This summer, the World Cup has arrived in North America, and AC Milan can claim a remarkable distinction: no Italian club sent more players to the 2026 edition. With nine men representing seven different nations across three continents, San Siro's reach stretches from Lyon to Los Angeles, from Lisbon to Mexico City. For a club built on international identity, it feels entirely fitting.
But beyond the headline numbers, one question matters to every Rossoneri fan watching from home: which of their own could actually lift the trophy?
A club That Knows What Winning Feels Like
AC Milan has been here before. The club boasts a proud tradition of World Cup winners, stretching from Pietro Arcari's triumph with Italy in 1934 all the way through to the iconic 2006 generation. Andrea Pirlo, Alessandro Nesta, Gennaro Gattuso, Filippo Inzaghi, and Alberto Gilardino all collected medals as world champions that summer in Germany. Marcel Desailly did it with France in 1998, and Roque Júnior with Brazil in 2002. The Rossoneri know how to produce players capable of winning football's biggest prize.
Could history repeat itself in North America?
The Frontrunners: France and Portugal
If squads and tournament pedigree are your guide, Mike Maignan and Adrien Rabiot carry Milan's strongest realistic chance of glory. France, the only team who took part in the last two World Cup finals, arrived as among the tournament's heaviest favourites, blending elite technical quality with ruthless physicality throughout the squad. Maignan, fresh off another commanding club season, will be counted on as France's last line of defence when the knockout rounds demand it. Rabiot, meanwhile, provides exactly the kind of box-to-box industry and creative link that deep tournament runs require.
Rafael Leão and Portugal represent the other serious contender. Portugal have genuine quality from back to front, and Leão's ability to shift a game with a single burst of pace and invention makes him one of the tournament's most dangerous attackers. If their collective quality clicks at the right time, Leão could find himself in a World Cup final.
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Pulisic and the Host Nation Factor
Christian Pulisic carries the weight of an entire country's footballing ambition. As a co-host nation, the United States arrive with enormous expectations and the crucial advantage of home support. Pulisic, playing on familiar soil in front of packed American crowds, will be the focal point of everything USMNT attempt going forward. His experience at the highest club level means he is built for big moments, and USMNT cannot be entirely written off. Their 4-1 thumping of Paraguay in their opening game should be enough to put some serious weight on their chances.
The Wildcard: Belgium, Switzerland, and a Living Legend
Alexis Saelemaekers heads to the tournament with a Belgian side that has drifted from its golden generation peak but retains enough quality to cause problems on the right night. Ardon Jashari's Switzerland are, as ever, a compact and disciplined outfit. They are difficult to beat and capable of upsets against bigger names. Neither are expected to win, but both can disrupt the bracket.
Then there is Luka Modrić. At 40, the Croatian maestro is almost certainly playing his final World Cup. Croatia have shown throughout his career that they punch well above their weight on the biggest stage, and what Modrić brings to a tournament cannot be measured in statistics alone.
Santiago Giménez carries the hopes of Mexico. The host nation (with the USA and Canada) faces significant gap in quality between themselves and the tournament's elite, though Giménez, playing on co-host soil, will have no shortage of believers.
The Rossoneri Flag Flies Everywhere
What this group of nine represents is the remarkable global footprint of modern AC Milan. From battle-hardened veterans to rising stars, the club's players are threading the Rossoneri name through the biggest sporting event on earth. History suggests France remains the most likely vehicle to deliver Milan another World Cup winner. But football is football, and in a summer tournament under the North American sun, anything can still happen.
