World Cup Power Rankings: Day 13 Review
Cristiano Ronaldo has arrived at this World Cup at last, but not even a vintage night from him could crack the established order at the top of these power rankings.
His double in Portugal’s 5-0 demolition of Uzbekistan, England’s flat stalemate with Ghana, Japan’s statement win, Cape Verde’s fairytale – none of it is quite enough to dislodge the heavyweights who have seized control of this tournament’s narrative.
Day 13 did not rewrite the hierarchy. It sharpened it.
1. France (FIFA ranking: 3)
No change
It will take something extraordinary to move France from the summit. They look like a side that has solved the puzzle before everyone else has even found the corners.
Since the second half of their opener against Senegal, Michael Olise has been dropped into the No 10 role and France have clicked. Two more assists in a 3-0 win over Iraq, more evidence that the system now fits the talent.
A storm delay in Philadelphia only paused Kylian Mbappe, it didn’t slow him. He scored twice for the second game running, France cruised into the knockouts, and a group decider against Norway now looms. Didier Deschamps will miss that match following the death of his mother, but is expected back for the games that really matter.
They look built for those.
2. Argentina (FIFA ranking: 1)
No change
Lionel Messi, 38 years old, is running this World Cup like it belongs to him. Again.
All five of Argentina’s goals so far are his, two of them in the win over Austria that took him clear as the tournament’s all-time leading scorer. Argentina have back-to-back clean sheets and a platform behind him, even if Cristian Romero’s knee injury against Austria is a worry.
They still need others to catch fire. Or perhaps they don’t. Messi is making the idea of him winning this on his own feel less like a fantasy and more like an active threat.
3. Germany (FIFA ranking: 10)
No change
Ignore the 7-1 against Curacao. The 2-1 comeback win over Ivory Coast told you more.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side trailed, then turned to Deniz Undav. Off the bench, he scored twice, the winner arriving in added time from a slick Felix Nmecha pass and a ruthless turn-and-finish.
That victory put Germany through as Group E winners – their first progression from a World Cup group since lifting the trophy in 2014. Momentum, long missing at this level, is back in German colours.
4. Spain (FIFA ranking: 2)
Up 1
Humiliated by Cape Verde in their opener, Spain responded in the only language that really counts: a 4-0 dismantling of Saudi Arabia.
Twenty-two shots. 2.85 xG. It could have been uglier.
Lamine Yamal needed just 10 minutes of his first World Cup start to score, then banked 45 valuable minutes. Mikel Oyarzabal, who famously went half an hour against Cape Verde without a touch, made up for it with two goals. Spain now only need to finish the job against Uruguay to top Group H.
One bad night has not changed who they are.
5. England (FIFA ranking: 4)
Down 1
The familiar version of England has reappeared.
After the 4-2 thrill ride against Croatia, a goalless draw with Ghana dragged the mood back to earth. The performance was flat, the tempo low, the cutting edge missing. The old doubts crept in.
Beat Panama in the final group game and they still win the group. But the chorus of “It’s coming home” has been turned down a notch.
6. Netherlands (FIFA ranking: 8)
No change
The Netherlands did more than beat Sweden. They tore them apart.
Brian Brobbey bullied the Swedish back line, Cody Gakpo and Crysencio Summerville joined the party, and the attack looked fluid and ruthless. With Tunisia to come, a group that looked tricky now feels like one they should top with room to spare.
They have thrown down a marker.
7. Brazil (FIFA ranking: 6)
No change
Brazil needed a response after their stuttering opener. Haiti provided it.
A 3-0 win, control from start to finish, and Matheus Cunha looking a better fit up front than Igor Thiago in their rotating, fluid attack. The opposition was modest, but the performance was calm and convincing.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side now eye Scotland and top spot in Group C. The serious tests are still ahead, but the noise around them has quietened.
8. Morocco (FIFA ranking: 7)
No change
The weight of expectation at home is heavy after a 2022 semi-final and an AFCON title. Morocco are handling it.
