World Cup Power Rankings: France and Argentina Shine, England Stalls

Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup has finally caught fire. England’s has stalled in second gear. Day 13 delivered both a statement and a shrug – and our power rankings barely flinched.

Five-goal romps? Narrow escapes? At this stage, the hierarchy is hard to budge. The heavyweights have settled near the summit and it will take something seismic to dislodge them now.

Here’s how the landscape looks after another volatile round of games.

1. France (FIFA ranking: 3)

No movement

It will take something extraordinary to knock France from the top. They look like a side that has solved themselves.

Since the second half of their opener against Senegal, Michael Olise has owned the No 10 role. He pulled the strings again in the 3-0 dismissal of Iraq, adding two more assists to his growing catalogue of decisive moments.

A storm delay in Philadelphia couldn’t slow Kylian Mbappe. He scored twice for the second straight match, France strolled into the knockouts, and a showdown with Norway on Friday will decide who wins the group. Didier Deschamps will miss that game after the death of his mother but is expected back for the business end. France look ready for it.

2. Argentina (FIFA ranking: 1)

No movement

Lionel Messi, 38 years old and still bending tournaments to his will. All five of Argentina’s goals so far are his. His double against Austria not only settled the contest, it carried him to the top of the all-time World Cup scoring charts.

Two clean sheets will soothe the defenders, yet Cristian Romero’s knee problem and early substitution against Austria lingers as a worry.

The question is obvious and unavoidable: others in attack need to catch fire. But when Messi is doing this, who dares say he can’t drag them all the way again?

3. Germany (FIFA ranking: 10)

No movement

The 7-1 thrashing of Curacao padded the goal difference; the 2-1 win over Ivory Coast told us far more.

Germany trailed, laboured, then turned to Deniz Undav. The substitute struck twice late on, the winner arriving after a clever ball from Felix Nmecha and a sharp turn and finish. It was the kind of comeback that stiffens belief.

Top of Group E and into the knockouts for the first time since 2014. Julian Nagelsmann’s side finally have forward momentum at a World Cup again.

4. Spain (FIFA ranking: 2)

Up 1

Humiliated by Cape Verde in their opener, Spain responded with cold fury.

Saudi Arabia were swept aside 4-0 in one of the most one-sided displays of the tournament. Twenty-two shots, 2.85 xG, and the sense they could have scored almost at will.

Lamine Yamal needed 10 minutes of his first World Cup start to score. Mikel Oyarzabal, anonymous for half an hour against Cape Verde, struck twice. It felt like a reset. Beat Uruguay on Friday and Group H is theirs.

5. England (FIFA ranking: 4)

Down 1

The swagger of the 4-2 win over Croatia vanished in Dortmund’s heat haze.

A goalless draw with Ghana dragged England back into familiar territory: sterile possession, little incision, and a sense of opportunity wasted. Against lower-ranked opponents, it was flat and predictable.

The equation remains simple. Beat Panama in the final group game and they still top the section. But the “It’s coming home” chorus has been turned down a notch.

6. Netherlands (FIFA ranking: 8)

No movement

The Netherlands didn’t just beat Sweden; they dismantled them.

Brian Brobbey bullied the back line, Cody Gakpo and Crysencio Summerville danced around him, and the 5-1 scoreline felt like a marker laid down. This attack looks fluid, powerful, and ruthless when it clicks.

With Tunisia to come, they should finish top of a group that looked tricky on paper and tame on grass.

7. Brazil (FIFA ranking: 6)

No movement

Brazil needed a response. Haiti provided the platform.

A 3-0 win restored some order after a scratchy opener. Matheus Cunha slotted into the front line with more natural rhythm than Igor Thiago, and the team finally resembled a coherent attacking unit.

Tougher tests await, starting with Scotland, but Carlo Ancelotti’s side at least look like themselves again.

8. Morocco (FIFA ranking: 7)

No movement

The expectations are enormous: World Cup semi-finalists in 2022 and, in all likelihood, AFCON winners earlier this year.

They’ve handled the weight well enough. A draw with Brazil, a win over Scotland, and both goals taken with calm precision by Ismael Saibari. Morocco are well-placed in Group C.

