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1) France (no alteration from erstwhile rankings*)
Les Bleus look unstoppable – each six of our judges classed them No 1. Sweden did their champion to header pinch nan French beforehand 4 but were blown away by nan slickest cognition successful town. Even erstwhile an force is emotion comfortable, Michael Olise aliases Kylian Mbappé tin nutrient brilliant without notice, ripping isolated nan best-organised defences. “I did opportunity that I wanted to bask this World Cup to nan fullest,” Mbappé told reporters aft nan Sweden game. It is difficult to ideate nan nosy stopping immoderate clip soon.
2) Spain (+1)
After going done nan motions successful nan group, Spain yet came live against Austria, pinch an “almost perfect” victory, successful nan words of Luis de la Fuente. Lamine Yamal is getting amended by nan game, a frightening thought for immoderate opponents, and Unai Simón is yet to concede. The handbrake is good and genuinely disconnected for La Roja and nan shot is flowing freely, aided by Mikel Oyarzabal being objective successful beforehand of goal.
3) Argentina (-1)
They person won each lucifer they person played astatine this World Cup and person nan tournament’s leading scorer successful Lionel Messi. But nan world champions doubly fto Cape Verde backmost into a scintillating match connected Friday and whitethorn not person been fto disconnected nan hook by a much ruthless team. It will besides beryllium absorbing to spot really playing 120 minutes successful nan draining power of Miami will impact them successful Tuesday’s last-16 lucifer against Egypt. By nan extremity galore of nan Argentina broadside – including Messi – looked physically and emotionally drained.
4) Mexico (+3)
There are fewer amended sights than a bouncing Azteca Stadium watching El Tri successful afloat flow. This is not nan champion squad astatine nan tourney but they are thriving successful their homeland, powered by nan prodigal talents of Gilberto Mora, who was awesome against Ecuador. The last-16 conflict against England will beryllium nan past successful Mexico for nan co-hosts, which whitethorn slow their momentum if they progress.
5) Morocco (+4)
Morocco ne'er springiness up and forced other clip against nan Netherlands done a 91st-minute Issa Diop goal. It was an denotation that nan African champions are calculated and capable to clasp their nerve, arsenic Yassine Bounou proved successful nan punishment shootout. They person drawn pinch Brazil and beaten Netherlands to show they are tin of replicating their semi-final spot 4 years ago. “I deliberation Morocco has gained everybody’s respect now,” said nan caput coach, Mohamed Ouahbi. Few would argue.
6) Brazil (-1)
It felt arsenic if 2 versions of Brazil played Japan. The 1 successful nan first half was placid and lacking desire. But erstwhile Brazil returned from nan half-time break, a extremity down, they were revitalised. Vinícius Júnior’s skills kept Japan connected nan backmost foot, ably supported by Rayan and nan acquisition of Casemiro and Bruno Guimarāes successful midfield. There are concerns pinch nan defence but nan guardant statement is making up for it.
7) Norway (+5)
It turns retired making 10 changes 2 matches successful a statement was a bully idea. Erling Haaland is often quiet, making immoderate deliberation he is retired of nan game, but he is ever alert, biding his clip to pounce, and he sewage nan victor against Côte d’Ivoire. The Manchester City striker will beryllium rather excited astir different ferocious conflict pinch Gabriel Magalhães successful nan adjacent round.
8) England (no change)
England are fortunate to person 1 of nan world’s champion strikers, which helped them debar an exit astatine nan hands of nan Democratic Republic of nan Congo. Harry Kane was objective erstwhile it mattered, but Thomas Tuchel should beryllium very worried astir nan wide performance. It was pedestrian and disjointed for nan astir part, leaving nan caput coach pinch plentifulness to ponder earlier an intimidating conflict pinch nan co-hosts Mexico. The defence was ragged against nan DRC and a repetition of that capacity will surely beryllium punished.
9) USA (+7)
Folarin Balogun’s reddish card – and suspension – whitethorn travel backmost to haunt Mauricio Pochettino. The striker has proved a handful, scoring 3 times successful arsenic galore games. The US tin return heart, however, successful really they performed aft his dismissal against Bosnia and Herzegovina. They not only held disconnected their opponents, they added a 2nd goasl to show this type of nan USMNT is made of stern stuff. They will not beryllium acrophobic of Belgium.
10) Colombia (-4)
Another ascendant show against Ghana, moreover if a 1-0 triumph did not bespeak their efforts. There will beryllium interest that they are incapable to termination disconnected matches but nan wide performances are worthy of note. They person all-action full-backs rampaging down nan flanks, nan unpredictable dribbling of Luis Díaz causes opponents problems, and James Rodríguez is reminding everyone of what he brings to a World Cup arsenic a playmaker. Switzerland will clasp nary fears for a broadside afloat of vigour and confidence, backed by a ample and large group of supporters.
11) Portugal (-1)
Penalty aside, Portugal were 2nd champion against Croatia while Cristiano Ronaldo was connected nan pitch. It took for Roberto Martínez to hook him for things to prime up; Gonçalo Ramos was past nan leader pinch a good header. Portugal cognize really to predominate possession but bluntness is simply a repeated issue. Rafael Leão has go their astir vulnerable threat and harnessing his qualities connected nan near will beryllium important, supported superbly by Nuno Mendes.
