World Cup Day 13 Power Rankings: Ronaldo Shines, England Stumbles
Cristiano Ronaldo’s double lit up day 13 of this World Cup. England, by contrast, trudged through a goalless stalemate with Ghana. Two very different nights, one simple truth: at this stage, style points don’t move the needle much in our power rankings. The big hitters have planted their flags. It will take something seismic to dislodge them now.
So who really shifted the landscape?
1. France (FIFA ranking: 3)
No movement
France look like a team that has cracked its own code.
Since Michael Olise dropped into the No 10 role midway through the opener against Senegal, Didier Deschamps’ side have snapped into focus. Olise added two more assists in the 3-0 dismissal of Iraq, threading passes between the lines as if it were a training drill.
A storm delay in Philadelphia briefly paused the spectacle, not Kylian Mbappe. Two more goals, another game decided at his pace, and France are into the knockouts with a group decider against Norway to come on Friday. Deschamps will miss that match following the death of his mother, but is expected back for the business end. His team already look like they’re there.
2. Argentina (FIFA ranking: 1)
No movement
Lionel Messi is 38. It does not matter.
He has scored all five of Argentina’s goals across two wins, including a double against Austria that carried him past every other player in history to become the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer. Argentina have barely needed anyone else.
The defence has quietly done its job with back-to-back clean sheets, though Cristian Romero’s knee injury and substitution against Austria is an unwelcome wrinkle. At some point, other forwards will have to join the party. For now, the question lingers: does Messi actually need them?
3. Germany (FIFA ranking: 10)
No movement
Ignore the 7-1 against Curacao. The real statement came in the grind.
Trailing Ivory Coast late on, Germany found a way. Julian Nagelsmann turned to Deniz Undav, and the substitute answered with a brace, the winner arriving in added time after a sharp ball from Felix Nmecha and an equally sharp turn-and-finish.
That 2-1 victory did more than secure top spot in Group E. It dragged Germany somewhere they haven’t been since 2014: safely through a World Cup group. Momentum, at last, belongs to them again.
4. Spain (FIFA ranking: 2)
Up 1
Humiliated by Cape Verde in their opener, Spain responded with a performance that bordered on ruthless.
Saudi Arabia were swept aside 4-0. Twenty-two shots, 2.85 xG, and the sense they could have scored whenever they fancied. Lamine Yamal needed only 10 minutes of his first World Cup start to score, then banked 45 minutes of experience. Mikel Oyarzabal, anonymous for half an hour against Cape Verde, struck twice here.
The job now is simple: beat Uruguay on Friday, finish Group H with authority, and file that Cape Verde wobble under “early-tournament nonsense”.
5. England (FIFA ranking: 4)
Down 1
The party ended quickly.
After the 4-2 chaos and attacking verve against Croatia, England reverted to type in a flat 0-0 with Ghana. Slow tempo, little incision, and a night that quietened the “It’s coming home” chorus just as it was warming up.
Gareth Southgate’s side still control their fate. Beat Panama in the final group game and they top the group. But this was a reminder: when England take the handbrake off, they look dangerous. When they don’t, they look very familiar.
6. Netherlands (FIFA ranking: 8)
No movement
The Netherlands didn’t just beat Sweden. They tore them apart.
Brian Brobbey barged his way into the XI and through Sweden’s back line, dovetailing with Cody Gakpo and Crysencio Summerville in an attack that looked slick and ruthless. A group that seemed awkward on paper now looks there for the taking.
Tunisia await in the final match. On this evidence, the Dutch should stroll to top spot.
7. Brazil (FIFA ranking: 6)
No movement
Brazil needed a response. Haiti provided the stage.
A 3-0 win brought calm back to Carlo Ancelotti’s camp. Matheus Cunha, preferred to Igor Thiago, looked a more natural fit in their fluid front line, linking play and stretching the defence. The opposition was modest; the performance didn’t need to be spectacular, just convincing.
Scotland are next. Another dominant display and Brazil can claim Group C as theirs.
8. Morocco (FIFA ranking: 7)
No movement
The bar is high when you’ve just reached a World Cup semi-final and (most likely) won AFCON.
Morocco have handled that weight. A draw with Brazil and a win over Scotland leave them well placed in Group C, with Ismael Saibari finishing both games with composure and class.
