Ronaldo double – A double from Cristiano Ronaldo in Portugal’s 5-0 win over Uzbekistan lit up day 13, while established contenders like France, Argentina and Spain kept their footing. But the gap between “small shifts” and genuine momentum is thinner than it looks: England’s 0
When day 13 ended, it didn’t just leave behind the usual World Cup aftertaste of goals and missed chances. It left something sharper: the nagging sense that ranking labels can change just as quickly as the scoreboard.
Portugal’s night had a headline waiting before it was even written—Cristiano Ronaldo announced himself at the World Cup party with a double in Portugal’s thrashing of Uzbekistan. a 5-0 win. England’s story looked different. and harder to explain to fans who wanted more: they laboured to a goalless draw with Ghana. And as the tournament’s group stage moved toward its last decisive beats. the question became less about whether a result was “big” and more about whether it actually shifted the power.
The re-ranking here follows day 13’s matches and what they did—or didn’t—change. It’s not a gentle shuffle. Five-goal wins don’t automatically vault a team up the charts. and a welcome 1-0 victory doesn’t guarantee a climb of more than a place. The order only moves when the performances feel like the kind that can sustain pressure.
France stayed rooted at the top, ranked 3 in FIFA terms. Since the second half of their opening game against Senegal. Michael Olise has played in the No 10 role. and he provided another two assists in France’s 3-0 win against Iraq. building on his match-changing performance in the opener. Kylian Mbappé scored twice for the second match in a row as France booked their spot in the knockouts. A storm stoppage in Philadelphia didn’t take the wind out of their sails. France now face Norway on Friday to see who tops the group. with manager Didier Deschamps set to miss that game following the death of his mother. but expected to return for the knockouts.
Argentina, ranked 1, didn’t just look dangerous—they looked complete. Lionel Messi. who some regard as the greatest player of all time. delivered complete domination. scoring all five of Argentina’s goals in their two wins. After his double against Austria, Messi became the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer. Argentina’s defence will like what came with it: consecutive clean sheets. Cristian Romero’s substitution against Austria due to a knee injury is the concern that sits under the celebration.
Germany, ranked 10 after previously being listed at 10, moved up to progression momentum the hard way. They won 7-1 against Curacao, but their more meaningful statement came with a 2-1 victory over the Ivory Coast. Supersub Deniz Undav’s double completed the turnaround win. with the added-time victory coming courtesy of a high-quality ball from Felix Nmecha and a turn-and-finish from Undav. The win secured Germany’s progression to the knockouts at the top of Group E for the first time since they lifted the trophy in 2014.
Spain’s rise didn’t feel like a reaction—it felt like a response. After humiliating themselves with a draw against Cape Verde in their opener. they produced one of the most one-sided performances of the tournament so far by beating Saudi Arabia 4-0. Spain recorded 22 shots and 2.85 xG. Lamine Yamal scored 10 minutes into his first World Cup start and got 45 minutes under his belt. Mikel Oyarzabal overcame the embarrassment of not touching the ball for the first half-hour against Cape Verde by scoring twice. The next test is Group H completion: beating Uruguay on Friday.
England, ranked 4 and slipping by one, were the clearest reminder that not every match carries the same weight. After the excitement. goals and thrilling attacking football of their 4-2 victory over Croatia. the 0-0 draw against Ghana stopped everyone shouting “It’s coming home.” A win against Panama in their final group match will get England back on track as group winners.
The Netherlands didn’t merely win—they delivered a marker. Ranked 8. they played Sweden and Brian Brobbey came into their starting line-up. powering through Sweden’s defence as their attack intertwined beautifully with Cody Gakpo and Crysencio Summerville. all also on the scoresheet. With a final match to come against beleaguered Tunisia. the Netherlands look likely to top a group that had looked tricky on paper.
Brazil, ranked 6, returned to form after looking unconvincing in their opening match. They beat Haiti 3-0 in a dominant display. Matheus Cunha looked like a more natural fit in their fluid attack than Igor Thiago. and even with tougher tests ahead. a comfortable win is exactly what Brazil needed. Carlo Ancelotti’s side now want another convincing victory against Scotland to top Group C.
Morocco, ranked 7, are carrying huge expectations after reaching the semi-final in 2022 and (probably) winning AFCON earlier this year. Morocco look good in Group C after drawing with Brazil and beating Scotland. with Ismael Saibari taking part in the scoring with both of their goals. Their plan likely requires a big victory against Haiti to top the group. depending on how Brazil fare against Scotland—but progress to the knockout stage is what matters.
The United States. ranked 17. remain one of the tournament’s most compelling storylines because the conversation about “winning the World Cup” isn’t disappearing. They’ve made a perfect start: they beat Australia 2-0 without even needing Christian Pulisic. a result that backed up their 4-1 victory over Paraguay. Already through as group winners, Mauricio Pochettino can afford to rest Pulisic against Turkey on Thursday as the U.S. plots a route deep into the tournament.
