Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal shine as England falter in World Cup
Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup finally roared into life. England’s stalled.
On day 13 of this tournament, Portugal’s captain helped tear Uzbekistan apart, while Gareth Southgate’s side trudged through 90 goalless minutes against Ghana. But in our power rankings, big scorelines and narrow escapes no longer move the needle on their own. The hierarchy at the top is set by something harder to shift: control, consistency, and the sense that a team knows exactly who it is.
Here is how the landscape looks now.
1. France
FIFA ranking: 3
➡️
It will take something extraordinary to knock France off this perch.
Didier Deschamps’ side have found their groove. Since the second half of their opener against Senegal, Michael Olise has been liberated in the No 10 role, and the effect has been immediate. Two more assists in a 3-0 dismissal of Iraq, layered on top of his game-changing cameo in match one, and suddenly France look complete between the lines.
A storm delay in Philadelphia did nothing to slow Kylian Mbappe. Two more goals, another game seized, and a place in the knockouts secured. Norway await on Friday to decide who tops the group. Deschamps will miss that match after the death of his mother, but is expected back for the knockouts. His team look ready for the serious stuff.
2. Argentina
FIFA ranking: 1
➡️
Lionel Messi has dominated tournaments before. But this?
At 38, he has scored all five of Argentina’s goals across two wins, and his double against Austria carried him past every other name on the World Cup all-time scoring list. This is his competition, again.
Behind him, there is reassurance too: back-to-back clean sheets, a defence largely untroubled. The worry? Cristian Romero’s knee injury against Austria. His substitution casts a shadow over an otherwise serene start.
Argentina still need others in attack to ignite. On current evidence, though, Messi seems intent on dragging them as far as his legs and lungs will allow. Maybe further.
3. Germany
FIFA ranking: 10
➡️
Ignore the 7-1 against Curacao. The real statement came in the grind.
Germany trailed the Ivory Coast and stared at more group-stage angst. Then Deniz Undav stepped off the bench and flipped the script. Two late goals, the winner fashioned by a precise Felix Nmecha pass and a sharp turn-and-finish from Undav, and the 2-1 comeback win locked up top spot in Group E.
For the first time since they lifted the trophy in 2014, Germany are out of a World Cup group. Julian Nagelsmann’s team have momentum. That has not been said about them in a long time.
4. Spain
FIFA ranking: 2
⬆️ 1
Humiliated by Cape Verde in their opener, Spain responded with cruelty.
Saudi Arabia were simply overrun in a 4-0 dismantling. Twenty-two shots, 2.85 xG, and the sense that Luis de la Fuente’s side could have scored almost at will.
Lamine Yamal needed 10 minutes of his first World Cup start to find the net, then banked 45 minutes of valuable tournament rhythm. Mikel Oyarzabal, who went half an hour without touching the ball against Cape Verde, struck twice. Spain reset their tone in one night.
Beat Uruguay on Friday and Group H is theirs.
5. England
FIFA ranking: 4
⬇️ 1
The old England resurfaced.
After the chaos and swagger of a 4-2 win over Croatia, a flat, colourless 0-0 with Ghana dragged everyone back to reality. Lower-ranked opposition, little incision, and the familiar soundtrack of frustration.
The path is still clear enough: beat Panama in the final group game and England finish as group winners. But the noise around them has changed again. The songs about trophies have quietened, at least for now.
6. Netherlands
FIFA ranking: 8
➡️
The Netherlands didn’t just beat Sweden. They ripped them apart.
Brian Brobbey’s introduction to the starting XI added raw power and direct running, dovetailing neatly with Cody Gakpo and Crysencio Summerville as the Dutch attack flowed through and around a bewildered defence.
With Tunisia to come, they are strong favourites to top a group that looked awkward on paper. On grass, they have made it look manageable.
7. Brazil
FIFA ranking: 6
➡️
This looked more like Brazil.
After stumbling through their first match, a 3-0 win over Haiti restored some order. Matheus Cunha offered a better fit than Igor Thiago at the tip of a fluid front line, and the contest rarely felt in doubt.
Stronger opponents loom, but this was exactly what Carlo Ancelotti needed: a clean, uncomplicated victory, and a bit of rhythm before facing Scotland for control of Group C.
8. Morocco
FIFA ranking: 7
➡️
The weight of expectation has not crushed them yet.
