World Cup
World Cup 2026: co-hosts surge, giants stumble in power shake-up
The Azteca Stadium shook as Gilberto Mora led Mexico past Ecuador, a night of rhythmic chants and relentless pressure that left few neutral fans unmoved. The co-hosts are thriving in front of their own crowd, powered by the prodigal talents of Gilberto Mora, who was fantastic against Ecuador.
France remain locked at the summit, all six judges ranking Les Bleus No 1 after their demolition of Sweden. Even when opponents feel comfortable, Kylian Mbappé or Michael Olise can produce genius without notice, ripping apart the best-organised defences. “I did say that I wanted to enjoy this World Cup to the fullest,” Mbappé told reporters after the Sweden game.
Spain climb one place after an almost perfect victory over Austria, with Lamine Yamal improving by the game and Unai Simón yet to concede. The handbrake is off for La Roja and the football is flowing freely, aided by Mikel Oyarzabal being clinical in front of goal.
Argentina dropped one spot despite winning every match at this World Cup. Lionel Messi leads the tournament’s scoring charts, but the world champions twice let Cape Verde back into a scintillating match on Friday. By the end many of the Argentina side – including Messi – looked physically and emotionally drained.
Morocco forced extra time against the Netherlands through a 91st-minute Issa Diop goal, a calculated display that ended with Yassine Bounou’s heroics in the shootout. They have drawn with Brazil and beaten the Netherlands to show they are capable of replicating their semi-final spot four years ago. “I think Morocco has gained everybody’s respect now,” said head coach Mohamed Ouahbi.
Brazil’s first-half lethargy against Japan gave way to a revitalised second period, with Vinícius Júnior’s skills keeping Japan on the back foot. Rayan and the experience of Casemiro and Bruno Guimarães in midfield provided ably support, though concerns linger over the defence.
Norway’s bold rotation paid off as Erling Haaland, often quiet, bided his time before pouncing to score the winner against Côte d’Ivoire. The Manchester City striker will face Gabriel Magalhães in the next round with high stakes.
England survived a scare against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with Harry Kane clinical when it mattered. Thomas Tuchel should be concerned about the overall performance, which was pedestrian and disjointed for much of the match.
DRC's early lead forces England into a late fight at the World Cup
The United States moved up seven places after Folarin Balogun’s red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The side held firm and added a second goal, showing this version of the USMNT is made of stern stuff ahead of a clash with Belgium. Colombia’s dominant display against Ghana did not translate into a convincing scoreline, with a 1-0 win failing to reflect their efforts. Luis Díaz’s unpredictable dribbling and James Rodríguez’s playmaking continue to cause opponents problems. Portugal slipped one place after a penalty secured a draw against Croatia while Cristiano Ronaldo was on the pitch.