Mathematician who predicted last three World Cup winners names his 2026 pick

A mathematician who correctly predicted the last three World Cup winners has named a shock choice to win the 2026 showpiece.

The first ever 48-team tournament kicks off on 11 June when Mexico and South Africa lock horns in the first of 104 fixtures across North America.

World Cup fever is quickly taking over and sweepstakes and prediction games are in full flow.

And while everyone has an opinion on who will be lifting the trophy on 19 July at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, German mathematician Joachim Klement is looking to continue quite the run.

In previous times psychic octopuses, elephants, otters and pigs have predicted World Cup games but it is Klement who has been bang on the money for the last three tournaments.

READ MORE: Psychic who correctly predicted three World Cup winners in a row makes 2026 pick

He opted for his native Germany to do the business in 2014 and then said France would win the 2018 World Cup 20 years on from their 1998 triumph on home soil.

Klement made it a hat-trick in 2022 when he accurately said Lionel Messi would finally lead Argentina to the World Cup in Qatar.

Expert mathematician gives 2026 World Cup prediction

"The first time I was horrified when Germany became world champions in Brazil, also because all the experts had pointed out that no European team had ever won a World Cup in South America," he told Der Spiegel as per ESPN.

But this time around, Klement is backing the Netherlands to finally get over the line on the big stage.

The Dutch have been finalists a record three times, most recently in 2010 when they were beaten by Spain in South Africa

According to Klement, Ronald Koeman's side will exact revenge by beating the European side in the semi-final and then defeating Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal in the final.

He believes England will be losing semi-finalists under Thomas Tuchel.

Klement's model and outcome involves every nation's GDP per capita because of its link with the sporting infrastructure, as well as population size and football's standing in society in the each respective nation.

The recent world rankings are also taken into account, but there is also part of the prediction which is just down to chance - something he is very much happy to admit.

"It's completely irrational," he stated.

"It's like playing the lottery. I always say that if anyone places a bet based on my prediction of who will be the next world champion, they're beyond help.

"It's like tossing a coin. You might predict that the coin will land on heads four times in a row rather than tails, and that might well happen. But that doesn't guarantee it will happen again next time."

Ronald Koeman's side have been drawn in Group F alongside Japan, Sweden and Tunisia, with games in Arlington and Houston, Texas and Kansas City.

Their squad is packed with top talent, with Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk and Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong central to their hopes at the tournament.