Semi-finalists in 2022, likely AFCON winners earlier this year, Morocco arrived with pressure and have handled it. A draw with Brazil, a win over Scotland, and two beautifully taken goals from Ismael Saibari have them well placed in Group C.
To top it, they may need to dismantle Haiti, depending on Brazil’s result against Scotland. But the real job is simple: get through. The rest can wait.
9. United States
FIFA ranking: 17
➡️
When people start wondering if the U.S. can win the World Cup, you know something is stirring.
That might be a leap, but Mauricio Pochettino’s side have been one of the tournament’s most entertaining outfits. A 4-1 demolition of Paraguay, then a slick 2-0 win over Australia, both without needing Christian Pulisic in the second game.
They are already through as group winners. Pulisic can be rested against Turkey while plans are drawn up for a deep run. The football is bold, attacking, and fun. The belief is growing.
10. Norway
FIFA ranking: 31
➡️
The dark horses are no longer in the shadows.
A 3-2 win over Senegal showcased both their threat and their flaws. Norway ran at the (weakened) African champions relentlessly, carved out chances, and forced defensive mistakes. Seven goals in two games tell you what they can do going forward.
Erling Haaland, again, was the difference, with another double. The defence remains vulnerable, but right now they are simply outscoring the chaos.
11. Colombia
FIFA ranking: 14
⬆️ 1
Colombia have not been flawless. They have been efficient.
Two games, two wins, a perfect record and a ticket to the knockouts secured. Uzbekistan pushed them, DR Congo kept things tight in a narrow 1-0 defeat, but the job is done with a match to spare.
That eases the tension before a tantalising meeting with Portugal. A draw is enough to top the group. They will want more.
12. Mexico
FIFA ranking: 13
⬇️ 1
Mexico became the first side to punch their ticket to the knockouts, and did so with precision rather than panache.
A 1-0 win over South Korea followed a similarly controlled victory against South Africa. Two games, two clean sheets, top of Group A secured.
The prize is huge: a third-placed opponent next, and both the last-32 and last-16 ties in Mexico City. The co-hosts have not dazzled yet, but they have set up the bracket they wanted.
13. Portugal
FIFA ranking: 5
➡️
Portugal needed a response. Ronaldo delivered it.
After an underwhelming opener against DR Congo, they smashed Uzbekistan 5-0. Ronaldo’s double did more than swell the scoreline: it made him the first man to score in six different World Cups and briefly muted the arguments over his place in the XI.
The context matters. Uzbekistan’s defence froze on the big stage, and their inexperience made this a mismatch. Anyone projecting Portugal as champions on this evidence alone is getting ahead of themselves. Colombia, next, will provide a far sterner examination.
14. Croatia
FIFA ranking: 11
➡️
Croatia are clinging on.
A laboured 1-0 win over Panama, sealed by substitute Ante Budimir from close range, did little to ease concerns about an ageing core and blunt attack.
We have been here before, though. The finalists in 2018, semi-finalists in 2022, have a habit of surviving storms and finding a way. The performances so far have not convinced, but history says you underestimate them at your peril.
15. Egypt
FIFA ranking: 29
➡️
At last, a World Cup win.
Egypt had to come from behind against New Zealand, but a goal and an assist from Mohamed Salah finally pushed them over the line. It was overdue.
They have not yet shown they can go deep into this tournament, yet the equation is straightforward now: beat Iran on Friday, top Group G, and draw a third-placed side in the round of 32. From there, anything can happen.
16. Japan
FIFA ranking: 18
➡️
Japan made history in the 1,000th World Cup match and did it in style.
A 4-0 rout of Tunisia, featuring an Ayase Ueda double, gave them their biggest-ever World Cup win and made them the first Asian side to score four in a game at the tournament.
Tunisia are in freefall, so caution is sensible, but Japan have shown a clear identity: speed, intensity, and an organised press that suffocates opponents. Progression from the group is now almost guaranteed.
17. South Korea
FIFA ranking: 22
➡️
This was a step backwards.
South Korea barely laid a glove on Mexico in Guadalajara. Chances were scarce, the tempo flat, and Son Heung-min was withdrawn before the hour. Qualification hangs by a thread heading into the final match against South Africa.
The talent is there. The margin for error is not. Their stars have to grab this now.
