Erling Haaland has scored four goals from two games. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Sometimes in international football, it can be underestimated how far a team can go with a handful of great players. For example, the Wales team that made it to the semi-finals of the 2016 Euros were not blessed with an abundance of world-class stars. They did, however, have Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey near the height of their powers, along with a couple of solid performers around them. Similarly, at this World Cup, Norway’s squad is hardly filled with household names. But they do have two of the best players at the tournament – Man City’s Erling Haaland and Arsenal’s Martin Ødegaard. Haaland, in particular, has looked in top form, scoring four goals in the group stages amid impressive defeats of Iraq and Senegal. Few people, if any, will feel they have enough talent to go all the way in the tournament, but they are the type of team that not many will fancy coming up against in the knockout stages, including the Ivory Coast, who they face on Tuesday.
9. Morocco
Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi (2) celebrates after scoring a goal against Haiti. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Made Brazil look ordinary for long spells of their opening encounter, threatening an upset before having to settle for a 1-1 draw as Vinícius Júnior cancelled out Ismael Saibari’s opener. On the balance of play, Mohamed Ouahbi’s side deserved their 1-0 win over Scotland, even if Steve Clarke’s men were unlucky to be denied at least one penalty amid a tense encounter. The emphatic 4-2 defeat of Haiti in their final game meant they only finished second in the group behind Brazil on goal difference. The reigning African champions still are not considered among the strong favourites to prevail. Nonetheless, with top-class players like PSG’s Achraf Hakimi, Man United’s Noussair Mazraoui and Real Madrid’s Brahim Díaz, they have the potential to go deep in the competition. Plus, they have retained many of the same personnel who reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup. That experience will be beneficial as they prepare for Monday’s tough round-of-32 clash with the Dutch.
Opened with a comprehensive 7-1 victory, albeit against Curaçao, one of the weakest sides in the tournament. Germany’s two subsequent performances have been less convincing, needing a last-minute goal to beat the Ivory Coast 2-1 before suffering a defeat by the same scoreline against Ecuador. You could probably downplay the significance of the latter result to an extent, given that Julian Nagelsmann’s side were already assured of topping the group and had little to play for. Regardless, among the big countries at this competition, they have been among the least impressive. Many of their pre-tournament problems are still apparent. A couple of their best attacking outlets (Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala) are coming off the back of bad seasons through either injuries or form, and their squad depth isn’t particularly strong in comparison to other top nations - Deniz Undav, their two-goal hero off the bench against the Ivorians, struggled to make much of an impact in his one season playing in the Premier League with Brighton. They should still be strong enough to overcome Paraguay on Monday, but then face a potential round-of-16 match with many people’s favourites, France.
7. Netherlands
Advertisement
The Netherlands team line out before their match against Tunisia. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
An underwhelming 2-2 draw with Japan in their opening game didn’t inspire much confidence. The Dutch twice surrendered the lead as their opponents demonstrated admirable resolve to rescue a deserved draw. Coach Ronald Koeman, who started that game with eight Premier League-based players, was criticised for perceived overly negative tactics, and the former Barcelona player is perhaps not quite at the same level as other high-profile elite coaches in this competition. Still, their defence and midfield are among the strongest in international football. And while the attack is a little short of creativity, especially in the absence of the injured Tottenham star Xavi Simons, the likes of Donyell Malen, Cody Gakpo, Crysencio Summerville and Brian Brobbey are all capable of doing serious damage, and three of those four have found the net multiple times already, with the Dutch earning comfortable wins in their second and third group games, albeit against weaker opposition than the Japanese.
6. Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring against Uzbekistan. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Held to a disappointing 1-1 draw in their opener as DR Congo earned their first-ever World Cup point, and it was a deserved one, as Roberto Martinez’s men struggled to create clear-cut chances against their well-organised opponents. Cristiano Ronaldo – the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match at 41 – received heavy criticism after failing to find the net on that occasion. But Portugal and Ronaldo produced a much-improved display in their second match, a 5-0 thumping of Uzbekistan, with the former Man United star claiming a brace and becoming the first footballer to score at six World Cups. The Portuguese squad is filled with world-class talent. Players such as Rúben Dias, João Neves, Vitinha, Bernardo Silva, Nuno Mendes and Bruno Fernandes are among the best in the world and would be good enough to grace most sides. But they won’t face many nations as poor as the Uzbeks. Before ending his dry spell, Ronaldo had failed to score in 10 consecutive major tournament matches. He was the joint top scorer in their qualification group with five goals, but had off days in both games against Ireland. So, at the highest level of international football, questions remain whether he is more of an asset or a liability to this accomplished Portuguese side.
5. Brazil
Vinícius Júnior has impressed for Brazil. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
As with almost every supposed contender at this World Cup, Brazil have not always looked like potential champions. Their opening game against Morocco was a case in point. The attack struggled to function, and the Africans will have been disappointed not to come away with the three points — they finished the game with the superior xG. Still, Carlo Ancelotti’s men have shown signs of growing into the competition. The quality of their opponents was lower, but they were better in their two subsequent group games. The decision to drop Brentford’s Igor Thiago in favour of Man United’s Matheus Cunha has paid dividends, with the latter scoring three times in two starts. With four goals and one assist, Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior has looked similarly sharp. However, Raphinha’s hamstring injury is a blow. The Barcelona star missed the Scotland game as a result and is doubtful for the knockout stages, which they begin against Japan on Monday. Still, the Seleção are strong enough to go far in the competition, as they bid to lift the trophy for the sixth time.
4. Argentina
Lionel Messi has been one of the stars of the tournament so far. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
They couldn’t, could they? Some naive people thought the 2022 World Cup triumph sated Lionel Messi’s appetite. But the 39-year-old didn’t become one of football’s greatest ever players by resting on his laurels. He has also started this tournament showing the form that will look ominous to Argentina’s rivals, with six goals from three matches, and only a penalty miss against Austria prevented him from achieving back-to-back hat-tricks. The former Barcelona star could potentially face some of the same accusations as his perpetual rival, Ronaldo, for holding back the team to chase individual records. But Messi’s form at international level has been so strong in recent years that he has largely escaped this criticism. Like Ronaldo, though, he is bound to face stronger opposition as the tournament develops, and that will be the true barometer of how much greatness he still possesses. Nevertheless, the Inter Miami man is supported by a team that is arguably just as strong as the side that prevailed four years ago – the likes of Enzo Fernández, Lisandro Martínez, Alexis Mac Allister, and Julián Alvarez are closer to their footballing peak now than they were then.
3. England
Harry Kane celebrates a goal against Croatia. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Gave arguably the attacking performance of the opening round in possibly the best game of the group stages as they defeated a useful Croatia side 4-2, even if some of their opponents’ best players (namely, 40-year-old Luka Modrić and 37-year-old Ivan Perišić) have seen better days. On the other hand, the 0-0 stalemate with Ghana was decidedly less impressive, and England were somewhat lucky to earn a draw as Carlos Queiroz’s side were denied what looked like a clear-cut penalty. The Ghanians lacked Croatia’s technical ability but were far more defensive-minded and physically imposing. They offered the Three Lions a different challenge and consequently exposed a potentially fatal flaw in the England team. The midfield of Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson and Jude Bellingham, for all their power and dynamism, did not offer enough creativity. In addition, the wingers, Anthony Gordon and Noni Madueke, were relatively ineffectual. It was only when Thomas Tuchel made second-half changes that England rallied and put their opponents under serious pressure amid a hectic final 20 minutes. Not too much can be read into the Panama dead rubber. Yet the opening two games suggested England could be well-equipped to face the top sides who are aiming to dominate possession, but might come into some trouble against conceivably weaker opposition willing to put bodies behind the ball.
