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World Cup Day 13: France and Argentina Maintain Dominance
Cristiano Ronaldo’s double lit up day 13 of this World Cup. England’s goalless grind against Ghana did the opposite. But on this evidence, the hierarchy at the top of the tournament isn’t moving for anyone without something truly seismic.
France and Argentina still set the pace. Germany are finally walking like contenders again. Below them, the pack jostles, flatters, stumbles. The margins are getting thinner; the picture at the top is not.
Here’s where everyone stands after day 13.
1. France (FIFA ranking: 3)
No movement
It will take something extraordinary to shift France from the summit. They look like a side that has already solved the tournament.
Since the second half of their opener against Senegal, Michael Olise has been the creative hinge in the No 10 role. He produced two more assists in the 3-0 win over Iraq, adding to his decisive impact in that first game. Around him, Kylian Mbappe is in full tournament mode: another two goals in Philadelphia, another game ripped away from the opposition.
A storm delay couldn’t slow him. France booked their knockout place with a swagger, and Friday’s meeting with Norway now decides who tops the group. Didier Deschamps will miss that one after the death of his mother, but is expected back for the knockouts. His team look ready for when he returns.
2. Argentina (FIFA ranking: 1)
No movement
Lionel Messi is 38. Nobody has told him.
He has scored all five of Argentina’s goals in their two wins. His double against Austria not only carried them again but made him the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer. This is domination, not nostalgia.
At the other end, back-to-back clean sheets will please the defence, though Cristian Romero’s knee injury and substitution against Austria is a worrying note. Argentina look secure, but not untouchable.
It would help if someone else in that forward line caught fire. Messi cannot win a World Cup on his own. Or can he?
3. Germany (FIFA ranking: 10)
No movement
The 7-1 demolition of Curacao was eye-catching. The 2-1 comeback against Ivory Coast was defining.
Germany trailed for more than half an hour, then unleashed Deniz Undav. The supersub came off the bench to score twice, the winner arriving in added time after a sharp ball from Felix Nmecha and a ruthless turn-and-finish from Undav.
That result sealed top spot in Group E and, crucially, saw Germany reach the knockouts for the first time since they lifted the trophy in 2014. Julian Nagelsmann’s side have something they have not had for a while: momentum.
4. Spain (FIFA ranking: 2)
Up 1
Humiliated by Cape Verde in their opener, Spain responded like a heavyweight insulted in public.
Saudi Arabia were swept aside 4-0 in one of the most one-sided displays of the tournament. Twenty-two shots, 2.85 xG, and a scoreline that flattered the beaten side. It could have been ugly.
Lamine Yamal needed only 10 minutes of his first World Cup start to score, then banked 45 minutes of valuable tournament rhythm. Mikel Oyarzabal, anonymous to the point of not touching the ball for half an hour against Cape Verde, hit back with two goals. A statement win, job done.
Beat Uruguay on Friday and Group H is theirs.
5. England (FIFA ranking: 4)
Down 1
The party is over, for now. After the wild 4-2 win over Croatia, England reverted to type.
A 0-0 draw with Ghana. Laboured, predictable, and flat. Lower-ranked opposition, fewer chances, less conviction. The noise around “It’s coming home” has been turned down a few notches.
Beat Panama in the final group game and they still finish as group winners. But this was a reminder: England’s ceiling is high, their floor still painfully familiar.
6. Netherlands (FIFA ranking: 8)
No movement
Sweden were supposed to be awkward. The Netherlands made them look fragile.
Brian Brobbey’s introduction to the starting XI gave them a new focal point. He bullied Sweden’s defence, while Cody Gakpo and Crysencio Summerville danced around him and both found the scoresheet. It was a thrashing that felt like a warning.
Tunisia await in the final group game. On this evidence, the Dutch should stroll to top spot in a group that once looked tricky on paper.
7. Brazil (FIFA ranking: 6)
No movement
Brazil needed a performance to settle the nerves. Haiti obliged.
A 3-0 win, controlled and largely untroubled, restored a measure of calm after a shaky opener. Matheus Cunha looked a far better fit than Igor Thiago in a fluid front line, linking play and stretching the defence.
Harder tests lie ahead, but this was the kind of routine victory Carlo Ancelotti’s side required. Scotland next, and a chance to stamp authority on Group C.