18. Switzerland
FIFA ranking: 19
➡️
A new name lit up Switzerland’s campaign.
Johan Manzambi, at 20 years and 247 days, came off the bench and scored twice in a late 4-1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, becoming the youngest player to hit a World Cup double as a substitute.
Canada are next. A draw sends Switzerland through; a win delivers top spot. With a fresh attacking threat emerging, they suddenly look a little more dangerous.
19. Canada
FIFA ranking: 30
➡️
Canada didn’t just win. They erupted.
A 6-0 dismantling of Qatar in Vancouver gave them their first-ever World Cup victory and did it with a flourish. Jesse Marsch’s high-energy blueprint clicked, Jonathan David claimed a hat-trick, and the co-hosts looked ruthless.
Ismael Kone’s injury is the one sour note. Even so, a draw against Switzerland will be enough to reach the knockouts. Canada have arrived, loudly.
20. Ghana
FIFA ranking: 73
⬆️ 3
This has been close to perfect.
A last-gasp win over Panama, then a disciplined, stubborn 0-0 against England. Ghana defended with organisation and edge, and still carried a threat on the counter.
They might even have had a penalty for Ezri Konsa’s challenge on Prince Kwabena Adu had VAR intervened. Four points from two games should be enough to see them through. They have earned their place.
21. Belgium
FIFA ranking: 9
⬇️ 1
That FIFA ranking feels like a relic.
Belgium dominated Iran on paper — 23 shots, 1.82 xG, 70 per cent possession — and still failed to win. The numbers say Kevin De Bruyne remains one of the Premier League’s greats and Romelu Lukaku is his country’s record scorer. The pitch says something else.
They have not beaten Egypt or Iran. Even if they dispatch New Zealand on Friday, how far can this half-built side really go? They badly need Jeremy Doku back at full tilt.
22. Ivory Coast
FIFA ranking: 33
⬇️ 1
Ivory Coast can live with anyone. They just haven’t proved they can finish the job.
They led Germany for more than half an hour before being overrun late on. Wingers Yan Diomande and Amad have tormented full-backs, but the statement victory slipped away.
The numbers still favour them: a 95 per cent chance of reaching the knockouts for the first time, according to The Athletic’s model. Now they have to justify that faith.
23. Uruguay
FIFA ranking: 16
⬇️ 1
The numbers are maddening.
Two matches, 44 shots, 3.88 xG, three goals — and only two points. Uruguay now have to get a result against Spain to stay alive. This was not Marcelo Bielsa’s blueprint.
They arrived as an unknown quantity: level on points with Brazil and Colombia in qualifying, but in wretched form. That form has followed them into the tournament. The flimsy two-man wall that let Cape Verde score from 40 yards summed it up. Fragile. Unreliable.
24. Algeria
FIFA ranking: 28
➡️
Set pieces might be Algeria’s ticket.
Both goals in their comeback win over Jordan came from corners, a vital weapon for a side likely to see less of the ball against stronger teams. Riyad Mahrez’s return to the starting XI added creativity in open play.
Austria on Sunday will decide who finishes second. With a minus-two goal difference, Algeria may also need to think about margins, not just points.
25. Sweden
FIFA ranking: 38
➡️
Sweden have shown us their ceiling — and their floor.
A 5-1 thrashing of Tunisia was followed by a 5-1 beating from the Netherlands. Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak can tear apart weaker opponents, but against a top side, the defensive frailties were brutal.
They sit exactly where their performances place them: too good for some, not yet close to the elite.
26. Senegal
FIFA ranking: 15
➡️
The slide has been steep.
After a bright first half against France, Senegal have conceded six goals across two games and still have no points. Ismaila Sarr’s double against Norway and Ibrahim Mbaye’s strike versus France show they can hurt anyone, but defensive errors keep punishing them.
Edouard Mendy’s saves against Norway kept the scoreline respectable before he went off injured. Now they need not just a win over Iraq on Friday, but a big one, to have any hope of sneaking through as one of the best third-placed sides. The margin for failure is almost gone.
27. Australia
FIFA ranking: 27
➡️
Australia’s early optimism has faded.
The 2-0 win over Turkey raised expectations, but the Socceroos struggled badly against the United States, especially before half-time. Tony Popovic’s decision to bench both scorers from the Turkey game, Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe, dulled their counter-attacking threat.