2. Spain
Lamine Yamal's fitness will likely be key to Spain's hopes. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
The 0-0 draw with Cape Verde was probably the most surprising result of the group stages, as an inspirational performance from Dublin-born Roberto Lopes helped keep one of the tournament favourites at bay. But Spain could and perhaps should have won that game. They had a 2.29 xG compared with 0.29 for their opponents. But they shouldn’t be written off because of that setback – the 2022 winners Argentina were famously beaten in their opening match against Saudi Arabia, while Spain themselves lost their first game to Switzerland before winning in 2010. Luis de la Fuente’s men were more clinical in their second game, a 4-0 defeat of Saudi Arabia. Significantly, Lamine Yamal started that fixture and scored the opener, having only been fit enough for a place on the bench in the previous match. Fellow winger Nico Williams, who also came into the tournament carrying a knock, has also only been able to make three substitute appearances. You get the impression that the fitness of both those players will be crucial if Spain are to go all the way, having been key to their Euro 2024 triumph. Without them on the pitch, La Roja, for all their possession and control of matches, at times tend to look a little one-dimensional and lacking in cutting edge.
Going into this tournament, France looked like the team with the greatest depth of talent throughout the squad, and after the group stages, that feeling has not subsided. Even in a tricky-looking group that included Senegal, Norway and Iraq, Didier Deschamps’ men managed to make it look relatively easy, winning all three of their matches decisively. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better attack line than Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué. Similarly, their backline of William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano, Jules Koundé, and Théo Hernandez/Lucas Digne has a claim to be among the strongest, even if they looked a little shaky against Norway. Their midfield is also solid – Real Madrid’s Aurélien Tchouaméni, Roma’s Manu Koné and Milan’s Adrien Rabiot have each started two games, with Fenerbahçe’s N’Golo Kanté and PSG’s Warren Zaïre-Emery held in reserve. Mbappé and Dembélé have already eight goals between them, and their quality is such that you feel complacency, which they showed occasional signs of in their match against a second-string Norwegian outfit, could be the only issue preventing them from going all the way. Yet with an awkward-looking round-of-32 match with Sweden on Tuesday, there won’t be much room for inconsistency from this point onwards.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Power ranking the 10 best teams at the 2026 World Cup
10. Norway
Sometimes in international football, it can be underestimated how far a team can go with a handful of great players. For example, the Wales team that made it to the semi-finals of the 2016 Euros were not blessed with an abundance of world-class stars. They did, however, have Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey near the height of their powers, along with a couple of solid performers around them. Similarly, at this World Cup, Norway’s squad is hardly filled with household names. But they do have two of the best players at the tournament – Man City’s Erling Haaland and Arsenal’s Martin Ødegaard. Haaland, in particular, has looked in top form, scoring four goals in the group stages amid impressive defeats of Iraq and Senegal. Few people, if any, will feel they have enough talent to go all the way in the tournament, but they are the type of team that not many will fancy coming up against in the knockout stages, including the Ivory Coast, who they face on Tuesday.
9. Morocco
Made Brazil look ordinary for long spells of their opening encounter, threatening an upset before having to settle for a 1-1 draw as Vinícius Júnior cancelled out Ismael Saibari’s opener. On the balance of play, Mohamed Ouahbi’s side deserved their 1-0 win over Scotland, even if Steve Clarke’s men were unlucky to be denied at least one penalty amid a tense encounter. The emphatic 4-2 defeat of Haiti in their final game meant they only finished second in the group behind Brazil on goal difference. The reigning African champions still are not considered among the strong favourites to prevail. Nonetheless, with top-class players like PSG’s Achraf Hakimi, Man United’s Noussair Mazraoui and Real Madrid’s Brahim Díaz, they have the potential to go deep in the competition. Plus, they have retained many of the same personnel who reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup. That experience will be beneficial as they prepare for Monday’s tough round-of-32 clash with the Dutch.