8. Morocco (FIFA ranking: 7)
No movement
The expectations are huge. Semi-finalists in 2022, probable AFCON winners earlier this year, and now quietly efficient again.
A draw with Brazil, a win over Scotland, and Ismael Saibari scoring both goals with composure and class. Morocco look well set in Group C.
To top it, they may need to hammer Haiti, depending on Brazil’s result against Scotland. But the real aim is already within reach: get through, then let the tournament open up.
9. United States (FIFA ranking: 17)
No movement
When people start asking if the U.S. can win the World Cup, you know something is stirring.
That talk is premature, but the start has been close to perfect. A 4-1 dismantling of Paraguay, followed by a 2-0 win over Australia without even needing Christian Pulisic. They’re brave, front-foot, and entertaining, with a rotating cast of attackers keeping opponents guessing.
Group winners already, Mauricio Pochettino can rest Pulisic against Turkey on Thursday and start plotting a deeper run. The excitement is real now.
10. Norway (FIFA ranking: 31)
No movement
The dark horses are no longer in the shadows.
A 3-2 victory over Senegal pushed Norway into the knockouts and onto the radar. They tore into the (stripped) African champions’ defence, created chance after chance, and forced repeated mistakes.
Conceding late took some shine off the scoreline, but seven goals in two games tells the story. Erling Haaland, inevitably, is at the centre of it all with another brace. The defence creaks, the attack roars. For now, the goals are winning the argument.
11. Colombia (FIFA ranking: 14)
Up 1
Colombia are two from two, and yet still feel like they have gears to find.
They wobbled against Uzbekistan, then edged DR Congo 1-0 when they could have been more ruthless. But the job is done: progression to the knockouts secured with a game to spare.
That takes the edge off their meeting with Portugal this weekend, but not the ambition. A draw tops the group. They will want more than that.
12. Mexico (FIFA ranking: 13)
Down 1
First team through. First group wrapped up. Mexico have done it the hard, unspectacular way.
A 1-0 win over South Korea added to their opening victory over South Africa and guaranteed top spot in Group A. That means a third-placed opponent in the last 32 and, crucially, knockout football in Mexico City for at least the next two rounds.
They have not dazzled, but two wins, two clean sheets and home advantage banked is a powerful position for a co-host.
13. Portugal (FIFA ranking: 5)
No movement
Portugal needed a response after stumbling against DR Congo. Uzbekistan paid the price.
A 5-0 demolition finally got their tournament moving. Ronaldo’s double was historic — the first man to score in six different World Cups — but also practical, easing the constant noise around his place in the team, at least temporarily.
Still, context matters. Uzbekistan’s defence looked overawed and raw. Anyone tempted to declare Portugal contenders on the back of this should wait. Colombia next will tell us far more.
14. Croatia (FIFA ranking: 11)
No movement
Croatia survived. Just.
Panama pushed them hard, but Ante Budimir’s close-range finish from the bench salvaged a 1-0 win and three vital points. It was not convincing.
This “golden-olden” generation looks like it is straining to go one more time. The first two matches have offered little evidence of a deep run, yet history screams one warning: never write Croatia off at a World Cup.
15. Egypt (FIFA ranking: 29)
No movement
At last, a World Cup win for Egypt.
They had to sweat for it, coming from behind against New Zealand, but Mohamed Salah dragged them over the line with a goal and an assist. It was overdue and essential.
They have not yet shown the profile of a team ready to go long into the tournament. Beat Iran on Friday, though, and they top Group G and draw a third-placed side in the round of 32. That changes everything.
16. Japan (FIFA ranking: 18)
No movement
Japan are almost over the line. More than 99 per cent certain, by the numbers.
Their 4-0 win over Tunisia was historic: their biggest World Cup victory and the first time an Asian side has scored four in a game at the tournament. Ayase Ueda helped himself to a brace as Japan pressed aggressively and attacked with speed and clarity.
Tunisia are in disarray, so this is no time for wild conclusions. But across two matches, Japan have shown a clear identity. That alone makes them dangerous.
17. South Korea (FIFA ranking: 22)
No movement
This was a jolt.
Barely a chance created against Mexico, Son Heung-min withdrawn before the hour, and qualification now hanging on a final game against South Africa. The talent is there, but the performance in Guadalajara fell well short.