To top it, they may need to dismantle Haiti and hope Brazil slip. Progress, though, is what truly matters – and they’re on course.

9. United States (FIFA ranking: 17)

No movement

When people start wondering aloud if the U.S. can actually win the thing, you know the mood is buoyant.

That may be a leap, but the evidence is compelling. A 4-1 demolition of Paraguay, followed by a controlled 2-0 win over Australia, all without needing Christian Pulisic in the second game. The attack is rotating, inventive, and relentless.

Already through as group winners, Mauricio Pochettino can rest his star man against Turkey and quietly plot a deep run. The excitement is real.

10. Norway (FIFA ranking: 31)

No movement

The dark horses are no longer lurking in the shadows.

A 3-2 win over Senegal showcased all their chaos and charm. Norway ran at the African champions, created chance after chance, and forced mistake after mistake.

Seven goals in two games underline their attacking threat. Erling Haaland added another double and looks unplayable. The defence creaks, but right now they’re outscoring their problems.

11. Colombia (FIFA ranking: 14)

Up 1

Two games, two wins, and yet still a sense of untapped potential.

Colombia wobbled against Uzbekistan and then scraped past DR Congo 1-0, but six points mean job done and a place in the knockouts secured with a game to spare.

That takes the edge off a fascinating meeting with Portugal, though top spot remains on the line. A draw will do it. They’ll want more than that.

12. Mexico (FIFA ranking: 13)

Down 1

First team through. Group winners already. Two games, two clean sheets. On paper, Mexico have started perfectly.

On the pitch, it has been more functional than thrilling. A 1-0 win over South Korea added to the narrow victory against South Africa, both built on control rather than creativity.

The prize is huge: a last-32 tie in Mexico City, and a last-16 game there too if they advance. The co-hosts have engineered the path they wanted.

13. Portugal (FIFA ranking: 5)

No movement

Portugal finally arrived – or at least Ronaldo did.

A 5-0 demolition of Uzbekistan washed away the staleness of their draw with DR Congo. Ronaldo’s double made history, the first man to score in six different World Cups, and briefly silenced the noise around his place in the XI.

But context matters. Uzbekistan’s defence looked overawed and raw. The real test comes next against Colombia. That will tell us whether this was a launchpad or a sugar rush.

14. Croatia (FIFA ranking: 11)

No movement

Croatia are clinging on.

They needed a late, close-range finish from substitute Ante Budimir to squeeze past Panama 1-0, after a game that exposed the limitations of an ageing core.

We’ve seen this movie before, though. They rarely start fast, they often look vulnerable, and yet they have reached a final and a semi-final in the last two editions. Writing them off remains a dangerous habit.

15. Egypt (FIFA ranking: 29)

No movement

At last, a World Cup win.

Egypt had to fight back against New Zealand but were dragged over the line by Mohamed Salah, who delivered a goal and an assist in a 2-1 victory that finally ended their barren run at the finals.

They have not yet looked like a side built to go deep, but beat Iran on Friday and they top Group G. That would bring a third-placed opponent in the round of 32 and a very different conversation.

16. Japan (FIFA ranking: 18)

No movement

Japan are almost there – over 99 per cent likely to progress, by the numbers – and they’ve done it with style.

A 4-0 thrashing of Tunisia, powered by an Ayase Ueda double, delivered their biggest-ever World Cup win and made them the first Asian team to score four in a game at the tournament.

Tunisia are in disarray, so the caveats apply, but Japan’s identity is clear: speed, intensity, and a coordinated press that suffocates opponents.

17. South Korea (FIFA ranking: 22)

No movement

This was not the script.

South Korea’s limp display in a 1-0 defeat to Mexico leaves them in real danger. They created little, Son Heung-min was substituted before the hour, and the performance never caught light.

Beat South Africa and they can still salvage the situation. The talent is there. The urgency now has to match it.

18. Switzerland (FIFA ranking: 19)

No movement

A new name lit up the Swiss night.

