Day 25 might just have been the most dramatic of the World Cup so far, with Norway knocking out five-time winners Brazil and England surviving a siege at the Azteca to beat co-hosts Mexico
And then there were events off the pitch, with Folarin Balogun’s one-game ban controversially suspended. The U.S. striker, who has three goals at the tournament, will now be available to play Belgium later on Monday
How does all that affect our rankings? With only 12 teams left, things are starting to get serious…
Get free access to the most comprehensive World Cup coverage inThe Athleticapp
1. France
FIFA ranking: 1
➡️
Having dismantled four opponents in a row, France were finally nullified in the last 16 by a stubborn Paraguay side, but still made it through with a 1-0 win
Paraguay showed that with unscrupulous methods, France can be got at, and you wonder if better opponents (i.e. Morocco in the quarter-finals) will take note and attempt to rile Didier Deschamps’ side
However, France remain clear favourites to win the tournament given the ridiculous attacking talent they possess. Kylian Mbappe is level with Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland in the race for the Golden Boot with seven goals, while creator-in-chief Michael Olise is top of the assists chart with five
They deservedly remain top of our rankings — and The Athletic’s live projection tool forecasts a 31 per cent chance of them winning the World Cup
What You Should Read Next
Ranking the World Cup’s 20 maddest moments
Headbutts, spitting, diving, biting, crying, cheating and thieving all feature in the wild history of football’s biggest tournament
2. Spain
FIFA ranking: 3
➡️
If it feels like Spain and star player Lamine Yamal haven’t quite got into full swing yet, that’s probably because expectations around the Euro 2024 winners were so high
They started with a frustrating 0-0 draw with Cape Verde but have now won three consecutive matches — and are yet to concede a goal. The 3-0 victory over Austria was their best display yet, as unsung hero Mikel Oyarzabal brought his tally to the tournament to four with a brace
It’s Portugal in the quarter-finals later on Monday, a huge test of their credentials
Daily Play
Play Connections: Soccer Edition
Group soccer terms that share a common thread. A new puzzle is available each day.
3. Argentina
FIFA ranking: 2
➡️
Argentina made much tougher work of Cape Verde than most expected, twice being pegged back before an own goal in the 111th minute sent them through to the last 16 with a 3-2 win after extra time
Having won the 2022 World Cup, it is difficult to overlook Argentina as a serious contender, and with Messi joint-top of the World Cup goalscorer rankings with his seventh of the tournament against Cape Verde, he looks just as potent as ever
Lionel Messi is still producing great performances (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
But having had a relatively straightforward group stage, Argentina are yet to be properly tested by a top team. World Cup debutants Cape Verde proved their toughest opponents yet, and there will be much more to come from the quarter-final onwards, should they beat Egypt in the last 16