8. Germany
Opened with a comprehensive 7-1 victory, albeit against Curaçao, one of the weakest sides in the tournament. Germany’s two subsequent performances have been less convincing, needing a last-minute goal to beat the Ivory Coast 2-1 before suffering a defeat by the same scoreline against Ecuador. You could probably downplay the significance of the latter result to an extent, given that Julian Nagelsmann’s side were already assured of topping the group and had little to play for. Regardless, among the big countries at this competition, they have been among the least impressive. Many of their pre-tournament problems are still apparent. A couple of their best attacking outlets (Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala) are coming off the back of bad seasons through either injuries or form, and their squad depth isn’t particularly strong in comparison to other top nations - Deniz Undav, their two-goal hero off the bench against the Ivorians, struggled to make much of an impact in his one season playing in the Premier League with Brighton. They should still be strong enough to overcome Paraguay on Monday, but then face a potential round-of-16 match with many people’s favourites, France.
7. Netherlands
An underwhelming 2-2 draw with Japan in their opening game didn’t inspire much confidence. The Dutch twice surrendered the lead as their opponents demonstrated admirable resolve to rescue a deserved draw. Coach Ronald Koeman, who started that game with eight Premier League-based players, was criticised for perceived overly negative tactics, and the former Barcelona player is perhaps not quite at the same level as other high-profile elite coaches in this competition. Still, their defence and midfield are among the strongest in international football. And while the attack is a little short of creativity, especially in the absence of the injured Tottenham star Xavi Simons, the likes of Donyell Malen, Cody Gakpo, Crysencio Summerville and Brian Brobbey are all capable of doing serious damage, and three of those four have found the net multiple times already, with the Dutch earning comfortable wins in their second and third group games, albeit against weaker opposition than the Japanese.
6. Portugal
Held to a disappointing 1-1 draw in their opener as DR Congo earned their first-ever World Cup point, and it was a deserved one, as Roberto Martinez’s men struggled to create clear-cut chances against their well-organised opponents. Cristiano Ronaldo – the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match at 41 – received heavy criticism after failing to find the net on that occasion. But Portugal and Ronaldo produced a much-improved display in their second match, a 5-0 thumping of Uzbekistan, with the former Man United star claiming a brace and becoming the first footballer to score at six World Cups. The Portuguese squad is filled with world-class talent. Players such as Rúben Dias, João Neves, Vitinha, Bernardo Silva, Nuno Mendes and Bruno Fernandes are among the best in the world and would be good enough to grace most sides. But they won’t face many nations as poor as the Uzbeks. Before ending his dry spell, Ronaldo had failed to score in 10 consecutive major tournament matches. He was the joint top scorer in their qualification group with five goals, but had off days in both games against Ireland. So, at the highest level of international football, questions remain whether he is more of an asset or a liability to this accomplished Portuguese side.
5. Brazil
As with almost every supposed contender at this World Cup, Brazil have not always looked like potential champions. Their opening game against Morocco was a case in point. The attack struggled to function, and the Africans will have been disappointed not to come away with the three points — they finished the game with the superior xG. Still, Carlo Ancelotti’s men have shown signs of growing into the competition. The quality of their opponents was lower, but they were better in their two subsequent group games. The decision to drop Brentford’s Igor Thiago in favour of Man United’s Matheus Cunha has paid dividends, with the latter scoring three times in two starts. With four goals and one assist, Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior has looked similarly sharp. However, Raphinha’s hamstring injury is a blow. The Barcelona star missed the Scotland game as a result and is doubtful for the knockout stages, which they begin against Japan on Monday. Still, the Seleção are strong enough to go far in the competition, as they bid to lift the trophy for the sixth time.
