Spain turned up. Should they be favourites? Re-ranking the 48 World Cup teams after day 22
The New York Times • • sports
Key Points:
- The 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 is nearing completion, with only three ties remaining and the last 16 almost finalized after Thursday’s matches.
- Cristiano Ronaldo, at 41, scored his first World Cup knockout goal leading Portugal to a dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia, potentially marking Luka Modric’s final international appearance.
- France leads the tournament rankings, showing strong form with Kylian Mbappe as a top scorer, followed closely by Argentina, Spain, Brazil, and England, all progressing with varied performances.
- Notable underdog stories include Cape Verde reaching the knockout stages for the first time and Norway advancing to the last 16 for only the third time in history.
- Several traditional powerhouses like the Netherlands, Germany, and Croatia have been eliminated early, while teams like Mexico, Morocco, and Switzerland have impressed by advancing further than expected.
