World Cup Power Rankings: Ronaldo, Messi, and Mbappe Lead the Charge

Cristiano Ronaldo finally crashed the World Cup party on day 13. Two goals, a 5-0 demolition of Uzbekistan and another line carved into history: the first man to score in six different World Cups.

England, meanwhile, trudged through 90 goalless minutes against Ghana, a reminder that not everyone is built for the fireworks every night.

And yet, none of it really shakes the top of these power rankings. The big beasts are already in position. It will take something seismic to move them now.

1. France (FIFA ranking: 3)

No change

To shift France from top spot, someone is going to have to do something outrageous. Right now, they look like a team that has solved themselves.

Since the second half of their opener against Senegal, Michael Olise has been locked into the No 10 role and is running games. Two more assists in a 3-0 win over Iraq, on top of his game-turning display in that first match, and he suddenly looks like the missing link in Didier Deschamps’ latest iteration.

A storm delay in Philadelphia didn’t even rattle them. Kylian Mbappe stepped back out and scored twice for the second game in a row, France strolling into the knockouts. Norway await on Friday for top spot in the group.

Deschamps will miss that game after the death of his mother, with an expected return for the knockouts. Emotion around the camp will be high. The performances suggest they can carry it.

2. Argentina (FIFA ranking: 1)

No change

Lionel Messi, 38 years old, is doing this. All five of Argentina’s goals so far have been his. Two more against Austria, and with them the status of the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer.

Argentina have back-to-back clean sheets, a quiet but important detail. The concern? Cristian Romero’s knee injury and his substitution against Austria. That shadow lingers.

The rest of the forward line still hasn’t really joined the party. At some point, they will need to. Then again, every time you say Messi can’t drag a team through a tournament on his own, he starts doing exactly that.

3. Germany (FIFA ranking: 10)

No change

The 7-1 against Curacao padded the goal difference. The 2-1 against Ivory Coast meant something.

Germany trailed, then turned to Deniz Undav. Off the bench, he scored twice, the winner arriving in added time from a gorgeous Felix Nmecha pass and a sharp turn-and-finish.

That comeback put them through as Group E winners and, crucially, snapped a grim pattern. This is the first time they’ve escaped a World Cup group since they lifted the trophy in 2014. Julian Nagelsmann’s side have momentum. That matters.

4. Spain (FIFA ranking: 2)

Up 1

Humiliated by Cape Verde in their opener, Spain answered with one of the most one-sided performances of the tournament: 4-0 against Saudi Arabia and it could have been more.

Twenty-two shots. 2.85 xG. Total control.

Lamine Yamal marked his first World Cup start with a goal after 10 minutes and got 45 minutes of rhythm into his legs. Mikel Oyarzabal, who went half an hour without touching the ball against Cape Verde, hit back with two goals here. A small personal redemption, a big collective reset.

Uruguay on Friday will decide Group H. Spain look ready to finish the job.

5. England (FIFA ranking: 4)

Down 1

The swagger of the 4-2 win over Croatia evaporated in Dortmund air. This was the other England.

A 0-0 draw with Ghana. Flat, predictable, underwhelming. The kind of night that turns “It’s coming home” into a whisper.

Still, beat Panama in the final group game and they top the group. The path remains clear. The question is whether the performance level will follow.

6. Netherlands (FIFA ranking: 8)

No change

The Netherlands tore Sweden apart and left a mark on the tournament.

Brian Brobbey’s introduction to the XI changed the tone. He bullied Sweden’s defence, combining sharply with Cody Gakpo and Crysencio Summerville, who both found the scoresheet.

Tunisia await in the final group game, beleaguered and already out. On paper, this group looked tricky. On the pitch, the Dutch are making it look anything but.

7. Brazil (FIFA ranking: 6)

No change

Brazil needed calm. They got it.

After a jittery opener, they dominated Haiti 3-0, a performance that soothed nerves without telling us everything. Matheus Cunha looked a more natural fit than Igor Thiago at the heart of a fluid attack. The patterns were sharper, the control more assured.

Scotland are next. Carlo Ancelotti will want another statement win to lock down Group C and restore that familiar aura.

