AC Milan legend Marcel Desailly has shared his bold predictions for the remainder of the football season, tipping Bayern Munich to lift the Champions League trophy and naming Portugal as a potential "surprise package" for the 2026 World Cup.

As the European season reaches its most thrilling phase, with domestic leagues heading toward dramatic finishes and the Champions League knockout stages heating up, the former World Cup winner offered his expert insight. "I don't know who will win, but I wish it were a different team, and I believe when I look at all the squads, it should be Bayern," Desailly told *The Italian Football Podcast*. "Because of the consistency they've shown in the Bundesliga for the last two seasons, they have suffered but readjusted their philosophy to adapt to the talented squad they have. The consistency they have shown this season shows that to win the Champions League, you need these types of winners."

Desailly, who lifted the Champions League twice during his playing career—first with Marseille and then with Milan—also turned his attention to the international stage. He believes Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal could emerge as dark horses at the 2026 World Cup, a team that often flies under the radar despite their depth of talent and recent European Championship success in 2016.

The Frenchman's comments come at a time when Italian football is facing a sobering reality. For the first time in recent memory, Serie A has no representatives in the semi-finals of any European club competition—the Champions League, Europa League, or Conference League. This crisis mirrors the struggles of the Italian national team, which has failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time, a stark contrast to the glory days Desailly experienced with both club and country.

With the summer tournament on the horizon, fans and pundits alike will be watching closely to see if Desailly's predictions come true—and whether Portugal can indeed spring a surprise on the world stage.