Norway, ranked 31, are being forced into the role of dark horse that they may have earned. Their 3-2 win over Senegal didn’t just bring points—it stretched the African champions’ defence. forcing mistakes and creating chances galore. Conceding late made the win less emphatic, but seven goals in two games speaks to their firepower. Erling Haaland is key. proving unstoppable after another double. while Norway have also shown defensive vulnerability. even if they’ve mostly managed to outscore opponents.
Colombia. ranked 14 and climbing by one. have a 100 per cent record with two wins from two and have progressed to the knockout stages. Their wins weren’t flawless—there was a wobble against Uzbekistan. and their 1-0 victory over DR Congo required patience—but Colombia have met the first aim of the tournament. With a game to spare. pressure drops ahead of their lip-licking game with Portugal this weekend. where they can still aim to top the group with a draw.
Portugal moved up to 5, ranked at 5, and it’s hard to ignore what they did. Portugal corrected their underwhelming opener against DR Congo with a 5-0 shellacking of Uzbekistan. Ronaldo scoring twice wasn’t only a historic moment—he became the first man to score in six different World Cups—but it also quelled the persistent noise about his place in the side. at least for a few days. Still, the Uzbek defence’s overawed inexperience means any excitement has to be tempered. Their clash with Colombia next up will tell more.
Mexico clinched momentum into knockouts, climbing into the top spot at 13 before dropping by one in this re-ranking. They became the first team through to the knockout stage with a 1-0 victory over South Korea. ensuring progress to the last 32 and guaranteeing top spot in Group A. That matters because it shapes their next opponent: they’ll play a third-placed side. and it means that tie will be in Mexico City with their last-16 game also there. Mexico weren’t scintillating against South Korea or in their opening match against South Africa. but two wins and two clean sheets still represent a perfect start for the co-hosts.
Croatia remain at 11, after a 1-0 victory over Panama where they survived scares. A narrow win arrived thanks to substitute Ante Budimir’s close-range finish. The signs from their first two matches haven’t been great. but the reminder comes from their history: don’t write off teams like the 2018 finalists and 2022 semi-finalists.
Egypt. ranked 29. are living in the “so far. so good” zone after finally winning a World Cup match for the first time. They made it to sweat after New Zealand. and they had to come from behind. but Egypt won with Mohamed Salah scoring a goal and providing an assist. Victory over Iran on Friday would mean they top Group G. pairing them with a third-placed side in the round of 32.
Japan, ranked 18, are almost certain to progress after a convincing 4-0 win over Tunisia, including an Ayase Ueda double. In the 1,000th World Cup match, Japan won by their largest-ever margin at a World Cup. They also became the first Asian team to score four goals in a game at the tournament.
South Korea. ranked 22 and dropping. now face a knockout-stage qualification that’s “in peril.” The disappointing performance and result against Mexico left them with a final match against South Africa. They created barely any chances in Guadalajara, and captain Son Heung-min was hooked after less than an hour. Their talent suggests they should beat South Africa, but the bigger demand is for their big players to step up.
Switzerland, ranked 19, got a star moment late. At 20 years and 247 days. Johan Manzambi was born in the match’s timing. scoring a double as Switzerland beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 4-1. Manzambi became the youngest player to score a double as a substitute in a men’s World Cup match. Switzerland face Canada next with a draw enough to see them through, while a win would mean they finish top.
Canada, ranked 30, are on a different planet after an extraordinary result against Qatar. Canada delivered a 6-0 walloping in Vancouver. breaking their World Cup duck—Canada had never won a game at the tournament before. Jesse Marsch wants an aggressive attacking style. and they showed it. with Jonathan David netting a hat-trick as Canada humbled Qatar. Ismael Kone’s injury was the exception. Canada’s chance to progress remains clear: a draw against Switzerland on Wednesday will take the co-hosts to the knockout stage.
Ghana, ranked 73 and up by three, followed one statement with another. Victory over Panama was backed up by a 0-0 draw against England, with a resolute and organised performance. They could even have won with sporadic. pacy threats on the counter. and if VAR hadn’t gone for a coffee. they might have had a penalty for Ezri Konsa’s foul on Prince Kwabena Adu. Four points from two games essentially secures progress.
Belgium, ranked 9 and dropping by one, are dominated by a mismatch between what they did and what they earned. Their stats in the second match against Iran—23 shots. 1.82 xG. 70 per cent possession—suggest they should have won. but Kevin De Bruyne’s quality and Romelu Lukaku’s scoring record aren’t converting in this tournament’s reality. Belgium have failed to beat Egypt and Iran. Even if they now beat New Zealand on Friday, there’s a question hanging over how far they can go. Jeremy Doku returning and firing is presented as a necessity.
