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WORLD CUP POWER RANKINGS: Defending champs take top spot

France forward Marcus Thuram (C-L) jokes with Kylian Mbappe (C-R) during a training session.
France forward Marcus Thuram (C-L) jokes with Kylian Mbappe (C-R) during a training session. Getty Images
  1. France (3) Defending champs were the first team to advance to the knockouts.
  2. Brazil (4) Two wins, two clean sheets against two tough opponents.
  3. Portugal (6) Passed its toughest test with playing colours, beating Uruguay.
  4. Spain (1) Draw with Germany will only help squad continue to grow.
  5. Croatia (11) Showed its experience in dismantling of Canada.
  6. Netherlands (5) Attempted just two shots to Ecuador’s 15 in draw.
  7. England (2) Lack of urgency against U.S. worrying for future matchups.
  8. Argentina (15) Messi and the boys got back on track. Watch out.
  9. Switzerland (8) Nearly held on for draw with Brazil before conceding late.
  10. Germany (13) That draw against Spain sure must’ve felt like a win.
  11. Denmark (10) Margin for error is slim for pre-tourney darkhorse pick.
  12. Poland (20) Lewandowski is on the board, but Szczesny is the starring man.
  13. Morocco (18) Win over Belgium should hardly be considered a shock.
  14. Uruguay (9) One of just three nations yet to score in Qatar.
  15. Saudi Arabia (14) Would not be shocking if it actually advances.
  16. Ecuador (17) Enner Valencia’s injury puts damper on hopes of advancing.
  17. Ghana (27) Weathered the storm to score nice won over Korea.
  18. Belgium (7) Team in turmoil realistically could’ve been pointless right now.
  19. Senegal (22) Nearly let Qatar back in game before sealing the deal.
  20. Iran (29) Capitalized on huge, late mistake by Wales goalkeeper.
  21. USA (23) Young squad won a lot of fans in hard-working draw with England.
  22. Australia (30) Won its first World Cup game since 2010.
  23. Japan (12) Sometimes, it’s harder to be favoured, as loss to Costa Rica shows.
  24. Serbia (21) Was able to show much more in attack than against Brazil.
  25. Cameroon (28) Could it have done better with suspended Andre Onana in net?
  26. Mexico (19) Is going to need a lot of luck to keep up streak of advancing out of groups.
  27. Costa Rica (32) Bounced back from massive defeat to score upset win.
  28. South Korea (25) Provided some excitement, but need more from star Son.
  29. Wales (24) Has the first and only red card of the tournament so far.
  30. Canada (16) Big loss to Croatia should be valuable learning experience.
  31. Tunisia (26) As predicted, offence has been a big issue for it.
  32. Qatar (31) Well, at least the hosts got a goal.

Postmedia’s soccer expert Derek Van Diest is on the ground in Qatar to cover every kickoff of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Subscribe today and get access to all his coverage.

As the Canadian national soccer teams head to their respective FIFA World Cups, Derek Van Diest is on the scene to cover all the action. Expect expert insights and analysis in your inbox daily throughout the tournaments, and weekly on Thursdays for the rest of the season.

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