To top the group they may need to run up a score against Haiti, depending on Brazil’s result against Scotland. Deep down, though, everyone knows the real target is simply getting back into the knockout rounds.
9. United States (FIFA ranking: 17)
No movement
When people start debating whether the U.S. can win the World Cup, you know something is stirring.
Maybe that’s premature, but Mauricio Pochettino’s side have been one of the tournament’s most entertaining outfits. A 4-1 dismantling of Paraguay was followed by a controlled 2-0 win over Australia, achieved without even calling on Christian Pulisic.
They’re already through as group winners. Pochettino can rest key players against Turkey and quietly sketch a route into the latter stages. The mood around this team is different. You can feel it.
10. Norway (FIFA ranking: 31)
No movement
The dark horses are no longer lurking in the shadows.
A 3-2 win over Senegal showcased both their threat and their flaws. Norway’s attack shredded the African champions’ defence, creating chance after chance and forcing errors. At the other end, they wobbled, conceding late to make the scoreline tighter than the performance.
Seven goals in two games tells its own story. So does Erling Haaland’s form: another double, another defence bullied. The question is whether their back line can hold out long enough for him to keep deciding games.
11. Colombia (FIFA ranking: 14)
Up 1
Two games, two wins, not much comfort.
Colombia have progressed to the knockouts with a 100 per cent record, yet both victories — a nervy outing against Uzbekistan and a narrow 1-0 over DR Congo — came with late wobbles and unnecessary jeopardy.
Still, they are through with a game to spare, and that matters. A draw against Portugal will be enough to top the group. The talent is there; now they need a performance that actually looks like a contender’s.
12. Mexico (FIFA ranking: 13)
Down 1
Mexico became the first side to punch their ticket to the last 32, and they did it their way: controlled, disciplined, rarely spectacular.
A 1-0 win over South Korea followed a similarly steady victory against South Africa. Two games, two clean sheets, and, crucially, guaranteed top spot in Group A. That secures a third-placed opponent and keeps both the last-32 and potential last-16 ties in Mexico City.
It’s not fireworks. It doesn’t need to be. Not yet.
13. Portugal (FIFA ranking: 5)
No movement
Portugal needed a reaction. They produced a rout.
Uzbekistan were overwhelmed 5-0, their defence exposed and their star man Abdukodir Khusanov reduced to tears at full-time. Ronaldo, inevitably, took centre stage. Two goals, a landmark achieved as the first man to score in six different World Cups, and at least a temporary pause to the noise around his place in the side.
The context matters. Uzbekistan were raw and overawed. Anyone rushing to crown Portugal as favourites should wait for the Colombia test. That will tell us who they really are.
14. Croatia (FIFA ranking: 11)
No movement
Croatia’s veterans are still clinging to the sharp end of tournaments, but the signs this time are mixed.
They edged past Panama 1-0 thanks to substitute Ante Budimir’s close-range finish, surviving a couple of serious scares. Add that to the defensive issues exposed by England and you see a side straining to stay at the level of 2018 and 2022.
Yet history says you underestimate them at your peril. They’ve made a habit of outlasting more glamorous squads.
15. Egypt (FIFA ranking: 29)
No movement
At long last, Egypt have a World Cup win to their name.
They had to sweat for it, coming from behind against New Zealand, but Mohamed Salah delivered with a goal and an assist to finally drag his country over the line on this stage.
The performance didn’t scream “deep run”. It didn’t need to. Beat Iran on Friday and they top Group G, likely earning a third-placed opponent in the last 32. From there, with Salah, anything can happen.
16. Japan (FIFA ranking: 18)
No movement
Japan marked the 1,000th World Cup match in style.
A 4-0 demolition of Tunisia — their biggest-ever World Cup win and the first time an Asian side has scored four in a game at the tournament — underlined the clarity of their approach. Ayase Ueda scored twice, the press was sharp, the tempo relentless.
Tunisia’s struggles mean it’s wise not to get carried away. But Japan have a clear identity, and that alone takes them a long way.
17. South Korea (FIFA ranking: 22)
No movement
This was not the script.
South Korea barely laid a glove on Mexico in Guadalajara, slipping to a defeat that leaves their qualification hanging by a thread. Son Heung-min was withdrawn before the hour, the attack sputtered, and the sense of urgency was missing.
They should beat South Africa on paper. On the pitch, their big names now have to prove it.