Now it comes down to Paraguay for second place in the group. They have no room left for missteps.
28. Austria
FIFA ranking: 25
➡️
Ralf Rangnick is still searching for the right blend.
He shuffled the pack against Argentina, bringing in Kevin Danso at the back and Paul Wanner in midfield. The problem remains the same: this side has quality, but no ruthless striker and no ironclad defence, as the goal conceded to Jordan underlined.
Algeria’s win over Jordan has turned Sunday’s meeting into a straight shootout for second place. Austria still need to show what they actually do better than their rivals.
29. Scotland
FIFA ranking: 41
➡️
Scotland have turned into a nation of calculators.
After scraping past Haiti 1-0 and then losing 1-0 to Morocco despite a spirited second half, the conversation has shifted to goal difference and permutations. How much can they afford to lose by against Brazil and still sneak through as a best third-placed team?
There is encouragement in how they troubled Morocco late on. Any positive result against the five-time world champions on Wednesday, and Scotland will reach the World Cup knockouts for the first time. That is the prize in front of them.
30. Iran
FIFA ranking: 20
➡️
On paper, a draw with Belgium looks impressive. The reality is more complicated.
Iran created good chances, had a smartly worked free-kick goal ruled out for a tight offside, and still could not claim their first win of the tournament. The opening draw with New Zealand may haunt them, as might the failure to capitalise when Belgium went down to 10 men.
They now face Egypt, who might ease off with qualification in sight. Iran’s hopes of a shock progression are finely balanced on that possibility.
31. Ecuador
FIFA ranking: 24
➡️
This has been a huge letdown.
Ecuador arrived on a 19-match unbeaten run stretching over two years. They have left that aura behind. A defeat to Ivory Coast and a draw with Curacao have exposed their flaws.
The numbers are damning: 4.08 xG, no goals. Enner Valencia, so prolific in Qatar in 2022, looks blunt at 36. With Germany up next, and Nagelsmann perhaps tempted to rotate, Ecuador need both a performance and a favour.
32. Paraguay
FIFA ranking: 40
➡️
At last, the version of Paraguay people talked up appeared.
A 1-0 win over Turkey was built on a blistering start — Matias Galarza scoring from distance after two minutes — and then a defiant defensive stand with 10 men after Miguel Almiron became the first player sent off for covering his mouth while speaking to an opponent.
They held firm under waves of Turkish pressure. Without Almiron against Australia, they will need that same resilience to claim second place.
33. Cape Verde
FIFA ranking: 67
⬆️ 1
One of the stories of this World Cup refuses to fade.
Cape Verde have gone toe-to-toe with two former world champions and not lost. A shock draw against Spain, then a wild 2-2 with Uruguay featuring a 40-yard free kick and a piece of ingenuity from Helio Varela off the bench.
Now comes Saudi Arabia. Win, and they become arguably the unlikeliest knockout team this tournament has ever seen. Even a draw might be enough. It is a remarkable position to be in.
34. Saudi Arabia
FIFA ranking: 60
➡️
Reality bit hard.
After a spirited draw with Uruguay, Saudi Arabia were taken apart 4-0 by Spain. The scoreline flattered them; Spain’s dominance was total.
Yet the path remains simple: beat Cape Verde, finish on four points, and likely take at least third place in Group H. Given the pre-tournament expectations, they would have accepted that scenario in an instant.
35. New Zealand
FIFA ranking: 85
➡️
Stubborn, awkward, hard to put away — some things never change.
In 2010, New Zealand drew all three group games. This time, they finally lost a World Cup match for the first time since 1982, going down 3-1 to Egypt despite Finn Surman giving them a first-half lead.
They still have history within reach. Beat a faltering Belgium on Saturday and a first-ever knockout appearance is almost certain.
36. Czech Republic
FIFA ranking: 43
⬆️ 1
The start was perfect. The ending was not.
Michal Sadilek scored the fastest goal of the tournament so far, after five minutes and seven seconds, but the Czech Republic could not put South Africa away. A late equaliser left both sides frustrated and stuck.
Now they must beat co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City to reach the knockouts. Few tasks in this World Cup look tougher.
37. Bosnia and Herzegovina
FIFA ranking: 64
⬆️ 1
Bosnia and Herzegovina are out of lives.