4. Argentina
They couldn’t, could they? Some naive people thought the 2022 World Cup triumph sated Lionel Messi’s appetite. But the 39-year-old didn’t become one of football’s greatest ever players by resting on his laurels. He has also started this tournament showing the form that will look ominous to Argentina’s rivals, with six goals from three matches, and only a penalty miss against Austria prevented him from achieving back-to-back hat-tricks. The former Barcelona star could potentially face some of the same accusations as his perpetual rival, Ronaldo, for holding back the team to chase individual records. But Messi’s form at international level has been so strong in recent years that he has largely escaped this criticism. Like Ronaldo, though, he is bound to face stronger opposition as the tournament develops, and that will be the true barometer of how much greatness he still possesses. Nevertheless, the Inter Miami man is supported by a team that is arguably just as strong as the side that prevailed four years ago – the likes of Enzo Fernández, Lisandro Martínez, Alexis Mac Allister, and Julián Alvarez are closer to their footballing peak now than they were then.
3. England
Gave arguably the attacking performance of the opening round in possibly the best game of the group stages as they defeated a useful Croatia side 4-2, even if some of their opponents’ best players (namely, 40-year-old Luka Modrić and 37-year-old Ivan Perišić) have seen better days. On the other hand, the 0-0 stalemate with Ghana was decidedly less impressive, and England were somewhat lucky to earn a draw as Carlos Queiroz’s side were denied what looked like a clear-cut penalty. The Ghanians lacked Croatia’s technical ability but were far more defensive-minded and physically imposing. They offered the Three Lions a different challenge and consequently exposed a potentially fatal flaw in the England team. The midfield of Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson and Jude Bellingham, for all their power and dynamism, did not offer enough creativity. In addition, the wingers, Anthony Gordon and Noni Madueke, were relatively ineffectual. It was only when Thomas Tuchel made second-half changes that England rallied and put their opponents under serious pressure amid a hectic final 20 minutes. Not too much can be read into the Panama dead rubber. Yet the opening two games suggested England could be well-equipped to face the top sides who are aiming to dominate possession, but might come into some trouble against conceivably weaker opposition willing to put bodies behind the ball.
2. Spain
The 0-0 draw with Cape Verde was probably the most surprising result of the group stages, as an inspirational performance from Dublin-born Roberto Lopes helped keep one of the tournament favourites at bay. But Spain could and perhaps should have won that game. They had a 2.29 xG compared with 0.29 for their opponents. But they shouldn’t be written off because of that setback – the 2022 winners Argentina were famously beaten in their opening match against Saudi Arabia, while Spain themselves lost their first game to Switzerland before winning in 2010. Luis de la Fuente’s men were more clinical in their second game, a 4-0 defeat of Saudi Arabia. Significantly, Lamine Yamal started that fixture and scored the opener, having only been fit enough for a place on the bench in the previous match. Fellow winger Nico Williams, who also came into the tournament carrying a knock, has also only been able to make three substitute appearances. You get the impression that the fitness of both those players will be crucial if Spain are to go all the way, having been key to their Euro 2024 triumph. Without them on the pitch, La Roja, for all their possession and control of matches, at times tend to look a little one-dimensional and lacking in cutting edge.
1. France
Going into this tournament, France looked like the team with the greatest depth of talent throughout the squad, and after the group stages, that feeling has not subsided. Even in a tricky-looking group that included Senegal, Norway and Iraq, Didier Deschamps’ men managed to make it look relatively easy, winning all three of their matches decisively. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better attack line than Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué. Similarly, their backline of William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano, Jules Koundé, and Théo Hernandez/Lucas Digne has a claim to be among the strongest, even if they looked a little shaky against Norway. Their midfield is also solid – Real Madrid’s Aurélien Tchouaméni, Roma’s Manu Koné and Milan’s Adrien Rabiot have each started two games, with Fenerbahçe’s N’Golo Kanté and PSG’s Warren Zaïre-Emery held in reserve. Mbappé and Dembélé have already eight goals between them, and their quality is such that you feel complacency, which they showed occasional signs of in their match against a second-string Norwegian outfit, could be the only issue preventing them from going all the way. Yet with an awkward-looking round-of-32 match with Sweden on Tuesday, there won’t be much room for inconsistency from this point onwards.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
2026 world cup best teams Contenders Power Ranking Soccer France