{"id":16875,"date":"2026-07-05T01:57:20","date_gmt":"2026-07-04T20:27:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/?p=16875"},"modified":"2026-07-05T01:57:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-04T20:27:20","slug":"fifa-world-cup-2026-power-rankings-3-france-are-running-away-from-the-field","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-power-rankings-3-france-are-running-away-from-the-field\/","title":{"rendered":"FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 | Power Rankings 3: France Are Running Away From the Field"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Round of 32 is done. Sixteen teams remain. The power rankings have shifted \u2014 some confirmations, some new questions, one team pulling so far ahead of the field that the conversation is already changing. Here is where things stand as the knockout rounds enter their decisive phase.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-black ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Page Contents:<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #282fff;color:#282fff\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #282fff;color:#282fff\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-power-rankings-3-france-are-running-away-from-the-field\/#1_%E2%80%94_France\" title=\"#1 \u2014 France\">#1 \u2014 France<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-power-rankings-3-france-are-running-away-from-the-field\/#2_%E2%80%94_Argentina\" title=\"#2 \u2014 Argentina\">#2 \u2014 Argentina<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-power-rankings-3-france-are-running-away-from-the-field\/#3_%E2%80%94_Spain\" title=\"#3 \u2014 Spain\">#3 \u2014 Spain<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-power-rankings-3-france-are-running-away-from-the-field\/#4_%E2%80%94_England\" title=\"#4 \u2014 England\">#4 \u2014 England<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-power-rankings-3-france-are-running-away-from-the-field\/#5_%E2%80%94_Brazil\" title=\"#5 \u2014 Brazil\">#5 \u2014 Brazil<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i>Watch every team in these rankings live in the Round of 16 on ZEE 5 \u2014 get the <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/myaccount\/subscription?plan-ref=0-11-7467&amp;asset-ref=0-6-4z5914493&amp;visibility=SELECTED&amp;context=FIFA\"><i>ZEE 5 FIFA Subscription<\/i><\/a><i> Quarterly Plan at \u20b9799 and stream <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\"><i>FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122<\/i><\/a><i> from anywhere in India.<\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_%E2%80%94_France\"><\/span><b>#1 \u2014 <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/0-6-4z5974253\/0-2-5z5974716\/teams\/france\/france-squad\"><b>France<\/b><\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>France are the tournament&#8217;s dominant force. The 3\u20130 scoreline against Sweden tells part of the story. The rest of it \u2014 the chances that did not go in, the Michael Olise near-misses, the sheer volume of attacking threat generated \u2014 tells you the true picture. That was not a 3\u20130 game. It was a 5\u20130 or 6\u20130 game played at 3\u20130.<\/p>\n<p>The reason France are in a category of their own right now comes down to one problem they present to opposing coaches: there is no solution. Every strong team in world football has a vulnerability that opponents try to exploit \u2014 you put two men on Messi, you push high against a slow-building side, you disrupt the tempo against a possession team. France break all of those strategies simultaneously. Mbapp\u00e9 on 6 goals, Demb\u00e9l\u00e9 on 4. Two genuine finishers. Then Olise and Barcola. By the time an opponent has assigned defensive cover to the first two threats, they have already run out of bodies before crossing the halfway line. That is not a tactical problem. That is a structural impossibility.<\/p>\n<p>France are the team to beat. Right now, nobody looks close to beating them.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_%E2%80%94_Argentina\"><\/span><b>#2 \u2014 <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/0-6-4z5974253\/0-2-5z5974716\/teams\/argentina\/argentina-squad\"><b>Argentina<\/b><\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Argentina were taken to tiebreakers by Cabo Verde. That sentence requires honesty. They were level at 90 minutes against a debutant nation and needed a deflected header in extra time to advance. But step back from the result and look at what the match actually showed about Argentina as a team.