8. Morocco (FIFA ranking: 7)

No change

The expectations at home are enormous: World Cup semi-finalists in 2022 and likely AFCON champions earlier this year. Morocco are carrying that weight with a certain ease.

A draw with Brazil, a win over Scotland, and both goals beautifully finished by Ismael Saibari. They look organised, ambitious, and comfortable in the noise.

To top Group C, they may need to hammer Haiti, depending on Brazil’s result against Scotland. But qualification is the real currency. They’re close to banking it.

9. United States (FIFA ranking: 17)

No change

When people start asking if the U.S. can win the World Cup, you know the mood has shifted.

They’ve been bright, bold, and entertaining. A 4-1 demolition of Paraguay, then a 2-0 win over Australia without even needing Christian Pulisic. Mauricio Pochettino has a rotating front line that feels dangerous every time it breaks.

They’re already through as group winners. Pulisic can rest against Turkey. The real plotting now is about how far this team can actually go.

10. Norway (FIFA ranking: 31)

No change

The dark horses are no longer creeping. They’re charging.

A 3-2 win over Senegal, seven goals in two games, and Erling Haaland looks unstoppable with another brace. Norway ran Senegal’s defence ragged, forcing errors and carving out chance after chance.

They do leak goals. That defensive fragility is real. But right now, they’re outscoring the problem.

11. Colombia (FIFA ranking: 14)

Up 1

Two games, two wins, job done.

Colombia haven’t convinced for 180 straight minutes. They wobbled against Uzbekistan and edged DR Congo 1-0 when they could have made life easier. But they’ve reached the knockouts with a game to spare.

That takes the pressure off a mouthwatering meeting with Portugal. A draw is enough to top the group. They’ll still want to send a message.

12. Mexico (FIFA ranking: 13)

Down 1

Mexico quietly became the first side into the knockout stage. A 1-0 win over South Korea booked their place and guaranteed top spot in Group A.

That matters. It brings a third-placed opponent in the last 32 and, crucially, keeps those games in Mexico City. Home comfort, altitude, and a ferocious crowd.

They haven’t dazzled against South Africa or South Korea, but two wins, two clean sheets, and a perfect platform for the co-hosts is hard to criticise.

13. Portugal (FIFA ranking: 5)

No change

Portugal needed a response after an underwhelming opener against DR Congo. They delivered a 5-0 beating of Uzbekistan and finally got their tournament moving.

Ronaldo’s double was more than nostalgia. It silenced, at least temporarily, the constant debate over his place in the side and etched that sixth-World-Cup scoring record into history.

But context matters. Uzbekistan’s defence looked overawed and inexperienced. Anyone getting carried away about Portugal’s overall prospects should probably wait until they’ve faced Colombia. That’s the real test.

14. Croatia (FIFA ranking: 11)

No change

Croatia are still clinging on.

They survived serious scares against Panama, needing substitute Ante Budimir’s close-range finish to scrape a 1-0 win. It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t dominant, but it kept them alive.

This golden-oldie generation doesn’t look as sharp as in 2018 or 2022. History, though, says you underestimate them at your peril.

15. Egypt (FIFA ranking: 29)

No change

Finally, a World Cup win.

Egypt had to come from behind against New Zealand but found a way, driven by Mohamed Salah’s goal and assist. It was overdue, and it changes the mood.

Beat Iran on Friday and they top Group G, which should bring a third-placed opponent in the last 32. They still don’t look like a team built for a deep run, but they’re edging into a favourable position.

16. Japan (FIFA ranking: 18)

No change

Japan are almost there. More than 99 per cent likely to progress after a ruthless 4-0 win over Tunisia, featuring an Ayase Ueda double.

In the 1,000th World Cup match, they produced their biggest-ever World Cup win and became the first Asian side to score four in a game at the tournament.

Tunisia are a mess, so this isn’t the time for wild proclamations. But Japan have a clear identity: speed, intensity, and a fierce press. That travels.

17. South Korea (FIFA ranking: 22)

No change

This was a step backwards.

South Korea barely laid a glove on Mexico in Guadalajara, slipping to a 1-0 defeat that leaves their knockout hopes hanging by a thread. Son Heung-min was withdrawn before the hour mark, and the attack never sparked.

They should beat South Africa on paper. Now their big players have to prove it on the pitch.