Ivory Coast. ranked 33 and down by one. led Germany for more than half an hour and have shown they can compete with anyone. Their wingers. Yan Diomande and Amad. have been a handful for defences. but they couldn’t hold onto what would have been a statement victory. Still. they have a 95 per cent chance of progressing to the World Cup knockout stage for the first time. according to the forecast model referenced in the source.
Uruguay fell into an uncomfortable position: ranked 16 and down by one. Across two matches, Uruguay have had 44 shots, 3.88 xG, three goals, and only two points. Now they need a result against Spain to go through, a situation that sits uncomfortably with what Marcelo Bielsa envisaged. Two matches have also shown a fragile. porous two-man wall. described as allowing Cape Verde’s free kick to sneak in.
Algeria, ranked 28, showed a threat from set pieces, scoring both goals from corners in a turnaround win against Jordan. Riyad Mahrez returned to the starting line-up and sparked creativity in open play. Their game against Austria on Sunday determines who goes through in second place. and while Algeria have a minus-two goal difference. three points puts them in with a chance of third-place progression.
Sweden, ranked 38, are caught between two different truths. After a 5-1 victory against Tunisia, they were soundly beaten 5-1 by the Netherlands. The reading is simple: Sweden can tear apart inferior opposition with Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak. but they are a level behind the top international teams and vulnerable defensively.
Senegal, ranked 15 and staying under pressure, have no points after two games. They had a good first-half showing against France. and then their goals dried up and their defence cracked—since then. they’ve conceded six goals. The silver lining includes Ismaila Sarr’s double against Norway and Ibrahim Mbaye’s goal against France. Against Norway, they made defensive errors and could have conceded more, and Edouard Mendy came off injured after an hour. On Friday they need a comprehensive win against Iraq. both for points and for a competitive goal difference to sneak through as one of the eight best third-placed teams.
Australia, ranked 27, struggled to keep up after hopes following a 2-0 win over Turkey in their opening match. The head coach Tony Popovic made a slightly odd decision to leave out both goalscorers from the Turkey game. Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe. from the starting line-up. Without Irankunda’s electric pace, Australia looked less threatening. Their final group game places them against Paraguay for second place.
Austria. ranked 25. saw Ralf Rangnick tinker with personnel against Argentina. bringing Tottenham’s Kevin Danso into the back line and PSV’s Paul Wanner into midfield. The issue. as described. is that despite quality. this team lacks prolific forwards or a formidable defence. and they conceded to Jordan. The meeting with Algeria on Sunday will determine who progresses in second place.
Scotland, ranked 41, had fans doing math. Their scenario against Brazil requires figuring out how many goals they can afford to lose by and still qualify as one of the best eight third-placed teams. After unconvincingly beating Haiti 1-0, Scotland battled valiantly in the second half against Morocco in losing by the same score. Their final Group C match against Brazil is their hinge point. and any positive result on Wednesday books a knockout-stage spot for the first time.
Iran, ranked 20, are waiting for their first win of the tournament. Against Belgium. they achieved a great result in terms of chances. creating excellent openings and having an intuitive free-kick goal ruled out for offside. But they’re still without victory. Drawing with New Zealand may prove costly, especially with Belgium reduced to 10 men and Iran not making enough of it. Iran hope that Egypt may take their foot off the gas in their final Group G game on Friday.
Ecuador. ranked 24. came in on a 19-match. two-year unbeaten streak but have been seriously disappointing so far—losing to Ivory Coast and then drawing with Curacao. They have failed to score from 4.08 xG. Enner Valencia, now 36, is not proving as prolific as he was in Qatar 2022 group stages, when he scored three goals. Their progression is jeopardised after the Curacao result. with their final group game against Germany on Thursday. and they will hope Julian Nagelsmann rotates his team. noting that progression has already been secured.
Paraguay, ranked 40, showed exactly the solidity they were talked up for. Their 1-0 win over Turkey included a goal after just two minutes from Matias Galarza’s excellent long-distance strike. When Miguel Almiron became the first player ever to be sent off for covering their mouth while speaking to an opponent. Paraguay still stood firm through a barrage of attacks. Paraguay will be without Almiron due to suspension against Australia, as they aim to finish second.
Cape Verde, ranked 67, are described as one of the stories of the World Cup. They are unbeaten in two matches. with a shock draw against Spain in their opener and then a 2-2 draw with Uruguay via a 40-yard free kick. Cape Verde also had a moment of ingenuity from substitute Helio Varela. Their chances now come against Saudi Arabia next. where victory would make them the most unlikely knockout-stage team in the history of the tournament. Even a draw would keep the dream alive.