Beat South Africa and they should still make it through. For that to happen, their biggest names must finally impose themselves.
18. Switzerland (FIFA ranking: 19)
No movement
A new name for the global stage: Johan Manzambi.
At 20 years and 247 days, the Freiburg forward became the youngest player to score a World Cup double as a substitute in a 4-1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Switzerland left it late but finished emphatically.
Canada are next. A draw sends Switzerland through; a win gives them the group. The stakes are clear, and so is their route.
19. Canada (FIFA ranking: 30)
No movement
This is how you announce yourself.
Canada’s 6-0 demolition of Qatar was their first-ever World Cup win and an explosion of everything Jesse Marsch wants them to be: aggressive, relentless, unapologetically attacking. Jonathan David’s hat-trick crowned a night when almost everything worked.
The one blemish was Ismael Kone’s injury, a real blow. Even so, a draw against Switzerland on Wednesday will send the co-hosts into the knockouts. They have arrived.
20. Ghana (FIFA ranking: 73)
Up 3
Ghana’s World Cup is gathering real force.
A last-minute win over Panama, then a stubborn, disciplined 0-0 against England that could easily have been more. They countered with pace, picked their moments, and might have had a penalty for Ezri Konsa’s challenge on Prince Kwabena Adu if VAR had stayed awake.
Four points from two games should be enough. They have earned their place in the knockouts the hard way.
21. Belgium (FIFA ranking: 9)
Down 1
That ranking feels like a relic.
Belgium racked up 23 shots, 1.82 xG and 70 per cent possession against Iran, and still could not win. The numbers flatter to deceive. Kevin De Bruyne’s genius and Romelu Lukaku’s record-breaking status mean little when the collective looks this fractured.
They have failed to beat Egypt and Iran. Even if they now beat New Zealand on Friday, how far can this team really go? They look like half a side, waiting for Jeremy Doku to return and rescue some spark.
22. Ivory Coast (FIFA ranking: 33)
Down 1
Ivory Coast have shown they can live with anyone. Holding Germany for over half an hour, they threatened with the wing play of Yan Diomande and Amad, who have troubled every defence they’ve faced.
They could not see it out, but the broader picture remains encouraging. The Athletic’s model gives them a 95 per cent chance of reaching the knockouts for the first time. That would be a significant step for this group.
23. Uruguay (FIFA ranking: 16)
Down 1
This is a mess.
Two matches, 44 shots, 3.88 xG, three goals, two points. Now they must get something against Spain to survive. This is not the Marcelo Bielsa masterplan anyone imagined.
Uruguay came in with a high-quality midfield and qualification form level with Brazil and Colombia, but their recent slump has bled into the tournament. The flimsy two-man wall that allowed Cape Verde’s 40-yard free kick to sneak in summed them up: fragile, unfocused, costly.
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 vital route to hurting stronger opponents when open-play chances are scarce. Riyad Mahrez’s return to the starting XI added creativity and guile.
Now comes Austria on Sunday, with second place on the line. A minus-two goal difference means they still have work to do, even with three points in the bank.
25. Sweden (FIFA ranking: 38)
No movement
Sweden have seen both sides of a 5-1 scoreline in this tournament, and that feels about right.
They hammered Tunisia, then were taken apart by the Netherlands. With Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak, they can shred weaker teams. Against the elite, their defensive flaws are brutally exposed.
26. Senegal (FIFA ranking: 15)
No movement
Senegal’s World Cup is on the brink.
After a bright first half against France, they have conceded six goals in two games and taken no points. Ismaila Sarr’s double against Norway and Ibrahim Mbaye’s strike against France show they can hurt anyone. The problem is at the other end.
Defensive errors piled up against Norway, and it could have been worse if not for Edouard Mendy’s saves before he went off injured. They now need a big win over Iraq and help elsewhere to sneak through as one of the best third-placed teams. The drop in these rankings reflects the danger.
27. Australia (FIFA ranking: 27)
No movement
Australia flew out of the blocks against Turkey. The U.S. put them firmly back in their place.
Tony Popovic’s decision to bench both goalscorers from the Turkey game, Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe, blunted their threat. Without Irankunda’s pace on the break, they looked pedestrian, especially in a first half dominated by the Americans.