18. Switzerland (FIFA ranking: 19)

No change

A new name lit up Switzerland’s campaign.

At 20 years and 247 days, Johan Manzambi came off the bench and scored twice in a late 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. The margins are tight, the opportunity huge.

19. Canada (FIFA ranking: 30)

No change

Canada didn’t just win their first World Cup game. They obliterated Qatar 6-0 in Vancouver.

Jonathan David walked away with a hat-trick, Jesse Marsch’s aggressive pressing and attacking blueprint crackling into life. Almost everything clicked. Almost. Ismael Kone’s injury is a significant blow.

Still, a draw against Switzerland on Wednesday sends the co-hosts into the knockouts. For a nation that arrived with questions, that’s a rapid answer.

20. Ghana (FIFA ranking: 73)

Up 3

Ghana’s World Cup could hardly be going better.

A last-gasp win over Panama, then a disciplined, organised 0-0 against England. They even carried a threat on the break and might have had a penalty when Ezri Konsa tangled with Prince Kwabena Adu, only for VAR to disappear into the ether.

Four points from two games should be enough. For a side ranked 73rd by FIFA, this is a surge.

21. Belgium (FIFA ranking: 9)

Down 1

That No 9 ranking feels like a relic.

Belgium dominated Iran on paper: 23 shots, 1.82 xG, 70 per cent possession. They still couldn’t win. Kevin De Bruyne’s brilliance and Romelu Lukaku’s record mean little when the collective looks this disjointed.

No wins against Egypt or Iran. Even if they beat New Zealand on Friday, how far can this version of Belgium really go? They badly need Jeremy Doku back and electric.

22. Ivory Coast (FIFA ranking: 33)

Down 1

Ivory Coast went toe-to-toe with Germany and led for more than half an hour. That in itself says something.

Yan Diomande and Amad have tormented full-backs out wide, but they couldn’t hold on for a statement win. Still, the numbers are in their favour: around a 95 per cent chance of reaching the knockouts for the first time, according to modelling.

They’ve shown they can compete. Now they have to finish.

23. Uruguay (FIFA ranking: 16)

Down 1

Forty-four shots. 3.88 xG. Three goals. Two points.

Uruguay are living a nightmare of inefficiency. They’ve thrown everything at Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia and somehow find themselves needing a result against Spain to go through.

Pre-tournament, they were a mystery: level on points with Brazil and Colombia in qualifying, but in dreadful form. That slump has travelled with them. The flimsy two-man wall that let in Cape Verde’s 40-yard free kick summed up their fragility.

24. Algeria (FIFA ranking: 28)

No change

Set pieces might be Algeria’s secret weapon. Two goals from corners turned a deficit into a win against Jordan, a crucial edge for a team that may have to live off scraps against stronger opponents.

Riyad Mahrez returned to the starting XI and provided the creative spark in open play.

Austria on Sunday will decide second place. With a minus-two goal difference, they’re still chasing the numbers for a possible third-place progression.

25. Sweden (FIFA ranking: 38)

No change

Sweden have seen both sides of a 5-1 scoreline in the space of two games.

They hammered Tunisia, then were themselves dismantled by the Netherlands. That contrast is telling. With Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak, they can eviscerate weaker teams. Against the elite, their defensive shortcomings are brutally exposed.

26. Senegal (FIFA ranking: 15)

No change

Senegal started brightly against France. Since then, the goals have poured in — against them. Six conceded in two games, no points on the board.

There are flickers of hope. Ismaila Sarr’s double against Norway and Ibrahim Mbaye’s strike against France show they can trouble anyone. But defensive errors against Norway could have led to an even heavier defeat, and Edouard Mendy’s injury after an hour only deepened the problems.

They now need a big win over Iraq and a swing in goal difference to sneak through as one of the best third-placed sides. The drop in these rankings reflects the risk they’re about to go home early.

27. Australia (FIFA ranking: 27)

No change

Australia’s optimism after beating Turkey 2-0 took a hit against the United States.

Tony Popovic left both scorers from the Turkey game, Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe, out of the starting XI. Without Irankunda’s pace on the counter, they looked blunt and struggled to live with the U.S. in the first half.