Johan Manzambi, 20 years and 247 days old, came off the bench to score twice in a late 4-1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, becoming the youngest player to net a double as a substitute in a men’s World Cup match.

Canada await next. A draw is enough to go through, a win secures top spot. Switzerland suddenly have another weapon.

19. Canada (FIFA ranking: 30)

No movement

Canada did not just win their first World Cup game. They obliterated Qatar.

A 6-0 rout in Vancouver showcased Jesse Marsch’s aggressive blueprint. Jonathan David helped himself to a hat-trick, the press suffocated Qatar, and the co-hosts finally announced themselves on this stage.

Ismael Kone’s injury is a blow, but the path is clear: avoid defeat against Switzerland on Wednesday and Canada reach the knockouts for the first time.

20. Ghana (FIFA ranking: 73)

Up 3

Ghana’s week could hardly have gone better.

A last-gasp win over Panama was followed by a disciplined, fearless 0-0 draw with England. They defended with organisation, countered with pace, and might have had a penalty when Ezri Konsa clipped Prince Kwabena Adu.

Four points from two games should be enough. From rank outsiders to likely qualifiers, Ghana have ripped up the script.

21. Belgium (FIFA ranking: 9)

Down 1

The number next to their name feels like a relic.

Belgium dominated Iran on paper – 23 shots, 1.82 xG, 70 per cent possession – and still couldn’t win. The data says Kevin De Bruyne is one of the Premier League’s greats and Romelu Lukaku is his country’s record scorer. None of it is translating.

They look like half a team. No wins against Egypt or Iran, and even if they beat New Zealand on Friday, the ceiling feels low. They need Jeremy Doku fit and flying, or this might be another flat ending.

22. Ivory Coast (FIFA ranking: 33)

Down 1

Ivory Coast have shown they can live with the elite, even if the results don’t quite reflect it.

They led Germany for more than half an hour and their wingers, Yan Diomande and Amad, have tormented full-backs. Holding on proved beyond them, but the performance level stayed high.

The models give them a 95 per cent chance of reaching the knockouts for the first time. It would be a landmark moment.

23. Uruguay (FIFA ranking: 16)

Down 1

Two games, 44 shots, 3.88 xG, three goals – and only two points. Uruguay are paying for wastefulness and fragility.

They arrived as an enigma, level on qualifying points with Brazil and Colombia yet in dreadful form. That form has followed them. A porous two-man wall that let Cape Verde’s long-range free kick squirm in summed up their looseness.

Now they probably need a result against Spain. This is not what Marcelo Bielsa drew up.

24. Algeria (FIFA ranking: 28)

No movement

Set pieces might be Algeria’s ticket.

Both goals in their comeback win over Jordan came from corners, a vital weapon for a team likely to have fewer chances against stronger opponents. Riyad Mahrez returned to the XI and knitted attacks together.

Sunday’s meeting with Austria will decide second place. With a minus-two goal difference, they may yet need a statement win.

25. Sweden (FIFA ranking: 38)

No movement

Sweden’s World Cup has already told a familiar story.

They battered Tunisia 5-1, then were themselves taken apart 5-1 by the Netherlands. With Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak, they can shred weaker sides. Against the elite, their defensive flaws are ruthlessly exposed.

They sit exactly where that inconsistency deserves.

26. Senegal (FIFA ranking: 15)

No movement

From promise to peril in two games.

Senegal impressed early against France but have since shipped six goals. Ismaila Sarr’s double versus Norway and Ibrahim Mbaye’s strike against France show they can hurt top teams. The problem is at the other end.

Errors, gaps, and an overworked Edouard Mendy – who then went off injured after an hour against Norway. They now need a big win over Iraq and a favourable goal difference to sneak through as one of the best third-placed sides. The drop in these rankings reflects the danger.

27. Australia (FIFA ranking: 27)

No movement

Australia’s optimism took a hit.

After beating Turkey, they were outclassed by the United States, especially in a first half where they struggled to live with the tempo. Tony Popovic’s decision to leave out both scorers from the Turkey game, Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe, dulled their counter-attacking threat.

Paraguay now stand between them and second place. It feels like a genuine 50-50.