Their late collapse against Switzerland turned a competitive game into a heavy 4-1 defeat. Qatar in Seattle on Wednesday is now win-or-bust. The winner will almost certainly reach four points and likely progress. The stakes could not be clearer.
38. DR Congo
FIFA ranking: 46
⬆️ 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. The defence looks well-drilled, and on the break Yoane Wissa remains a constant menace.
Beat Uzbekistan this weekend and four points should carry them into the knockouts. They have earned plenty of respect already.
39. Qatar
FIFA ranking: 56
➡️
This was a nightmare.
Six conceded to Canada, two players sent off, and yet the picture is not entirely bleak. Beat Bosnia and Herzegovina in their final group match and they will almost certainly reach four points and the knockout stage.
For a side sitting this low in the rankings, that would be a significant salvage job.
40. Curacao
FIFA ranking: 82
⬆️ 1
Another debut nation, another goalkeeper stealing the show.
Eloy Room produced a 15-save masterclass to secure a point against Ecuador and keep Curacao alive in their first World Cup. The performance echoed Vozinha’s heroics for Cape Verde in 2022.
Beat Ivory Coast, and this tiny footballing nation might just write another improbable chapter.
41. South Africa
FIFA ranking: 61
⬆️ 2
Improved, but maybe too late.
South Africa fought back to draw with the Czech Republic and deserved their point, yet they needed more. The equation now is brutal: they must beat South Korea to reach the knockouts.
They have shown they can scrap. Now they need to shock.
42. Iraq
FIFA ranking: 57
⬆️ 2
The schedule has been unforgiving.
Iraq have faced Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe in successive games and have been unable to get close to either Norway or France. Losing captain Aymen Hussein to injury after 26 minutes against France only made matters worse.
To have any chance, they must thrash Senegal. The odds are long. The task is clear.
43. Uzbekistan
FIFA ranking: 50
⬇️ 1
The step up hit them hard.
Uzbekistan impressed against Colombia, then crumbled against Portugal. A 5-0 defeat, Cristiano Ronaldo rampant, and star man Abdukodir Khusanov in tears at full-time told its own story.
They were never expected to take much from their first two matches, but the damage to confidence and goal difference is severe. Now they need to beat DR Congo and hope the maths falls their way. It feels like a mountain.
The eliminated teams
44. Panama
FIFA ranking: 34
⬇️ 8
Panama depart with heads high and hearts heavy.
Two 1-0 defeats, to Ghana and Croatia, both decided by fine margins and late blows. They competed, they created chances, and they will leave with regrets about what might have been if they had been more clinical.
45. Jordan
FIFA ranking: 63
➡️
Jordan’s debut ends with lessons rather than points.
They scored in both games, against Austria and Algeria, but never found a way to contain opponents who had more quality and nous. Other newcomers have survived on outstanding goalkeeping displays; Jordan could not find that safety net.
46. Haiti
FIFA ranking: 83
➡️
Haiti were the first team eliminated. They do not deserve to be bottom.
Drawn into one of the tournament’s toughest groups, unable to play on home soil due to political turmoil, they still pushed Scotland hard and might feel aggrieved to have lost that opener.
Brazil were always going to be a bridge too far. Three goals conceded in the first half ended the contest, but they held the second half 0-0 and refused to fold. Morocco await in their final match, and with them a dream: a first World Cup point in 50 years.
47. Turkey
FIFA ranking: 23
➡️
The warning stands: do not trust Turkey.
Not with Kenan Yildiz and Arda Guler in attack. Not with Ferdi Kadioglu anchoring an experienced defence. Not even with Hakan Calhanoglu spraying passes and shooting from range. On paper, they looked like dark horses. On grass, they are out after two games.
Sixty-two shots, zero goals. That is not bad luck; that is a collapse. If you cannot score against a Paraguay side playing half the match with 10 men, you cannot complain about fortune.
48. Tunisia
FIFA ranking: 45
➡️
Tunisia’s World Cup has been a nightmare from start to finish.
A 5-1 beating by Sweden cost Sabri Lamouchi his job. Herve Renard arrived and watched a 4-0 defeat to Japan unfold. Two games, minus-eight goal difference, and no team has fared worse on the scoreboard.
Their campaign ends not with controversy or hard-luck stories, but with a blunt truth: they were simply outclassed.
