Every four years, the FIFA World Cup totters along with the participating countries in tow and leaves us with a host of memorable moments.
In 2010, it was Frank Lampard's "ghost goal" that never was and Nigel de Jong's kung fu kick on Xabi Alonso that somehow went unpunished. In 2014, it was James Rodriguez's silky introduction on the global stage and winners Germany's 7-1 massacre of host nation Brazil.
In 2018, it was Russia knocking out Spain on penalties and Croatia making it all the way to the end, where they failed to overcome France at the last hurdle. And in 2022, Messi and co romped their way to the finals, where an intense showdown between them and Les Bleus gave us one of the greatest World Cup finals in recent times.
And while the 2026 edition is just getting started, we at Sgcarmart thought: Why not select a car that we think embodies some of the national teams currently battling it out at the biggest sporting tournament in the world? And choose we did. Here are our picks.
U.S.A - Tesla Model Y
It feels fairly fitting that we picked Tesla's first three-row car in Singapore: The Model Y L. At the time of writing, the USMNT have flown out of the traps, putting four past a hapless Paraguay side in their opener - marking the first time they have ever scored that many in a single World Cup game and making this pick a tale of firsts.
The Model Y L offers more space, comfort, agility, and a huge amount of power (378kW and 590Nm, to be exact) than its base model. Pretty similar to the USMNT at the World Cup then, with talisman Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun - alongside the overlapping Sergino Dest and Antonee Robinson - leading the charge, while a defensive wall of Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams provide a level of security.
And just like its home country, Tesla's insistence to stick to its own operating system (rejecting both Android Auto and Apple Carplay) mirrors that of the Americans and their affinity with the imperial measurement system.
South Korea - Kia EV4
On paper, the Kia EV4 has an energy economy of 6.7km/kWh, but when we took it out, it actually averaged 7.2km/kWh instead. Efficient and industrious, much like the workrate of the South Korea national football team.
At first glance, there's no doubt that with its futuristic look, short nose, and tall boot, the EV4's exterior design will surely divide opinion. This goes the same for the Taeguk Warriors at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, who find themselves in a so-called "Group of Death" alongside Mexico, Czechia, and South Africa.
Only two shall progress (although there's a chance of finishing third and still going through to the knockout stages), and the jury is still out on how far this team - featuring star names like Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in, and Kim Min-jae - can go.
Although, with a convincing 2-1 win over Czechia so far, this puts them firmly in the driver's seat for now.
Japan - Subaru E-Outback
As the first all-electric model in the Outback range, the E-Outback still embodies the adventure-ready image that so many Subarus of old possessed. For instance, it comes with many rugged touches such as front quarter panels in a matt finish, roof rails, and rugged-looking side skirts.
In that sense, a word that can be used to describe both the E-Outback and the Samurai Blue is dogged, but in a good way. The Japanese national football team have gained a reputation for tenacity and a shared willingness to give their all until the final whistle.
Having made it as far as the Round of 16 in the previous two editions, the current crop of Japanese players, who can count on stalwart Yuto Nagatomo (who represented the country at the last five World Cups) and the tricky Takefusa Kubo in their ranks, may just make it further than their predecessors did.
And with their opening game ending in a 2-2 draw with European powerhouse the Netherlands, this team have shown that they can duke it out with the bigger nations.
England - MINI Countryman C
MINI models have gained a reputation for being fun to drive and exuding that lifestyle factor. The brand is also more mature than it was a decade ago, which springs to mind comparisons with the England national team, who have perennially disappointed in international tournaments.
There was the ignominy of the group stage exit in 2014 and even further back, the failure to qualify for UEFA Euro 2008. But, having reached as far as the semi-finals and quarter-finals in 2018 and 2022 respectively, as well as the last two UEFA Euro finals (ending in defeat), it is of the belief that this current squad can restore some confidence in a nation home to arguably the best football league in the world.
As the base model in the model range, the Countryman C's exterior looks relatively ordinary, save for the roof and mirror caps in a contrasting white (when we took it out) and three light signatures for the tail lamps.
The same could be said for England's national team whom, apart from the free-scoring Harry Kane and the mercurial Jude Bellingham, don't really have any other player in their ranks with that "X factor".
But that's not necessarily a bad thing, as the rest of the squad have roles to fulfil, which they do very well. This echoes true in the Countryman C as well, with its signature 9.4-inch round OLED infotainment display proving that bigger is not always better. And with physical switches in its centre console and steering wheel, as well as 450 litres of boot space, we'd argue it does the job.
And with 121bhp and a century sprint timing of 10.5 seconds, the Countryman C may be slow to get going but feels more responsive once it does. It kind of mirrors the England team too, although with Thomas Tuchel at the helm, only time will tell whether this still remains true.
France - Citroen e-C4 X
The French have garnered a perception for being rude and impolite, and at first glance, the Citroen e-C4 X's offbeat design may embody some of those stereotypes. But really get to know the car - like we did when we drove it - and you'll find that those labels are rather undeserving.
For instance, the e-C4 X feels like one of the more approachable EVs one can encounter. A taller ride height gives off a crossover-y vibe, while its interior may look daunting at first, but once one gets the hang of it, does away with any initial complexity.
Its sombre interior somewhat mirrors the gossips surrounding the French national team, with reports of tension between star striker Kylian Mbappe and the tireless N'Golo Kante. But it offers an amiable drive that is linear and easy to modulate, much like watching Les Bleus play.
Start Mbappe alongside Michael Olise and one of Ousmane Dembele and Marcus Thuram, slot in Rayan Cherki with a midfield holding pair of Kante and Aurelien Tchouameni, and watch France cruise to the finals once again.
Don't hold your breath though. Les Bleus' internal meltdown and subsequent group stage exit in 2010 (despite being finalists in 2006) means that the French are one argument away from suffering yet another embarrassment on the global stage.
Germany - Mercedes-Benz GLE400e Coupe
The German national football team have enjoyed a long illustrious history of World Cup performances, lifting the fabled golden trophy four times. In recent years, however, they've fallen off the mark.
Mario Gotze's winner in the 2014 final was followed by group stage exits in both 2018 and 2022, with the former marking the first time Die Mannschaft have done so since 1938.
And it's for that fact that we've chosen the Mercedes-Benz GLE400e Coupe, a plug-in hybrid model we described as offering "the best and worst of ICE and electric".
Measuring 4,941mm long, 2,157mm wide, 1,716mm tall, and with a wheelbase of 2,935mm, everything is big in this "burly Benz", including its massive 22-inch wheels and 205mm of ground clearance. And even though its not an off-roader, its grab handles is a nod to the fact that it can, if it wants to.
Size-wise, most of Germany's players do fit a similar description to that of the GLE400e Coupe (Nick Woltemade being a prime example). And like the model's combined output of 375bhp and century sprint timing of 6.1 seconds, the Germans have started this tournament thrillingly, with a 7-1 thrashing of minnows Curacao.
The last time Germany beat a team in the World Cup by that same scoreline (sorry, fans of Brazil), they went on to win it. And with talented youngsters such as Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz led by experienced heads like Antonio Rudiger and Leon Goretzka, Die Mannschaft might just go far in the 2026 iteration.