28. Austria (FIFA ranking: 25)

No movement

Ralf Rangnick keeps tweaking; the problems remain.

Kevin Danso came into defence, Paul Wanner into midfield, for the defeat to Argentina. The issue is structural: this is a side with decent quality but no ruthless forwards and no watertight back line, as Jordan’s goal underlined.

Their fate will be decided against Algeria on Sunday. Second place is there, but the margin for error is thin.

29. Scotland (FIFA ranking: 41)

No movement

Scotland’s calculators are working overtime.

After scraping past Haiti 1-0 and then losing 1-0 to Morocco despite a spirited second half, they are trying to work out just how badly they can afford to lose to Brazil and still squeak through as one of the best third-placed teams.

Any kind of positive result on Wednesday, though, and the maths disappears. Scotland would reach the World Cup knockouts for the first time. The carrot could not be bigger.

30. Iran (FIFA ranking: 20)

No movement

On the surface, a draw with Belgium is a triumph.

Iran created good chances, saw a smart free-kick routine ruled out for a marginal offside, and still haven’t lost. But they also haven’t won, and that may prove fatal.

Failing to beat New Zealand in the opener, and not capitalising when Belgium went down to 10 men, leaves them clinging on. They will hope Egypt, already in control of the group, ease off on Friday.

31. Ecuador (FIFA ranking: 24)

No movement

From a 19-match, two-year unbeaten run to this.

Ecuador have lost to Ivory Coast and drawn with Curacao, and the numbers are damning: 4.08 xG, zero goals. This is not just bad luck; it is poor finishing, with Enner Valencia no longer the ruthless force he was in Qatar 2022.

Germany await on Thursday. Ecuador must hope Nagelsmann rotates heavily. Their margin for error has evaporated.

32. Paraguay (FIFA ranking: 40)

No movement

This was more like the Paraguay people expected.

A 1-0 win over Turkey, secured by Matias Galarza’s thunderous early strike, showcased their blend of defensive steel and attacking talent. After Miguel Almiron’s red card for covering his mouth while speaking to an opponent – a bizarre first in World Cup history – they dug in and held firm.

Almiron will be suspended against Australia. For a team chasing second place, that absence could be pivotal.

33. Cape Verde (FIFA ranking: 67)

No movement

One of the tournament’s great tales keeps rolling.

Beat Saudi Arabia and they might become the most improbable knockout team the World Cup has seen. Even a draw could be enough. Astonishing.

34. Saudi Arabia (FIFA ranking: 60)

No movement

Reality bit hard.

After a spirited draw with Uruguay, Saudi Arabia were taken apart 4-0 by Spain. It could easily have been worse; Spain’s dominance was total.

Yet the path remains clear. Beat Cape Verde, finish on four points, and they will likely sit at least third in Group H. They’d have accepted that scenario in a heartbeat before a ball was kicked.

35. New Zealand (FIFA ranking: 85)

No movement

Stubborn, awkward, and still alive.

New Zealand’s first World Cup appearance since 2010 has echoed that campaign: difficult to beat, disciplined, and limited. They finally lost their unbeaten finals record since 1982 with a 3-1 defeat to Egypt, despite Finn Surman’s opener.

Now comes the chance for history. Beat a faltering Belgium on Saturday and a first-ever knockout berth is within reach.

36. Czech Republic (FIFA ranking: 43)

Up 1

The Czechs started fast and faded badly.

Michal Sadilek scored the fastest goal of this World Cup – five minutes and seven seconds – against South Africa, but they couldn’t close the game out and conceded a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw that suits neither side.

They now have to beat co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City to go through. That is as daunting as it sounds.

37. Bosnia and Herzegovina (FIFA ranking: 64)

Up 1

Bosnia and Herzegovina are clinging to the edge.

Their late collapse against Switzerland, turning a competitive game into a 4-1 defeat, leaves them with one last shot: beat Qatar in Seattle on Wednesday and four points should be enough to progress.

Anything less, and the regrets will linger.

38. DR Congo (FIFA ranking: 46)

Up 2

DR Congo keep standing tall against the giants.

