🖥️ One Player Per Country: AI World Cup Best XI

Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, a thought experiment reveals the best XI, allowing only one player per country. The selection includes stars such as Gregor Kobel, Achraf Hakimi and Kylian Mbappé, but it is surprising that there are no players from Argentina.

There are just three days until the 2026 World Cup kicks off, and the ball will start rolling almost non-stop for five weeks. However, until then, we'll have to fill the time with thought experiments. For example: what should the best XI of the World Cup look like if each participating country is only allowed to send one player? We asked our popular AI this question, and here are the answers it produced — albeit controversial:

Goalkeeper: Gregor Kobel (Switzerland)
Right Back: Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)
Central Back: Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands)
Central Back: Nico Schlotterbeck (Germany)
Left Back: Nuno Mendes (Portugal)
Central Midfielder: Rodri (Spain)
Central Midfielder: Jude Bellingham (England)
Central Midfielder: Federico Valverde (Uruguay)
Right Wing: Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
Center Forward: Erling Haaland (Norway)
Left Wing: Kylian Mbappé (France)

What's interesting: The AI apparently failed to include players from reigning champions Argentina or stars like Harry Kane or Lamine Yamal in this XI. But now it's your turn: what do you think of this team? And how would you stack up if you were only allowed to pick one player from each World Cup participant? Let us know in the comments!