Saudi Arabia, ranked 60, were brought back down to earth after their spirited draw with Uruguay and then a 4-0 humbling by Spain. They still have a task that’s clear enough: beat Cape Verde and finish on four points in at least third position in Group H.
New Zealand, ranked 85, have been stubborn and hard to beat. Like their previous World Cup appearance in 2010, they drew all three matches 16 years ago. At their 1982 debut appearance. they conceded their first defeat since debut when losing 3-1 to Mohamed Salah’s Egypt despite taking a first-half lead through Finn Surman. Now New Zealand have the chance to create history: beat a flagging Belgium team on Saturday to almost certainly reach the knockout stages for the first time.
Czech Republic. ranked 43. looked in control against South Africa after Michal Sadilek netted the fastest goal of the World Cup so far in 5 minutes and 7 seconds. They then failed to subdue their opponents. who equalised seven minutes from full-time. and the 1-1 draw left neither team better. The Czech Republic must now beat co-hosts Mexico on home soil to reach the knockout stages.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, ranked 64 and up by one, are win-or-bust after their late collapse against Switzerland. They face Qatar in Seattle on Wednesday, with the winner almost guaranteed to progress on four points.
DR Congo. ranked 46 and up by two. followed a shock 1-1 draw against Portugal with a narrow 1-0 defeat by Colombia. Defensively they look handy, and they carry a threat on the break through Yoane Wissa. Victory against Uzbekistan this weekend should put them through to the knockout stage with four points.
Qatar, ranked 56, had their match against Canada go badly—six goals conceded, two players sent off. Yet their last group game against Bosnia and Herzegovina still comes with a clear task: win and they’ll almost certainly be through to the knockout stage on four points. despite their lowly position in these rankings.
Curacao, ranked 82 and up by one, delivered goalkeeper drama. Eloy Room made history for Curacao with 15 saves against Ecuador and secured a point for the debuting nation. With that, Curacao still have a chance of progression if they beat Ivory Coast.
South Africa, ranked 61 and up by two, improved against the Czech Republic and then claimed a late draw, but they needed to win. Now they must upset the odds and beat South Korea to reach the knockout stage.
Iraq, ranked 57 and up by two, haven’t got near their opponents. The reason is partly structure and partly quality: Haaland and Mbappé headline the list of forwards they’ve faced. Their captain Aymen Hussein, who scored against Norway, was replaced with an injury after 26 minutes in their loss to France. Iraq can still progress if they beat Senegal comprehensively, though the chances are described as slim.
Uzbekistan. ranked 50 and down by one. were competitive after a good showing against Colombia. but they wilted against Portugal and Ronaldo. A 5-0 defeat defended with naivety is described as humbling star player Abdukodir Khusanov. who was in tears at full time. Uzbekistan’s prospects now depend on beating DR Congo and getting lucky with results elsewhere if they want to progress as a third-placed team.
Then the eliminated teams—where day 13’s results leave behind the sharpest edges.
Panama, ranked 34 and down by eight, are knocked out with a game to spare after narrow 1-0 losses against Ghana and Croatia, both games finishing 1-0. The report points to pride, missed chances and spurned opportunities.
Jordan, ranked 63, bowed out at their debut tournament after losses to Austria and Algeria. They scored in both games but didn’t do enough to stifle their opponents.
Haiti, ranked 83, became the first side to be eliminated after a 3-0 defeat by Brazil. But Haiti have left a positive impression. They were unable to play on home soil due to political unrest on the island. Haiti fought valiantly against Scotland and perhaps deserved better. before a second game against Brazil became a bridge too far—after conceding three in the first half. they “drew” the second half 0-0. Haiti go into their last group match against Morocco dreaming of earning their first point at the finals.
Turkey, ranked 23, are out after two games. The report argues they shouldn’t be trusted even with the talent in Kenan Yildiz and Arda Guler. along with Ferdi Kadioglu in defence and Hakan Calhanoglu’s passing range and shot. Turkey finished eliminated after 62 shots without scoring across the two games. Their failure to score against a Paraguay side that played half the game with 10 men is presented as the clearest indictment.
Tunisia, ranked 45, are eliminated after a miserable group stage. After a 5-1 loss to Sweden and the sacking of Sabri Lamouchi, Tunisia’s replacement, Herve Renard, couldn’t stop the 4-0 trouncing by Japan. On a minus-eight goal difference after two games, no team has a worse losing margin.
The thread across day 13 is hard to ignore: rankings don’t move just because a result happens—they move because a performance tells you what kind of team you’re seeing. Portugal’s Ronaldo moment is the loudest example. But the quiet changes—England stalling. Canada exploding. Switzerland arriving late—are what will decide which teams feel inevitable as the knockouts begin.
Ronaldo Portugal Uzbekistan Day 13 World Cup 2026 rankings France Argentina England Canada Switzerland Netherlands