12) Switzerland (+5)
With Johan Manzambi becoming nan breakout star, and nan squad having nan acquisition of Breel Embolo and Granit Xhaka, Switzerland’s advancement should not astound. “I deliberation that you tin really usage Manzambi successful each azygous position,” nan caput coach, Murat Yakin, said aft nan 20-year-old made ray activity of Algeria. “It’s conscionable truthful overmuch nosy to activity pinch him and spot him execute for illustration that. He is really evolving.” Which is starting to sound for illustration a threat.
13) Belgium (no change)
They were successful utmost peril against Senegal until Youri Tielemans and Leandro Trossard shared stern words during nan 2nd hydration break. Some aggression was required because nan Red Devils had been passengers. In nan end, they conjured up a singular victory done luck alternatively than design, pinch moreover their caput coach, Rudi Garcia, admitting Senegal deserved to win. Maybe much infighting tin thief merge what looks a disjointed side; they are very fortunate to beryllium through.
14) Canada (+10)
They needed an injury-time victor against South Africa but deserved to advancement to nan past 16. Canada were nan much affirmative squad and nan return of their captain, Alphonso Davies, made a immense quality – he inspired his teammates to push on. It was Davies, a precocious substitute, who created abstraction for nan winner. His beingness will supply optimism for nan adjacent round.
15) Egypt (+5)
Reaching nan past 16 was intelligibly an affectional infinitesimal for nan nation; Mohamed Salah and nan caput coach, Hossam Hassan, burst into tears aft they clinched victory against Australia. There was an effort to triumph a tightly contested crippled earlier nan dreaded shootout but nan Pharaohs lacked nan gumption to make thing of it. Maybe that blimpish tone will beryllium what is needed against Argentina. Salah’s Panenka shows location is plentifulness of swagger successful this team.
16) Paraguay (+15)
Neutrals whitethorn not beryllium pleased by La Albirroja’s style – Paraguay overcame Germany contempt having 26% possession connected nan measurement to their shootout triumph. They should, however, beryllium lauded for their continued betterment aft their humiliation by nan US successful their first game. “If we had not learned from nan loss, we would not person been prepared for this match,” nan caput coach, Gustavo Alfaro, said aft beating Germany. “I told nan players that we person lived done an epic evening.”
17) Cape Verde (+2)
Ranked extracurricular nan apical 16 only because they are retired of nan tournament. They were superb successful a thriller against Argentina and showed nan organisation and trade that sewage them to nan knockout stage. Their only conclusion of nan tourney came against nan reigning champions, and moreover that successful other time, and they held nan European champions, Spain, to a draw. Bravo.
18) Japan (-4)
So adjacent to causing a daze against Brazil but they sat excessively heavy for excessively long, letting their opponents backmost into nan game. Still impressed by going toe-to-toe pinch 1 of nan world’s champion teams.
19) Croatia (-1)
It was a fond farewell to 40-year-old Luka Modric who, alongside his teammates, could not person done overmuch much successful a chaotic lucifer against Portugal that was mislaid by nan finest of margins.
20) Netherlands (-16)
Ronald Koeman changed his team’s statement and strategy against Morocco and it almost paid dividends. But he will surely wonderment whether his conservatism was nan logic nan squad departed early.
21) DR Congo (+4)
Desperately tried to clasp connected against England, but were forced to campy wrong their ain area and it was excessively reliable a task. Yoane Wissa will regret his miss that would person made it 2-0.
22) Senegal (+10)
The postmortem will beryllium a achy one, having fixed up a two-goal lead pinch 4 minutes to spell against Belgium. They were dominant, outclassing Belgium for agelong periods, but shot is cruel.
23) Côte d’Ivoire (-8)
Only a stunning prevention from Ørjan Nyland prevented nan Ivorians from going to other clip against Norway. It was a crippled settled by who had nan champion striker connected nan day, and fewer are amended than Haaland.
24) Germany (-13)
The cracks were papered complete successful nan group shape but came to nan fore successful their shootout defeat. It was an error-strewn capacity to extremity an underwhelming tourney for Germany.
25) Australia (-3)
To make specified awesome strides successful nan tourney and past hide really to return penalties successful a shootout was deflating for them. Their finishing was bad boy from nan first whistle against Egypt.
26) Sweden (-5)
There was nary awesome shame successful nan conclusion by France. Sweden worked highly difficult to support their opponents quiet but were undone by an elite operation.
27) Ghana (-1)
Losing 1-0 to Colombia was a fitting tribute to a squad who seldom attacked and were often unbearable to watch – they didn’t person a changeable connected target successful their last-32 tie. Thanks for coming, Carlos Queiroz.
28) Ecuador (+2)
The effort needed to get past Germany successful their group crippled was telling arsenic Ecuador meekly exited against Mexico. They had nan added ignominy of Piero Hincapié being sent disconnected for covering his mouth.
29) Austria (-2)
If not for nan goalkeeper Alexander Schlager, things would person been a batch worse against Spain but location was nary shame for Austria successful being inferior.
30) Algeria (-2)
Not crisp capable from nan disconnected and were caught acold by Switzerland. Algeria person recovered retired nan biggest shape is ruthless and they were ne'er sufficiently cut-throat.
31) South Africa (-8)
Made history by getting retired of their group but it looked arsenic if their main ambition against Canada was getting to a shootout.
32) Bosnia and Herzegovina (-3)
Somewhat fortunate to get to nan past 16. It was almost inevitable they would depart astatine this stage, particularly erstwhile Edin Dzeko was forced off.
