On a sweltering Mexican afternoon in 1986, Argentina walked onto the Estadio Azteca pitch with a captain who seemed to carry the weight of a nation on his shoulders and the ball at his feet. Diego Maradona's tournament that year is etched in marble: the quarter-final masterclass, the final pass, the trophy lifted beneath golden light. Four decades later, the Albiceleste returned to North America for the FIFA World Cup 2026 with another generational icon, Lionel Messi, chasing history across venues like Dallas Stadium. The parallels between the two campaigns are uncanny. In 1986, Argentina opened with a stumble, drawing against Korea Republic before finding their rhythm. In 2026, they arrived as defending champions and immediately began dismantling opponents with Messi's hat-trick against Algeria and a brace against Austria. Both eras featured a number ten who transformed ordinary attacks into art, surrounded by a supporting cast that understood the mission. France, too, are writing a sequel. Les Bleus lifted the trophy in 1998 on home soil with Zinedine Zidane's headers against Brazil, then reached the final in 2022 behind Kylian Mbappe's hat-trick. Now, at the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the United States, Canada and Mexico, Mbappe continues his scoring march alongside a rebuilt but still formidable squad. The 1998 champions and the 2022 finalists share a DNA of athletic power and youthful swagger. Norway's story is different but equally rich. The Scandinavians last appeared at France 1998, when they stunned Brazil in the group stage. Their 2026 return, powered by Erling Haaland, feels like the fulfilment of a promise made a generation ago. Meanwhile, Jordan, Algeria, Iraq and Senegal fight for survival, echoing the desperation of so many underdogs who have turned June afternoons into folklore. As Groups I and J reach their decisive hours, the tournament once again proves that history does not repeat exactly, but it certainly hums the same tune.