France will enter the FIFA World Cup under intense pressure due to their depth of talent and recent performances, while Japan could emerge as a surprise contender, analyst Hans Mensah has said.

Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Thursday (11 June), Mensah identified France as one of the teams with the highest expectations.

“There’s too much quality… you cannot find too many reasons why they shouldn’t be winning the World Cup,” he said.

He added that expectations both domestically and internationally would weigh heavily on the team.

Mensah also pointed to Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo as an individual under pressure.

“It’s a last chance for him… he wants to get his hands on the World Cup,” he said.

Looking beyond traditional favourites, he highlighted Japan as a potential breakout team.

“They’ve made huge strides… people are not paying attention to them,” he noted.

He also mentioned the United States as an emerging force due to its diverse talent pool, though structural issues remain.

“The talent pool is expanding… but they are not getting the basics right in development,” he said, citing the country’s “pay-to-play” system as a barrier.

Mensah concluded that Africa could also have a strong showing if teams overcome psychological limitations.

“They just need to believe they can compete with the very best,” he said.