<\/p>\n<p>The midfield of De Paul, Mac Allister, Enzo Fern\u00e1ndez and Almada were exceptional \u2014 quick recycling, sharp movement, constantly finding space and shifting the tempo. The back four of Medina, Lisandro Mart\u00ednez, Romero, and Molina were outstanding on both sides of the ball: defending with discipline, carrying the ball forward, and looking for passes over defensive lines whenever the opportunity arose. They were just up against a Cabo Verde team that refused to be beaten.<\/p>\n<p>They face Egypt next in the Round of 16. Argentina should advance. The question is how they look doing it.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_%E2%80%94_Spain\"><\/span><b>#3 \u2014 <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/0-6-4z5974253\/0-2-5z5974716\/teams\/spain\/spain-squad\"><b>Spain<\/b><\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Spain made Austria look easy. Three goals, Oyarzabal brace, Cucurella involved in everything \u2014 La Roja are playing with the kind of control that wins tournaments. Their attack is growing stronger with each match. Yamal is getting sharper. The Oyarzabal-Cucurella combination on the left is becoming one of the more consistent creative partnerships in the tournament.<\/p>\n<p>Spain face Portugal in the Round of 16. That is their first real test. If they pass it the way they have passed every test so far, the conversation around them becomes very serious indeed.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_%E2%80%94_England\"><\/span><b>#4 \u2014 <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/0-6-4z5974253\/0-2-5z5974716\/teams\/england\/england-squad\"><b>England<\/b><\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>England were 1\u20130 down to DR Congo for 74 minutes. They needed two Harry Kane goals in the final 16 minutes to survive. That is not the performance of a team that belongs at number four. So why are they here? Because DR Congo are a genuinely well-balanced side \u2014 their group stage results prove it \u2014 and England&#8217;s comeback, however uncomfortable, showed character and a striker in Kane who can decide matches when it matters.<\/p>\n<p>Bellingham was denied repeatedly by an outstanding Mpasi performance. Kane&#8217;s second goal \u2014 from a tight angle, driven into the top corner \u2014 was extraordinary. Kane is delivering when required, and Tuchel&#8217;s substitutions changed the game. They face Mexico next. A much sterner examination awaits.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_%E2%80%94_Brazil\"><\/span><b>#5 \u2014 <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/0-6-4z5974253\/0-2-5z5974716\/teams\/brazil\/brazil-squad\"><b>Brazil<\/b><\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Brazil came from behind against Japan. They maintained defensive discipline while finding an urgency in attack \u2014 the kind of controlled intensity that Carlo Ancelotti promised at the start of the tournament when he said this squad would be competitive. It is proving to be true.<\/p>\n<p>The injury situation is worth watching. Raphinha will likely miss the Norway match. Paquet\u00e1 is out. Casemiro was substituted off but is expected to play. Neymar will probably feature. Brazil are managing a squad under pressure \u2014 but the structure holds, the defensive lines remain compact, and Vin\u00edcius is in the kind of form that can single-handedly win knockout matches. Norway and Haaland await in the Round of 16. That will tell us everything about how deep Brazil can go.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i>All five of these teams are live in the Round of 16 on ZEE 5 \u2014 India&#8217;s official home of FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122. Stream every match.<\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i>Disclaimer: Subscription pack prices are subject to change from time to time. Please visit the subscription page for the most up-to-date pricing information.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Round of 32 is done. Sixteen teams remain. The power rankings have shifted \u2014 some confirmations, some new questions, one team pulling so far ahead of the field that the conversation is already changing. Here is where things stand as the knockout rounds enter their decisive phase. &nbsp; Watch every team in these rankings [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":15163,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ub_ctt_via":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3019],"tags":[3031,3478],"class_list":["post-16875","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fifa-world-cup-2026","tag-fifa-world-cup-2026","tag-power-rankings-3"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png","author_info":{"display_name":"Sourav K","author_link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/author\/sourav-k\/"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 | Power Rankings 3: 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