Why Ecuador, Japan and Norway are the dark horses at this World Cup

Guardian International•Wed, Jun 10, 2026, 02:30 PM•2 min read

It was Morocco in 2022, Croatia in 2028 and Costa Rica in 2014. Which team will make an unexpected run in 2026? By WhoScored Every World Cup needs a dark horse: the team nobody quite planned for that disrupts the natural order and is remembered more vividly than the finalists.

Source: [Guardian International](https://www.theguardian.com/football/who-scored-blog/2026/jun/10/japan-ecuador-norway-dark-horses-world-cup-morocco-croatia-costa-rica)

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