Now it comes down to Paraguay for second place. One game to rescue the campaign.

28. Austria (FIFA ranking: 25)

No change

Ralf Rangnick shuffled his pack against Argentina, bringing Kevin Danso into defence and Paul Wanner into midfield. The tweaks didn’t solve the fundamental issue.

This Austria side have quality but lack a defining strength. They don’t have prolific forwards. They don’t have an imposing defence, as conceding to Jordan showed. Against stronger nations, you wonder where exactly they can hurt you.

Their showdown with Algeria on Sunday will decide who takes second place.

29. Scotland (FIFA ranking: 41)

No change

Scotland have turned into a nation of calculators.

After scraping past Haiti 1-0 and battling bravely in a 1-0 defeat to Morocco, they’re trying to work out how many goals they can afford to concede to Brazil and still squeak through as one of the best third-placed sides.

The second-half fight against Morocco suggested they can trouble the five-time champions. Any positive result on Wednesday and Scotland will finally reach a World Cup knockout stage.

30. Iran (FIFA ranking: 20)

No change

On the surface, a draw with Belgium looks like a triumph. Iran created good chances and saw a clever free-kick goal ruled out for a marginal offside.

But they’re still winless, and the margins are brutal. Failing to beat New Zealand in the opener, failing to capitalise when Belgium went down to 10 men — those moments may prove fatal.

They now need help. Perhaps Egypt ease off in their final Group G game. Perhaps not.

31. Ecuador (FIFA ranking: 24)

No change

Nineteen matches, two years unbeaten coming into the tournament. And now this.

A defeat to Ivory Coast, a draw with Curacao, and no goals from a combined 4.08 xG. Wastefulness has replaced resilience. Enner Valencia, 36 now, is not the ruthless finisher he was in 2022.

Germany await in the final group game. Ecuador will hope Nagelsmann rotates, having already qualified. They need a favour and a performance.

32. Paraguay (FIFA ranking: 40)

No change

Paraguay finally looked like the team many expected.

A 1-0 win over Turkey started with Matias Galarza’s thunderous strike after two minutes. Then came the chaos: Miguel Almiron became the first player sent off at a World Cup for covering his mouth while speaking to an opponent.

Down to 10, Paraguay dug in. Turkey threw everything at them and still couldn’t score. Almiron’s suspension for the Australia game is a major blow. Second place is on the line.

33. Cape Verde (FIFA ranking: 67)

No change

One of the stories of the tournament.

Cape Verde have held Spain and Uruguay, two former world champions, with a 40-yard free-kick and a flash of genius from substitute Helio Varela. They’re unbeaten, fearless, and on the brink of something historic.

Beat Saudi Arabia and they become arguably the most unlikely knockout team this competition has ever seen. Even a draw might be enough. Imagine that.

34. Saudi Arabia (FIFA ranking: 60)

No change

Reality bit hard.

After a spirited draw with Uruguay, Saudi Arabia were ripped apart 4-0 by Spain. It could easily have been worse. Spain controlled every inch.

Yet their task is now simple: beat Cape Verde and finish on four points, likely in third. Before a ball was kicked, they’d have grabbed that scenario with both hands.

35. New Zealand (FIFA ranking: 85)

No change

Stubborn, awkward, and still in with a shot.

New Zealand mirrored their 2010 spirit in drawing with Iran, then finally lost a World Cup game for the first time since 1982, going down 3-1 to Egypt after leading through Finn Surman.

Beat a fading Belgium on Saturday and they will almost certainly make history with a first knockout appearance. It’s that simple, and that daunting.

36. Czech Republic (FIFA ranking: 43)

Up 1

The Czech Republic struck early, then faded.

Michal Sadilek scored the fastest goal of this World Cup — five minutes and seven seconds — against South Africa. They still couldn’t close it out, conceding a deserved equaliser late on.

A 1-1 draw helps neither side. Now they must beat co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City to reach the knockouts. That’s a mountain.

37. Bosnia and Herzegovina (FIFA ranking: 64)

Up 1

Bosnia and Herzegovina were minutes away from a precious result before collapsing late against Switzerland.

Now the equation is brutally clear. Beat Qatar in Seattle on Wednesday and they will almost certainly progress on four points. Lose, and they’re gone.