They now face Paraguay with second place on the line. The margin for error has vanished.
28. Austria (FIFA ranking: 25)
No movement
Ralf Rangnick tinkered against Argentina, bringing in Kevin Danso at the back and Paul Wanner into midfield. The problem remains the same.
This is a side with quality but no clear defining strength. The forwards are not prolific, the defence is not watertight — as Jordan already proved — and it is hard to see how they hurt the best.
Their fate now rests on Sunday’s showdown with Algeria. Second place or the exit door.
29. Scotland (FIFA ranking: 41)
No movement
Scotland’s calculators are working overtime.
After an unconvincing 1-0 win over Haiti and a battling 1-0 defeat to Morocco, they are trying to work out how much damage Brazil can inflict without knocking them out of third-place contention.
The performance against Morocco, especially after the break, hinted they can make life awkward for the five-time champions. Any positive result on Wednesday, and Scotland reach the World Cup knockouts for the first time. The opportunity is enormous.
30. Iran (FIFA ranking: 20)
No movement
On paper, a draw with Belgium is a fine result. On the pitch, Iran will feel it could have been so much more.
They created good chances, had a clever free-kick routine ruled out for a tight offside, and failed to capitalise when Belgium went down to 10 men. The earlier draw with New Zealand may yet prove the real damage.
They now face Egypt, hoping the group leaders ease off. Their margin for error has disappeared.
31. Ecuador (FIFA ranking: 24)
No movement
Nineteen matches. Two years. Unbeaten. Then this.
Ecuador have been one of the tournament’s biggest disappointments, losing to Ivory Coast and drawing with Curacao. They have generated 4.08 xG and still not scored, a brutal mix of poor finishing and bad luck.
Enner Valencia, 36 now, has not reproduced his 2022 group-stage heroics. With Germany looming on Thursday, they must hope Julian Nagelsmann rotates heavily. Otherwise, that unbeaten run will feel like a different lifetime.
32. Paraguay (FIFA ranking: 40)
No movement
This is the Paraguay people expected.
Their 1-0 win over Turkey showcased the solid defence and attacking quality that made them pre-tournament dark horses. Matias Galarza’s long-range strike after two minutes set the tone.
Even after Miguel Almiron became the first player sent off at a World Cup for covering his mouth while speaking to an opponent, Paraguay held firm against a barrage of Turkish attacks. They will miss Almiron against Australia, and that could be decisive in the battle for second.
33. Cape Verde (FIFA ranking: 67)
No movement
One of the stories of the tournament.
Cape Verde have held Spain and Uruguay, two former world champions, and scored one of the goals of the World Cup with a 40-yard free kick against Uruguay. Helio Varela’s improvised finish added another moment of magic in that 2-2 draw.
Now comes Saudi Arabia. Win, and they become perhaps the unlikeliest knockout team this competition has ever seen. Even a draw might be enough. It is a staggering position for a supposed minnow.
34. Saudi Arabia (FIFA ranking: 60)
No movement
Spain brought them crashing back to earth.
After a spirited draw with Uruguay, Saudi Arabia were outclassed in a 4-0 defeat that could have been heavier. They were second best in every department.
Yet the equation is simple now: beat Cape Verde and finish on four points, likely in at least third place. Before the tournament, they would have grabbed that scenario with both hands.
35. New Zealand (FIFA ranking: 85)
No movement
Stubborn, awkward, and still swinging.
New Zealand’s first two World Cup campaigns yielded no wins but a famous run of draws in 2010. This time, they finally lost — 3-1 to Egypt — despite leading through Finn Surman.
They still have a chance to make history. Beat a fading Belgium on Saturday and they will almost certainly reach the knockouts for the first time. Given Belgium’s state, it is no fantasy.
36. Czech Republic (FIFA ranking: 43)
Up 1
The Czech Republic started perfectly against South Africa. Michal Sadilek scored the tournament’s fastest goal after five minutes and seven seconds.
Then they let it slip.
South Africa’s late equaliser left both sides frustrated and did the Czechs no favours. They now must beat co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City to go through. It is as tough as it sounds.
37. Bosnia and Herzegovina (FIFA ranking: 64)
Up 1
Bosnia and Herzegovina were minutes from a precious point against Switzerland, then collapsed late.