18. Switzerland (FIFA ranking: 19)
No movement
Sometimes a tournament tilts on a single performance from an unexpected source.
At 20 years and 247 days, Johan Manzambi came off the bench and tore into Bosnia and Herzegovina, scoring twice in a late 4-1 win to become the youngest player to net 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. With Manzambi’s emergence, Switzerland suddenly look a little more dangerous.
19. Canada (FIFA ranking: 30)
No movement
This was an eruption.
Canada didn’t just win their first World Cup game; they obliterated Qatar 6-0 in Vancouver. Jesse Marsch’s aggressive, front-foot blueprint came to life, Jonathan David helping himself to a hat-trick as Qatar unravelled.
The one sour note was Ismael Kone’s injury, a genuine blow. Even so, a draw against Switzerland on Wednesday sends the co-hosts into the knockouts. Canada have finally arrived on this stage.
20. Ghana (FIFA ranking: 73)
Up 3
Four points. One foot in the knockouts. And a statement performance against England.
Ghana backed up their last-minute win over Panama with a disciplined, organised display in a 0-0 draw that could easily have been more. They carried a threat on the break and had a strong shout for a penalty when Ezri Konsa clipped Prince Kwabena Adu, only for VAR to stay silent.
They have essentially done the hard work. Now comes the chance to turn a good story into a great one.
21. Belgium (FIFA ranking: 9)
Down 1
The numbers flatter to deceive.
Belgium racked up 23 shots, 1.82 xG and 70 per cent possession against Iran. They did not win. Just as Kevin De Bruyne’s status as one of the Premier League’s finest and Romelu Lukaku’s record goal tally mean little if they cannot bend this tournament to their will.
This looks like half a team: patterns without punch, names without cohesion. They have failed to beat Egypt and Iran. Even if they now defeat New Zealand, the ceiling feels alarmingly low. Jeremy Doku’s return can’t come soon enough.
22. Ivory Coast (FIFA ranking: 33)
Down 1
Ivory Coast have shown they can live with anyone. They just haven’t quite finished the job.
They led Germany for more than half an hour, their wingers Yan Diomande and Amad tormenting defenders and stretching the game. Then they let it slip.
The upside? They are still 95 per cent likely to reach the knockout stage for the first time, according to The Athletic’s forecast model. The performances suggest they belong there.
23. Uruguay (FIFA ranking: 16)
Down 1
Forty-four shots. 3.88 xG. Three goals. Two points. That is Uruguay’s World Cup so far.
They have dominated in volume, not in ruthlessness, and now face Spain needing a result just to escape Group H. Marcelo Bielsa’s side arrived with a high-class midfield and qualification form that matched Brazil and Colombia, but their recent slump has bled straight into this tournament.
The image that sums them up? A flimsy two-man wall that let Cape Verde’s 40-yard free kick sneak in. Fragile when it matters most.
24. Algeria (FIFA ranking: 28)
No movement
Algeria have found a weapon: set pieces.
Both goals in their comeback win over Jordan came from corners, a crucial edge for a side likely to face limited chances against stronger opponents. Riyad Mahrez’s return to the starting XI added craft in open play, too.
Austria await on Sunday in what is effectively a shootout for second place. With a minus-two goal difference, Algeria still have work to do — but at least they are in the fight.
25. Sweden (FIFA ranking: 38)
No movement
Sweden have shown both faces in the space of two games.
They demolished Tunisia 5-1, then suffered the same scoreline against the Netherlands. That contrast tells the story: they can rip apart weaker sides with Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak, but they remain a tier below the elite and defensively brittle when the pressure rises.
26. Senegal (FIFA ranking: 15)
No movement
The start promised more than this.
After a strong first half against France, Senegal have shipped six goals in two matches and remain pointless. Ismaila Sarr’s double against Norway and Ibrahim Mbaye’s strike versus France show they can hurt big teams, but defensive errors and injuries — including Edouard Mendy’s withdrawal after an hour against Norway — have undermined them.
They now need a heavy win over Iraq to have any hope of sneaking through as one of the best third-placed sides. It feels a long way from their opening 45 minutes of the tournament.
27. Australia (FIFA ranking: 27)
No movement
Australia’s optimism after beating Turkey 2-0 took a hit against the United States.