A draw with Brazil, a win over Scotland, and both goals finished smartly by Ismael Saibari. The equation is clear: a big win over Haiti might be required to top Group C, depending on Brazil’s result against Scotland, but the priority is simple – get through.
They look well on course.
9. United States (FIFA ranking: 17)
No change
When people start asking if the U.S. can actually win the World Cup, you know the mood has shifted.
Maybe that leap is premature, but the performances justify the excitement. A 4-1 demolition of Paraguay, followed by a controlled 2-0 win over Australia, all without needing Christian Pulisic last time out.
Already through as group winners, Mauricio Pochettino can rest his star man against Turkey and start plotting a deeper run. This is a team playing with joy and intent.
10. Norway (FIFA ranking: 31)
No change
The dark horses are no longer in the shadows.
A 3-2 win over Senegal showcased their chaos and their threat. Norway shredded the (stripped) African champions’ defence, created chance after chance, and forced errors.
Seven goals in two games tell the story. Erling Haaland added another brace and looks almost unplayable. The defence is leaky, but right now they are simply outscoring problems.
11. Colombia (FIFA ranking: 14)
Up 1
Two wins from two, job done – just not always convincingly.
Colombia wobbled against Uzbekistan and then scraped past DR Congo 1-0. But they have achieved their first objective: into the knockouts with a game to spare.
That takes the edge off their meeting with Portugal, though top spot is still there for them with a draw.
12. Mexico (FIFA ranking: 13)
Down 1
The first team mathematically through to the knockouts, and already guaranteed to top Group A.
A 1-0 win over South Korea added to a functional opening victory over South Africa. Mexico have not dazzled, but they have been efficient: two wins, two clean sheets, and the prize of playing a third-placed side in Mexico City in the last 32 – with the last-16 game also set for home soil if they advance.
Not spectacular. Very effective.
13. Portugal (FIFA ranking: 5)
No change
Portugal needed a reaction after their limp opener against DR Congo. Uzbekistan felt the full force of it.
A 5-0 rout, Ronaldo scoring twice to become the first man to score in six different World Cups. The goals quietened the endless debate over his place, at least temporarily.
But context matters. Uzbekistan’s defence was overwhelmed and naive. Anyone getting carried away with Portugal’s chances should wait for the Colombia test. That will be the real measure.
14. Croatia (FIFA ranking: 11)
No change
Croatia survived Panama rather than subdued them.
A 1-0 win, courtesy of substitute Ante Budimir’s close-range finish, kept their campaign alive, but did little to silence the questions about how far this ageing core can go.
History says never write them off. Their football so far says caution.
15. Egypt (FIFA ranking: 29)
No change
Egypt finally have a World Cup win to their name.
They had to work for it, coming from behind to beat New Zealand, with Mohamed Salah delivering a goal and an assist. It wasn’t a performance to frighten the elite, but it was a step they had been waiting years to take.
Beat Iran on Friday and they top Group G, earning a third-placed opponent in the round of 32. That is a very real incentive.
16. Japan (FIFA ranking: 18)
No change
Japan didn’t just win. They made history.
A 4-0 victory over Tunisia – Ayase Ueda scoring twice – delivered their biggest-ever World Cup win and made them the first Asian team to score four in a game at the tournament. It was the 1,000th World Cup match; Japan owned the stage.
Tunisia are in disarray, so this is no time for wild declarations. But Japan’s identity is unmistakable: speed, intensity, pressing with purpose. More than 99 per cent likely to progress, they look like a team that knows exactly what it wants to be.
17. South Korea (FIFA ranking: 22)
No change
South Korea’s defeat to Mexico was as worrying as the numbers suggest.
They barely created a chance in Guadalajara. Son Heung-min was withdrawn before the hour, and the team looked short of ideas and conviction.
Beat South Africa and they can still go through, and they have the talent to do it. But this is now a test of nerve as much as quality.
18. Switzerland (FIFA ranking: 19)
No change
Switzerland left it late, but they may have found a new star.
