleste no longer depend entirely on their captain for competitive strength.

Under Lionel Scaloni's guidance, Argentina delivered an impressive group stage run: they won all three matches, secured 9 full points, and finished top of Group J. Tight tactical organisation, balanced play across all lines, and deep squad depth have further solidified Argentina as one of the strongest contenders to retain the World Cup title.

Brazil presents a different narrative. As five-time World Cup winners, the Selecao always carry the pressure of claiming a sixth world trophy. The Samba side finished top of Group C with 7 points, edging out Morocco only on goal difference after both teams finished level on points. Despite consistent performances throughout the group stage, public pressure on Brazil has not diminished at all.

Brazilian football fans will only deem this tournament a success if the team ends the campaign lifting that sixth World Cup trophy.

Portugal also secured their spot in the Round of 32, though they had to settle for second place in Group K. A goalless draw against Colombia in their final group match left Portugal finishing the stage with 5 points, two adrift of group winners Colombia.

Cristiano Ronaldo still draws massive media attention. However, once Portugal confirmed their knockout stage qualification, media discussion has moved past only analysing the captain's individual performance, and now also focuses on Portugal's chance to achieve their historic ambition of winning the nation's first ever World Cup title.

Morocco meanwhile has once again proven that their breakthrough run at the 2022 World Cup was not a one-off fluke. The Atlas Lions finished as Group C runners-up with 7 points, only falling behind Brazil on goal difference.

Disciplined game structure, unyielding defence, and maturing competitive mentality have once again marked Morocco out as a genuine threat for the knockout rounds. Their status has now shifted from being labelled a dark horse underdog, to a side that commands full respect at the highest level of world football.

These four nations all carry distinct missions: Argentina fights to defend their world crown, Brazil chases their sixth title, Portugal hunts their first ever World Cup trophy, while Morocco aims to prove their rise is the product of sustainable long term football development.

The group stage has provided an early snapshot of how each team has measured up to public expectations. But the real challenge has only just begun. Entering the Round of 32, there is no longer any margin for error. Every single match will decide if these favoured nations can turn their pre-tournament status into a successful run towards the 2026 World Cup trophy.

This breakdown of how Argentina, Brazil, Portugal and Morocco have responded to expectations after the 2026 World Cup group stage is the featured discussion on the ITSMe Podcast, alongside football analysts Ronny Pangemanan and Erwin Fitriansyah. Hosted by Gilang Respaty and Yatna, this episode was recorded at ITSMe Studio, Sentul, Bogor.