France Tops World Cup Power Rankings; Messi Leads Golden Boot
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- France topped ESPN's 20-reporter panel with 18 of 20 first-place votes, fresh off a 3-0 rout of Sweden in the round of 32 (3.24 to 0.70 xG) that featured two goals from Mbappé, who now has six in the tournament; next up is Paraguay in Philadelphia on Saturday.
- Argentina escaped Cape Verde 3-2 in extra time after Borges' 111th-minute own goal, with Messi extending his Golden Boot lead to seven goals; the report calls the match 'the game of the tournament' and notes Argentina face Egypt in Atlanta on Tuesday.
- England dropped to No. 5 after Kane's two goals rescued a 2-1 comeback against Congo DR, but the panel flagged concerns over Madueke, Spence, Rashford, and Saka, plus 'no good wing play and slow tempo' ahead of Sunday's altitude test against Mexico at Azteca.
- Brazil rose to No. 4 after rallying from 1-0 down to beat Japan 2-1 in the round of 32; the panel credited Ancelotti for managing egos and pointed to Sunday's Norway matchup against Haaland, who has five tournament goals.
- All three co-hosts — the U.S., Mexico, and Canada — remain alive in the competition, with Canada facing Morocco in Houston on Saturday and Mexico hosting England in Mexico City on Sunday.
- Portugal climbed to No. 7 but drew criticism for a 'Ronaldo-centric style,' with Ramos' 94th-minute goal sealing a 2-1 win over Croatia; they face Spain in Dallas on Monday in the only round-of-16 clash between top-eight teams.
- Morocco rose two spots to No. 6 after outplaying the Netherlands in a 3-2 penalty win, having previously drawn with Brazil in the group stage; the path through Canada and potentially France tests their tournament-best resilience.
Why it matters: England's drop to No. 5 despite Kane's two-goal rescue against Congo DR signals real vulnerabilities — sluggish wing play and underperforming Saka, Rashford and Madueke — ahead of a high-altitude round-of-16 match against Mexico in Mexico City, where the thin air could expose Tuchel's side further if his supporting cast doesn't lift.