They followed their shock 1-1 draw with Portugal by pushing Colombia all the way in a narrow 1-0 defeat. Organised at the back, dangerous on the break through Yoane Wissa, they look more than just plucky underdogs.

Beat Uzbekistan this weekend and four points should carry them into the knockouts. They have earned the right to believe.

39. Qatar (FIFA ranking: 56)

No movement

Everything that could go wrong, did.

Six goals conceded, two red cards, and a 6-0 humiliation by Canada. It was a collapse of structure and discipline.

And yet, the equation is brutally simple: beat Bosnia and Herzegovina and they will almost certainly reach the knockout stage on four points. For a side this low in the rankings, that would be a remarkable rescue act.

40. Curacao (FIFA ranking: 82)

Up 1

Another debutant goalkeeper, another World Cup epic.

Eloy Room produced 15 saves against Ecuador, a staggering performance that secured a 0-0 draw and kept Curacao’s dream alive. It was the kind of night that becomes folklore.

Beat Ivory Coast and they might just sneak through. That alone is a sentence nobody expected to write.

41. South Africa (FIFA ranking: 61)

Up 2

South Africa improved, but not enough.

They fought back for a late 1-1 draw with the Czech Republic and showed more cohesion and belief. The problem is the table: they needed a win.

Now they must upset South Korea to progress. It’s a long shot, but at least they’ve given themselves something to cling to.

42. Iraq (FIFA ranking: 57)

Up 2

Iraq have run into a brutal schedule.

Haaland first, Mbappe next. They’ve been outclassed by Norway and France, and when captain Aymen Hussein limped off after 26 minutes against France, their task became impossible.

To have any hope, they must hammer Senegal. The odds are slim, and they know it.

43. Uzbekistan (FIFA ranking: 50)

Down 1

Reality hit hard.

Uzbekistan impressed against Colombia but collapsed against Portugal, conceding five and looking naive in defence. Abdukodir Khusanov, their standout talent, ended the night in tears.

They were not expected to take anything from their first two games, but the damage to confidence and goal difference is severe. They now have to beat DR Congo and pray for help elsewhere. It feels like a mountain.

The eliminated teams

44. Panama (FIFA ranking: 34)

Down 8

Panama are out, but they did not go quietly.

Back-to-back 1-0 defeats to Ghana and Croatia, both decided by fine margins, will sting. They created chances, they competed, and they leave with pride – and plenty of what-ifs.

45. Jordan (FIFA ranking: 63)

No movement

Jordan’s debut World Cup ends after two games.

They scored in both defeats, to Austria and Algeria, but could not contain either opponent. Other newcomers have survived through heroic goalkeeping; Jordan never found that kind of resistance.

The experience will have to serve as foundation, not reward.

46. Haiti (FIFA ranking: 83)

No movement

The first team eliminated, but far from the worst.

Haiti were dropped into one of the tournament’s toughest groups and still made a mark. They pushed Scotland hard and could feel aggrieved to leave that game with nothing. Against Brazil, the gulf in class finally told, three goals conceded before the break.

They “drew” the second half 0-0, a small act of defiance from a nation that cannot even play at home due to political turmoil. Morocco await, and with them one last shot at a historic first World Cup point.

47. Turkey (FIFA ranking: 23)

No movement

Turkey, the eternal trap.

With Kenan Yildiz and Arda Guler in attack, with Ferdi Kadioglu at the back, with Hakan Calhanoglu’s passing and shooting, they looked like classic dark horses in a forgiving group.

They are already out.

Sixty-two shots in two games, not a single goal. Failing to score against a Paraguay side down to 10 men for half the match was the final indictment. Luck plays its part, but teams that waste that many chances rarely deserve any.

48. Tunisia (FIFA ranking: 45)

No movement

Tunisia’s campaign unravelled fast.

A 5-1 hammering by Sweden cost Sabri Lamouchi his job. Herve Renard arrived and watched a 4-0 beating by Japan. Two games, nine goals conceded, minus-eight goal difference – the worst record of any side here.

Their World Cup ends in ruins. The only question now is how long it takes to rebuild from this.