Tony Popovic’s decision to bench both goalscorers from that opener, Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe, robbed them of pace and cutting edge on the counter. Against the USMNT’s intensity, they simply couldn’t keep up, especially before half-time.
Now they face Paraguay with second place on the line. It’s a test not just of quality, but of selection and nerve.
28. Austria (FIFA ranking: 25)
No movement
Ralf Rangnick is still tinkering. The clock is ticking.
He brought Kevin Danso into defence and Paul Wanner into midfield against Argentina, but the same issues linger. This side has talent, yet lacks a ruthless striker and a watertight back line. They even conceded to Jordan.
Algeria on Sunday will decide who claims second. Austria know exactly what’s at stake. The question is where their edge actually lies.
29. Scotland (FIFA ranking: 41)
No movement
Scotland have turned into a nation of calculators.
After scraping past Haiti 1-0 and then losing 1-0 to Morocco, they are trying to work out how much damage Brazil can inflict while still leaving a path to the knockouts as one of the best third-placed teams. The good news: their second-half fight against Morocco suggested they can trouble the five-time champions.
Any positive result against Brazil on Wednesday would send them into uncharted territory — a first-ever World Cup knockout appearance.
30. Iran (FIFA ranking: 20)
No movement
On paper, a draw with Belgium is a triumph. On the pitch, it felt like an opportunity half-taken.
Iran carved out serious chances, even had a cleverly worked free-kick goal ruled out for a marginal offside, and played the final stages against 10 men. Yet they still chase their first win of the tournament, and the opening draw with New Zealand may prove expensive.
They now face Egypt, hoping the group leaders ease off. If they don’t, Iran’s brave resistance may not be enough.
31. Ecuador (FIFA ranking: 24)
No movement
Nineteen matches. Two years. No defeats. Then this.
Ecuador have been one of the tournament’s biggest disappointments, losing to Ivory Coast and then drawing with Curacao. They have generated 4.08 xG and scored none, a brutal mix of poor finishing and fading sharpness from 36-year-old Enner Valencia, who once carried them through a group in Qatar.
Germany await next. Ecuador must hope Nagelsmann rotates heavily. Otherwise, that long unbeaten run will feel like a distant memory.
32. Paraguay (FIFA ranking: 40)
No movement
This was more like the team many expected.
Paraguay flew at Turkey, Matias Galarza thundering in from distance after just two minutes, then dug in after Miguel Almiron became the first player sent off at a World Cup for covering his mouth while speaking to an opponent.
They held out under heavy pressure, restoring faith in their defensive resilience. But Almiron’s suspension for the Australia clash is a huge blow as they chase second place.
33. Cape Verde (FIFA ranking: 67)
No movement
Cape Verde are writing one of the stories of this World Cup.
They followed up a shock draw against Spain with a 2-2 thriller against Uruguay, featuring a 40-yard free kick and a moment of invention from substitute Helio Varela. Two former world champions, two shared points.
Saudi Arabia are next. Win, and Cape Verde would be the most improbable knockout participant this tournament has ever seen. Even a draw might be enough. Imagine that.
34. Saudi Arabia (FIFA ranking: 60)
No movement
Reality bit hard.
After standing toe-to-toe with Uruguay, Saudi Arabia were dismantled 4-0 by Spain, and the margin could easily have been worse. Spain’s dominance was total.
Yet the equation remains enticingly simple: beat Cape Verde and finish on four points, most likely in third place, and they are in the conversation for the knockouts. They would have taken that scenario before a ball was kicked.
35. New Zealand (FIFA ranking: 85)
No movement
New Zealand’s World Cup identity remains intact: stubborn, awkward, hard to put away.
They drew all three matches in 2010. This time, after a draw with Iran, they finally lost a World Cup game for the first time since 1982, going down 3-1 to Egypt despite Finn Surman’s opener.
Yet the opportunity is still there. Beat a fading Belgium on Saturday and they will almost certainly reach the knockout stage for the first time. For a team built on defiance, it’s a tantalising prospect.
36. Czech Republic (FIFA ranking: 43)
Up 1
The Czech Republic struck early, then slowly lost control.
Michal Sadilek scored the fastest goal of the tournament so far after five minutes and seven seconds against South Africa, but they couldn’t kill the game. South Africa rallied and levelled late for a 1-1 draw that helped neither side.
Now the Czechs must beat co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City to go through. That’s the tallest of orders.