38. DR Congo (FIFA ranking: 46)

Up 2

DR Congo keep standing tall against bigger names.

They followed up a shock 1-1 draw with Portugal by pushing Colombia all the way in a narrow 1-0 defeat. They’re organised at the back and dangerous on the break, especially through Yoane Wissa.

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

39. Qatar (FIFA ranking: 56)

No change

This could hardly have gone worse.

Six goals conceded to Canada. Two red cards. Humiliation on the scoreboard and in discipline.

And yet, the path is still there. Beat Bosnia and Herzegovina in their final group game and they will likely reach the knockouts on four points. For all the chaos, the door hasn’t shut.

40. Curacao (FIFA ranking: 82)

Up 1

Eloy Room wrote his own chapter.

With 15 saves against Ecuador, the 37-year-old goalkeeper delivered a performance to rival any debut nation’s World Cup heroics and stole a point that keeps Curacao alive.

Beat Ivory Coast and they might just sneak into the last 32. The margins are wild, but so is this story.

41. South Africa (FIFA ranking: 61)

Up 2

South Africa improved, fought back, and still fell short.

Their late equaliser against the Czech Republic showed character, but a draw wasn’t enough. They needed a win.

Now they must upset South Korea to go through. Anything less, and they’re out.

42. Iraq (FIFA ranking: 57)

Up 2

Iraq have run into a storm of world-class forwards and been blown away.

Facing Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe in consecutive games is a brutal education. Captain Aymen Hussein’s injury after 26 minutes against France only deepened the struggle.

To have any chance, they must thrash Senegal. The odds on that are slim. The reality is harsher.

43. Uzbekistan (FIFA ranking: 50)

Down 1

Uzbekistan impressed against Colombia. Then Portugal arrived and tore them apart.

A 5-0 defeat, Cristiano Ronaldo rampant, and star man Abdukodir Khusanov in tears at full-time. The defending was naive, the stage overwhelming.

They weren’t 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 hope the rest of the group breaks their way. It feels like a long shot.

The eliminated teams

44. Panama (FIFA ranking: 34)

Down 8

Panama are out with a game to spare, and that will sting.

Two 1-0 defeats — to Ghana via a stoppage-time goal and to Croatia — tell a story of narrow margins and missed chances. Pride in their performances will mix with regret at what might have been.

45. Jordan (FIFA ranking: 63)

No change

Jordan’s first World Cup is over after defeats to Austria and Algeria.

They scored in both games, which is something, but never truly managed to suffocate their opponents the way other debutants have, often on the back of heroic goalkeeping. The gap in quality told.

46. Haiti (FIFA ranking: 83)

No change

Haiti became the first team knocked out of this World Cup, but they refuse to be the worst story.

Placed in one of the toughest groups, unable to play at home due to political turmoil, they pushed Scotland hard and could feel unlucky to leave that game with nothing. Brazil away was always going to be a bridge too far; 3-0 down at half-time, they at least “drew” the second half 0-0.

They face Morocco next, chasing a first-ever World Cup point. The dream has shrunk, not disappeared.

47. Turkey (FIFA ranking: 23)

No change

Turkey, the eternal trap.

Even with Kenan Yildiz and Arda Guler in attack, even with an experienced back line featuring Ferdi Kadioglu, even with Hakan Calhanoglu’s passing range, they are out after two games.

Sixty-two shots. Zero goals. A Paraguay side down to 10 men for half a match, and still no breakthrough. Call it bad luck if you like. At some point, the numbers look like something else.

48. Tunisia (FIFA ranking: 45)

No change

Tunisia’s World Cup has been a disaster.

A 5-1 hammering by Sweden cost Sabri Lamouchi his job. Herve Renard arrived and still couldn’t stop a 4-0 thrashing by Japan.

Minus eight on goal difference after two games, no team has lost by more. Their tournament ends as a cautionary tale of what happens when a campaign unravels and never stops falling.

The hierarchy is hardening at the top. France and Argentina are locked in, Germany and Spain are rising, and the United States are forcing their way into the conversation.

But beneath them, chaos reigns. Giants wobble, debutants dream, and nations like Cape Verde and New Zealand stare at the brink of history.

Who blinks first?