Johan Manzambi, at 20 years and 247 days, came off the bench to score twice in a 4-1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, becoming the youngest player to hit a double as a substitute in a men’s World Cup match.
Canada are next. A draw is enough to go through; a win secures top spot. Switzerland are exactly where they want to be.
19. Canada (FIFA ranking: 30)
No change
Canada did not just win their first World Cup game. They exploded into the tournament.
A 6-0 thrashing of Qatar in Vancouver, Jonathan David scoring a hat-trick, the team executing Jesse Marsch’s aggressive attacking blueprint almost perfectly. Only Ismael Kone’s injury spoiled the night.
A draw with Switzerland sends the co-hosts into the knockouts. On this evidence, they’ll aim for more than that.
20. Ghana (FIFA ranking: 73)
Up 3
Four points from two games. Ghana could hardly have scripted it better.
A last-gasp win over Panama, then a disciplined, organised 0-0 against England that might easily have brought more. Their counter-attacks carried real threat, and they had a strong penalty shout when Ezri Konsa fouled Prince Kwabena Adu, only for VAR to stay silent.
They are all but through. This is a team that believes.
21. Belgium (FIFA ranking: 9)
Down 1
The number next to Belgium’s name looks increasingly out of date.
They dominated Iran on paper – 23 shots, 1.82 xG, 70 per cent of the ball – and still could not win. The statistics say Kevin De Bruyne is one of the Premier League’s finest and Romelu Lukaku is his country’s record scorer. None of that is translating into control or conviction here.
Draws with Egypt and Iran leave them on the brink. Even if they beat New Zealand, how far can this version of Belgium really go? They badly need Jeremy Doku back and flying.
22. Ivory Coast (FIFA ranking: 33)
Down 1
Ivory Coast went toe-to-toe with Germany and led for over half an hour. That matters.
Yan Diomande and Amad caused real problems out wide, and this team has shown it can compete with almost anyone. They just couldn’t hold on to a statement result.
Even so, The Athletic’s model gives them a 95 per cent chance of reaching the knockouts for the first time. They are close to a landmark.
23. Uruguay (FIFA ranking: 16)
Down 1
Forty-four shots. 3.88 xG. Three goals. Two points.
Uruguay’s World Cup so far is a story of waste and fragility. They finished level on points with Brazil and Colombia in qualifying and boast a high-class midfield, but their pre-tournament form was poor – and it has followed them here.
The free-kick they conceded to Cape Verde, slipping through a flimsy two-man wall from 40 yards, summed up their looseness. Now they must get a result against Spain to survive.
24. Algeria (FIFA ranking: 28)
No change
Set pieces might be Algeria’s ticket to a longer stay.
Both goals in their comeback win over Jordan came from corners, proof they can hurt better sides from limited moments. Riyad Mahrez returned to the starting XI and added craft in open play.
Beat Austria on Sunday and they are in the mix for second place. With a minus-two goal difference, there is still work to do.
25. Sweden (FIFA ranking: 38)
No change
Sweden have seen both sides of a 5-1 scoreline in this tournament.
They crushed Tunisia, then were themselves dismantled by the Netherlands. That contrast is revealing. With Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak, they can overwhelm weaker teams, but they remain a step below the elite and vulnerable at the back.
They are exactly where their performances say they should be.
26. Senegal (FIFA ranking: 15)
No change
From promise to peril in two games.
Senegal started brightly against France but have since conceded six goals in two matches. Ismaila Sarr’s double against Norway and Ibrahim Mbaye’s strike versus France show they can trouble top defences, yet the errors behind them are piling up.
Edouard Mendy’s injury against Norway only deepened the problems. They now need a heavy win over Iraq and help elsewhere to squeeze through as one of the best third-placed teams. Hence the big slide.
27. Australia (FIFA ranking: 27)
No change
Australia’s optimism after beating Turkey 2-0 took a hit against the United States.
Tony Popovic’s decision to bench both scorers from that opener, Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe, blunted their threat. Without Irankunda’s pace on the break, they looked far more ordinary.