The 4-1 defeat leaves them with a simple, brutal scenario: beat Qatar in Seattle on Wednesday or go home. The winner almost certainly reaches four points and the knockouts. The stakes could not be clearer.
38. DR Congo (FIFA ranking: 46)
Up 2
DR Congo keep standing up to the giants.
They followed their shock 1-1 draw with Portugal by pushing Colombia all the way in a narrow 1-0 defeat. They defend with discipline and always look dangerous on the counter through Yoane Wissa.
Beat Uzbekistan this weekend, and four points should see them through. That would be a remarkable achievement given their group.
39. Qatar (FIFA ranking: 56)
No movement
Everything that could go wrong against Canada did.
Six goals conceded, two red cards, and a performance that unravelled completely. Yet the path is still there: beat Bosnia and Herzegovina in their final group game and four points should be enough.
From humiliation to hope in 90 minutes? That is the World Cup.
40. Curacao (FIFA ranking: 82)
Up 1
Eloy Room has written his own chapter.
The 37-year-old goalkeeper made 15 saves against Ecuador, a record-breaking display that earned Curacao a point and kept their dream alive. It was a performance to stand alongside the best from debutant nations at this tournament.
Beat Ivory Coast, and they might just sneak through. That prospect alone is extraordinary.
41. South Africa (FIFA ranking: 61)
Up 2
Improved, spirited, but still short.
South Africa deserved their late equaliser against the Czech Republic and looked far more coherent than in their opener. The problem is the maths: they needed three points, not one.
They now have to beat South Korea to reach the knockouts. Upset the odds, or go home.
42. Iraq (FIFA ranking: 57)
Up 2
Iraq have run into a storm of elite forwards.
Haaland. Mbappe. Two games against two of the most feared attackers in the world, and they have barely laid a glove on either side. Losing captain Aymen Hussein to injury after 26 minutes against France only deepened the problems.
A comprehensive win over Senegal could still open a door. Realistically, that door looks almost closed.
43. Uzbekistan (FIFA ranking: 50)
Down 1
Reality bit hard.
After a promising display against Colombia, Uzbekistan were torn apart 5-0 by Portugal and Ronaldo. Defensive naivety, lapses in concentration, and a shell-shocked Abdukodir Khusanov in tears at full time told the story.
They were not expected to take much from their first two games, but the scale of the damage to confidence and goal difference is brutal. Now they must beat DR Congo and pray for favours. 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 last-minute goal and to Croatia, left them with regrets rather than recriminations. They competed, they created, they just did not take their chances.
At this level, that is the difference between history and heartbreak.
45. Jordan (FIFA ranking: 63)
No movement
Jordan’s debut ends with two defeats, but not without a fight.
They scored in both games against Austria and Algeria, yet never managed to suffocate their opponents the way other debutants have, often thanks to heroic goalkeeping. Here, the resistance was not quite enough.
They leave with experience, and the knowledge of how fine the margins are.
46. Haiti (FIFA ranking: 83)
No movement
First team out, but far from the worst.
Placed in one of the tournament’s toughest groups and unable to play on home soil due to political turmoil, Haiti still pushed Scotland hard and might feel unlucky to have lost that opener.
Brazil was always going to be a bridge too far. They conceded three in the first half, then “drew” the second 0-0, clinging on with pride. Morocco await in their final game. One point, any point, would mean everything.
47. Turkey (FIFA ranking: 23)
No movement
Turkey, the eternal trap.
Dark horses on paper, out after two games in reality. Sixty-two shots, no goals. With Kenan Yildiz and Arda Guler in attack, with an experienced back line led by Ferdi Kadioglu, they still found a way to implode.
Paraguay played half a game with 10 men, and Turkey could not score. Luck might explain some of it. Not all. If you cannot finish chances at this level, you do not deserve to stay.
48. Tunisia (FIFA ranking: 45)
No movement
Tunisia’s campaign has been a collapse in slow motion.
A 5-1 hammering by Sweden cost Sabri Lamouchi his job. Herve Renard arrived, but a 4-0 loss to Japan followed. Two games, nine goals conceded, minus-eight goal difference — the worst record in the tournament so far.
Their World Cup ends in misery. For everyone else, the real tournament is only just beginning.
