2026 World Cup: Who would win between Europe and South America's best XIs?

• Ladbrokes continues its coverage of the 2026 World Cup

• This time we take a look at who makes the best XIs for Europe and South America

• Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi star for each team

Ladbrokes continues its comprehensive coverage of the 2026 World Cup by taking a fun look at which players would make the dream teams for Europe and South America. The winning team is likely to come from one of the two continents, but who would win a match between Europe and South America's best XIs?

In goal for Europe is Real Madrid and Belgium shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois, who's already won the World Cup Golden Glove once, in Russia back in 2018.

England are represented at right-back by Chelsea captain Reece James, with PSG & Portugal star Nuno Mendes an indisputable choice on the opposite side.

This is probably Virgil van Dijk's last chance to win something with the Netherlands, and the Liverpool skipper makes up one half of our mean centre-back partnership, with Germany & Real Madrid's Antonio Rudiger alongside him.

The midfield was the toughest selection to make, but in a World Cup where heat could be a major factor, we've gone for two technical wizards in Spain's Pedri and Portugal's Vitinha.

Pedri's compatriot Rodri hasn't quite looked the same since a serious knee injury, while it was a toss-up between Vitinha and his Champions League-winning teammate Joao Neves.

The likes of Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham can also count themselves unlucky to miss out.

In our 4-2-3-1 set-up, there's room for a fearsome attacking trio behind the striker of Lamine Yamal, Michael Olise and Kylian Mbappe. 18-year-old Yamal lit up Euro 2024 as Spain went on to win, picking up Young Player of the Tournament, while no one can argue with Mbappe's World Cup pedigree.

His sensational hat-trick in the 2022 final took his tally to 12 goals at the tournament and he has the all-time record in his sights. Europe's number ten is France's Michael Olise, who plays on the right for Bayern Munich but through the middle for France.

Up front is England skipper Harry Kane, who's coming off a sensational season for Bayern in which he scored 61 goals in all competitions. Kane won the World Cup Golden Boot in 2018, which gives him the nod over Erling Haaland. He'll link up with club teammate Olise, dropping deep to supply balls in behind for Yamal and Mbappe. Imagine that?

Emi Martinez's unforgettable exploits - good and bad - in the 2022 World Cup final means the Argentina keeper is selected over Brazil's Alisson. 'Dibu' is a national hero after his role in penalty shootout victories to win the Copa America and World Cup.

(There is no trophy for making this team, Emi.)

Atletico Madrid and Argentina right-back Nahuel Molina has scored some absolute belters this season, and with little competition for his spot that's enough for him to get in.

PSG's centre-back pairing of Marquinhos and Willian Pacho have won back-to-back Champions League titles, and that means there's no place for Gabriel, who played a fairly major role in the second of those triumphs.

There is a spot for his Arsenal teammate Piero Hincapie at left-back, who completes the defence alongside his national teammate Pacho. No wonder people are mentioning Ecuador as a potential dark horse.

A third Ecuadorean makes our South American XI in the form of Chelsea star Moises Caicedo, who's developed into one of the world's best defensive midfielders.

His midfield partner is Uruguay and Real Madrid everyman Federico Valverde, who probably could have filled in most positions in this team. There's a card or two in this midfield. Might pick Tchouameni for Europe to spice things up a bit.

On the flanks are the Brazilian pair of Raphinha and Vinicius Junior, who will dazzle even the world's best defenders with their combination of speed, trickery and finishing. Lionel Messi simply had to make the team somewhere, and with his legs potentially gone, the best place for the little magician is as the number ten. Messi finally ticked off the sport's biggest prize in 2022, winning the Golden Ball along the way, and could he repeat that double this summer?

We thought of a range of options here, including Messi or Colombia's Luis Diaz as a false nine, but we've picked Argentina striker Julian Alvarez to spearhead the South American attack.

Although not an undisputed starter for his country, rotated with Lautaro Martinez, Alvarez made a huge impression at Qatar 2022, scoring four goals en route to Argentina's triumph. The Atletico Madrid striker is at the centre of a transfer tug-of-war this summer, with both Barcelona and Real Madrid interested.

Our prediction: Europe 2-2 South America (South America win on penalties)

The two squads are so evenly matched that we reckon this one goes the distance, before Martinez gets up to his usual shootout antics, as the South Americans claim an entirely insignificant and fictional victory to send the continent into a frenzy.

Who do you think would win between Europe and South America's all-star XIs?

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All odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.

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