Paraguay await in a straight fight for second place. The margin for error has vanished.
28. Austria (FIFA ranking: 25)
No change
Ralf Rangnick is still searching for the right blend.
He tweaked his line-up against Argentina, bringing in Kevin Danso at the back and Paul Wanner in midfield. The problem remains the same: this side does not have prolific forwards or a rock-solid defence. They conceded to Jordan and lacked a clear weapon against elite opposition.
Their meeting with Algeria will decide who finishes second. At the moment, Austria look like a team without a defining strength.
29. Scotland (FIFA ranking: 41)
No change
Scotland’s calculators are working overtime.
After edging Haiti 1-0, they lost 1-0 to Morocco but fought hard in the second half, showing enough to believe they can cause Brazil problems. The scenario is simple and brutal: any positive result against the five-time world champions, and they reach the knockouts for the first time.
They have turned survival into a numbers game. Now they must turn it into a performance.
30. Iran (FIFA ranking: 20)
No change
Iran’s draw with Belgium looks excellent on the surface.
They created good chances, had a clever free-kick goal ruled out for a narrow offside, and faced 10 men for part of the match. Yet they still have not won at this tournament, and the failure to beat New Zealand in their opener may haunt them.
They need Egypt to ease off in the final Group G game and must take care of their own business. The margin is razor-thin.
31. Ecuador (FIFA ranking: 24)
No change
Nineteen games unbeaten before the tournament. None of that swagger has travelled.
A defeat to Ivory Coast and a draw with Curacao have left Ecuador on the brink. They have generated 4.08 xG without scoring, a brutal mix of poor finishing and misfortune. Enner Valencia, now 36, has not been able to recreate his Qatar 2022 form.
Germany await next. Ecuador can only hope Nagelsmann rotates heavily.
32. Paraguay (FIFA ranking: 40)
No change
This was more like the Paraguay people expected.
A 1-0 win over Turkey, Matias Galarza scoring from distance after two minutes, then a backs-to-the-wall effort after Miguel Almiron became the first player sent off at a World Cup for covering his mouth while speaking to an opponent.
They held firm. Now they must do it again without Almiron against Australia, with second place on the line.
33. Cape Verde (FIFA ranking: 67)
No change
One of the stories of this World Cup, and it keeps getting better.
A shock draw with Spain, followed by a 2-2 epic against Uruguay – featuring a 40-yard free kick and a clever finish from substitute Helio Varela. Two former world champions, both held.
Beat Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde would become perhaps the unlikeliest knockout team in the tournament’s history. Even a draw might be enough. The dream is alive.
34. Saudi Arabia (FIFA ranking: 60)
No change
Reality bit hard against Spain.
A 4-0 defeat that could have been heavier underlined the gulf in class. Yet the picture is not bleak. If you had offered Saudi Arabia a final game against Cape Verde with a chance to reach four points and at least third place, they would have taken it.
That is the task now: win, survive, and rewrite the mood.
35. New Zealand (FIFA ranking: 85)
No change
The stubbornness of 2010 is still there.
New Zealand drew all three games at that World Cup. This time, they finally lost – 3-1 to Egypt – despite leading through Finn Surman. It was their first defeat at the finals since 1982.
Beat a fading Belgium on Saturday and they will almost certainly make history by reaching the knockouts. For a side with their resources, that would be seismic.
36. Czech Republic (FIFA ranking: 43)
Up 1
The Czech Republic scored the fastest goal of this World Cup – Michal Sadilek after five minutes and seven seconds – and still let it slip.
South Africa deserved their late equaliser in a 1-1 draw that helped neither team. Now the Czechs must beat co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City to advance.
It is as daunting as it sounds.
37. Bosnia and Herzegovina (FIFA ranking: 64)
Up 1
A late collapse against Switzerland has left Bosnia and Herzegovina on the brink.
Qatar await in Seattle. Win, and four points should be enough to sneak into the knockouts. Lose, and it’s over. The margins could not be tighter.