37. Bosnia and Herzegovina (FIFA ranking: 64)
Up 1
Bosnia and Herzegovina saw their hopes dented by a late collapse against Switzerland.
They now face Qatar in Seattle in what amounts to a knockout play-off. Win, and four points should be enough to progress. Lose, and they’re done. There is no more room for error.
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 have shown they belong at this level.
Beat Uzbekistan at the weekend and four points should carry them into the knockouts. For a supposed underdog, they look anything but timid.
39. Qatar (FIFA ranking: 56)
No movement
This could hardly have gone worse.
Six goals conceded to Canada, two red cards, and a performance that unravelled from the first whistle. And yet, the path is still clear: beat Bosnia and Herzegovina in their final group game and they will almost certainly reach the last 32 on four points.
For all the chaos, their fate remains in their own hands.
40. Curacao (FIFA ranking: 82)
Up 1
Another debutant goalkeeper, another World Cup epic.
Eloy Room produced a 15-save masterclass to earn Curacao a draw against Ecuador and keep their campaign alive. At 37, he has written his own piece of history for the island.
Now comes Ivory Coast. Win, and Curacao move from plucky newcomers to genuine knockout contenders.
41. South Africa (FIFA ranking: 61)
Up 2
South Africa improved, then ran out of time.
Their spirited comeback to draw 1-1 with the Czech Republic showed more belief and structure, but a win was what they truly needed. Instead, they face South Korea requiring an upset to reach the knockouts.
They have given themselves a chance. It’s a slim one.
42. Iraq (FIFA ranking: 57)
Up 2
Iraq have run into a storm of elite talent.
Haaland, then Mbappe: it’s a brutal way to start a World Cup. They never really laid a glove on Norway or France, and losing captain Aymen Hussein to injury after 26 minutes against France only deepened the problems.
They still have a mathematical route: hammer Senegal and hope. In reality, that looks remote.
43. Uzbekistan (FIFA ranking: 50)
Down 1
Uzbekistan’s bright start faded under the lights of a heavyweight.
After a promising display against Colombia, they crumbled in a 5-0 defeat to Portugal, their defending naive and their confidence shredded. Abdukodir Khusanov’s tears at full-time told the story.
They were never expected to take much from their first two games, but the scale of the damage — to goal difference and belief — leaves them needing a win over DR Congo and help elsewhere. It feels 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 — leave them with regrets over missed chances rather than any sense of being outclassed. They will leave wondering how different things might have been with a little more composure in both boxes.
45. Jordan (FIFA ranking: 63)
No movement
Jordan’s debut ends with two defeats, but not without moments.
They scored in both matches against Austria and Algeria, yet couldn’t contain either opponent for long enough. Where other newcomers have leaned on extraordinary goalkeeping to cling on, Jordan simply didn’t have that extra layer of resistance.
46. Haiti (FIFA ranking: 83)
No movement
Haiti were the first team eliminated. They deserve far more respect than that label suggests.
Dropped into one of the tournament’s toughest groups, unable to play on home soil due to political turmoil, they pushed Scotland hard and left that match unlucky to have nothing to show. Against Brazil, the gulf was always likely to be too wide; three first-half goals ended the contest, but they “drew” the second half 0-0.
They face Morocco next, chasing a first-ever World Cup point. That alone would be a fitting reward.
47. Turkey (FIFA ranking: 23)
No movement
The warning has been repeated for years. This time, it felt definitive: do not trust Turkey.
Arda Guler, Kenan Yildiz, Hakan Calhanoglu, Ferdi Kadioglu — the names tempt you. The performances do not. Drawn into one of the so-called easier groups, tipped as dark horses, they are out after two games.
Sixty-two shots. Zero goals. Not even a breakthrough against a Paraguay side reduced to 10 men for half the match. Unlucky? Maybe. But if you cannot score in those circumstances, you cannot complain about fortune.
48. Tunisia (FIFA ranking: 45)
No movement
Tunisia’s World Cup unravelled quickly and brutally.
A 5-1 hammering by Sweden cost Sabri Lamouchi his job. Herve Renard arrived and watched a 4-0 defeat to Japan that was just as comprehensive. Minus eight after two games, no team has fared worse on the scoreboard.
The numbers are ugly. The reality is starker: Tunisia leave with their worst World Cup campaign still ringing in their ears.
