We have reached the point of the World Cup cycle when the trope of the ‘dark horse’ re-enters popular conversation. 

Denmark, Belgium, and Croatia were the popular shouts of world cups gone by, but the legs on these cliches must have run out by now.

Denmark didn’t even qualify, falling to Czechia in the play-offs after Scotland dramatically clinched first place in qualifying.

Belgium and Croatia’s golden generations have moved beyond the ageing stage, and have achieved too much to still be considered dark horses.

So who will step into the breach?

More recent popular dark horse shouts have included Morocco, Canada, Norway, and Turkey. 

But as is often the case, many ‘dark horses’ turn out to just be, well…. horses. Which of these teams will live up to the tag, and which will stumble?

It is important to note not all dark horses are made equal. 

There are two categories: those who are actually very decent teams and don’t really deserve to be called a dark horse, and those teams who don’t have many credentials but football hipsters will convince you they see something you don’t.

Of the teams we will be considering, Morocco and Turkey probably fall into the first category, with Norway and Canada occupying the second.

Morocco

Can Morocco really be considered underdogs given they reached the semi-final four years ago?

It may be stretching the definition but the phrase will probably still be rolled out in the later stages of the competition given they became the first African team to make it to a World Cup semi-final.

They are reigning ‘champions’ of the Africa Cup of Nations, and have some star players including PSG’s Achraf Hakimi, Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz, and the evergreen Yassine Bounou in goal.

With the defence-first approach they adopted in Qatar likely to bear fruit again in the energy-sapping conditions of the North American summer, it wouldn’t be surprising if they go far.

Turkey

Turkey could be an interesting shout in this tournament and justify the growing traction they have had in recent years.

They finished second in qualifying, easing ahead of Georgia and Bulgaria, and even managed a draw against Spain, which sounds more impressive if you overlook the fact it was a dead rubber and they had previously lost 6-0 to them.

They provided good entertainment in Euro 2024, reaching the quarter-finals before falling to the Netherlands and boast some rising stars, including young wingers Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz (you can read more about Yildiz here).

Group A with USA, Paraguay, and Australia looks wide open and they could progress far in the tournament. There is a chance they meet Belgium in the quarter-finals and could overcome a team that is not what it once was.

Norway

Since the emergence of Erling Haaland onto the world stage, combined with the creativity of Martin Odegaard, pundits and fans have expected Norway to do more than they have managed so far.

They did not qualify for any of the past three major tournaments, and last made an appearance at the World Cup in 1998.

However, they stormed through the qualifying stages for this World Cup, winning all eight of their games while scoring 37 goals, and have serious attacking weaponry in their arsenal.

Haaland and Odegaard are supplemented in attack by Alexander Sorloth and Antonio Nusa.

It took Norway a while to click into gear, with this being the first time they have demonstrated their potential, and they face France and Senegal in their group.

Come third in that and they may face England in the Round of 32. There could be disappointment for those that like attacking talent.

Canada

Finally, we have the most unlikely dark horse shout of the tournament.

Canada were one of the entertainers of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with a particularly reckless performance in a 4-1 defeat to Croatia.

They emerged from the tournament with many admirers but no points.

This time around they are the hosts and have former Premier League manager Jesse Marsch in the dugout. Their squad includes well-known faces Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David.

However, they have only been playing friendlies since the end of June, when they were dumped out in the quarter-final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup by Guatemala.

They do have a wide-open group but it seems unlikely they will go very far unless something dramatic happens. If it does, it will be good to watch.

Picking your dark horses is one of people’s favourite activities before a World Cup, and at some point nearly every team gets a mention.

For those who want to pick a team that will get them some plaudits, go for Morocco or Turkey. If you want to have a new favourite team that probably won’t do much, lump for Norway or Canada.