38. DR Congo (FIFA ranking: 46)
Up 2
DR Congo keep refusing to be overawed.
They followed up a 1-1 draw with Portugal by pushing Colombia all the way in a 1-0 defeat. They defend well, they counter with menace, and Yoane Wissa is a constant outlet.
Beat Uzbekistan and four points should carry them through. They have earned the right to believe.
39. Qatar (FIFA ranking: 56)
No change
Everything that could go wrong against Canada did.
Six goals conceded, two red cards, and a brutal reminder of the gap at this level. Yet the path is still surprisingly clear: beat Bosnia and Herzegovina, reach four points, and they will likely reach the knockouts.
Their ranking is low. Their opportunity is not.
40. Curacao (FIFA ranking: 82)
Up 1
Eloy Room joined the list of World Cup goalkeeping cult heroes.
Fifteen saves against Ecuador earned Curacao a precious point and kept their hopes alive. Beat Ivory Coast and this debuting nation will have a real shot at progressing.
They are not here to make up the numbers.
41. South Africa (FIFA ranking: 61)
Up 2
South Africa improved, fought back, and still came up short of what they needed.
Their draw with the Czech Republic showed spirit, but they required a win. Now they must upset South Korea to stay alive.
It is a long shot. It is also their only one.
42. Iraq (FIFA ranking: 57)
Up 2
Iraq have run into a brutal schedule: Erling Haaland, then Kylian Mbappe.
They have struggled to live with either Norway or France. Losing captain Aymen Hussein to injury after 26 minutes against France only deepened the problems.
To have any hope, they must not just beat Senegal but do so heavily. It feels distant.
43. Uzbekistan (FIFA ranking: 50)
Down 1
Uzbekistan’s encouraging display against Colombia vanished in the glare of Portugal and Ronaldo.
A 5-0 defeat, naive defending, and star man Abdukodir Khusanov in tears at full time. They were never expected to take much 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. It looks like a mountain.
The eliminated teams
44. Panama (FIFA ranking: 34)
Down 8
Panama are out, but not disgraced.
Two 1-0 defeats – to Ghana via a stoppage-time goal and to Croatia – have ended their World Cup with a game to spare. They will look back on missed chances and wonder what might have been.
Regret will linger as much as pride.
45. Jordan (FIFA ranking: 63)
No change
Jordan’s debut ends with two defeats, to Austria and Algeria.
They scored in both games but could not smother opponents the way some other debutants have managed. There was no heroic goalkeeping performance to flip a script, just honest effort against superior sides.
Their first taste of this stage will sting, but it will also teach.
46. Haiti (FIFA ranking: 83)
No change
Haiti were the first team eliminated, but they do not deserve to be bottom of this list.
Drawn into one of the tournament’s toughest groups, unable to play on home soil due to political turmoil, they pushed Scotland hard and might have taken something. Brazil was always likely to be a step too far, and a 3-0 defeat confirmed it – but they “drew” the second half 0-0.
Morocco await in their final game. One point at a World Cup would mean everything.
47. Turkey (FIFA ranking: 23)
No change
Turkey have become a cautionary tale.
Dark horses in many eyes, placed in a supposedly gentle group, blessed with Kenan Yildiz, Arda Guler, Ferdi Kadioglu and Hakan Calhanoglu – and out after two games.
Sixty-two shots. No goals. They couldn’t score against a Paraguay side that played half the match with 10 men. Unlucky? Maybe. But at this level, if you cannot finish, you do not survive.
48. Tunisia (FIFA ranking: 45)
No change
Tunisia’s World Cup unravelled fast.
A 5-1 defeat to Sweden cost Sabri Lamouchi his job. Herve Renard arrived and watched a 4-0 beating by Japan. Two games, minus-eight goal difference, the worst record in the tournament.
There is no escape from numbers like that.
The giants at the top continue to stride forward, the chasing pack jostles, and the fairytales cling on. With the groups nearing their conclusion, the question is no longer who looks good. It is who can turn promise into something lasting when the knockouts start and every mistake becomes a full stop.
