World Cup Power Rankings: England climbs to No. 2 but Brazil back on top after round of 16

Uruguay, Belgium and France round out a top five where four teams are on one side of the bracket

By Roger Gonzalez

Jul 6, 2018 at 11:22 am ET • 6 min read

Eight teams remain in the 2018 World Cup, so it's time for our latest Power Rankings.

Giants like Argentina, Portugal and Spain are done, while surprises like Sweden, Croatia and Russia remain. And with all three of those surprises on one side of the bracket, that leaves a tough road to navigate for four of our top five teams.

Our latest rankings see a real contender jump to second after a wild win in penalty kicks:

Power Rankings through round of 16

RK		CHG	ANALYSIS
1.	Brazil	+1	Still the best team. Good performance against Mexico and that defense has allowed just one goal in four matches, tied for the least conceded in the Cup. Belgium will be tough, as will a potential semifinal matchup against Uruguay or France if Brazil advances, but it remains the team to beat.
2.	England	+1	The most talented team remaining on the right side of the bracket and loaded with confidence after finally winning in penalty kicks. Kane is on fire, though many of his goals have come from the spot, but the defense has limited mistakes as well. This team can get there and win it.
3.	Uruguay	+1	Saw off Portugal, and the physicality in the middle was key. That will also be vital to beat France. Lucas Torreira is a rising star, and this team has everything needed to win the cup, but will Cavani be healthy?
4.	Belgium	-3	Almost shocked by Japan, but the Red Devils somehow rallied. That builds trust and increases the importance of starting off on the right foot. Hard to see this team beating Brazil and France/Uruguay. When sharp, this team can win it all, but the consistency isn't there.
5.	France	+2	Good showing against Argentina as Kylian Mbappe delivers on the big stage. Still not truly tested in this cup though, but will be against Luis Suarez and company. A huge chance to get within striking distance of a second World Cup title.
6.	Croatia	-1	Don't like what I saw against Denmark. I believed in this team, but now I'm not so sure anymore. Who has Croatia beaten? A bad Argentina team might be its best win. I like the players but don't trust the defenders.
7.	Russia	+7	Massive upset of Spain and held on defensively. It'll need to do that against Croatia to have a fighter's chance. Denis Cheryshev needs to start, no questions asked.
8.	Sweden	+5	I still don't believe in this team. Beat England and then we can talk. Getting lucky bounces in attack, but that defense is just a monster. Strong, well-timed tackles have been key. It might have what it takes to beat England, but I don't think will.

Teams eliminated in round of 16

RK		CHG	ANALYSIS
9.	Colombia	--	With James Rodriguez, I think this team beats England. But he sits out with a calf injury, and as a result, the Cafeteros head home. Heartbreaking for this team after two straight wins. Now you have to wonder what's next. Will Jose Peckerman continue?
10.	Japan	+6	A heroic showing against Belgium and probably deserved more. The Jan Vertonghen goal to start the comeback was something else, something out of this world. The Japanese left it all out on the field and were a classy bunch that gave their fans some great memories.
11.	Argentina	-3	I don't quite understand how Jorge Sampaoli still has a job. Sure, there is a big buyout, but he's yet to do one thing right. This feels almost as awful as the group stage exit in 2002. A circus.
12.	Mexico	-1	Didn't take care of Sweden in the group stage and got Brazil as a result. The squad hung tough for a bit, but it always felt like the South Americans would win. Time to welcome a new generation of players for the next World Cup, and possibly a new coach?
13.	Denmark	+2	Unlucky against Croatia at times but didn't deserve to win. Only had a chance because of Kasper Schmeichel's penalty save. The Danes have a bright future with Christian Eriksen leading the way.
14.	Switzerland	-2	Not good. Picked a bad time to have an off night in attack. Oh, what could have been. This team has the talent and togetherness to make a semifinal run considering the matchups, but it blew it.
15.	Portugal	-5	Cristiano Ronaldo could get nothing going against a Uruguayan central defense that he's extremely familiar with. Somebody else had to step up and nobody really did. Sent packing as expected. So much for building on Euro 2016.
16.	Spain	-10	Where do we start? Looked good in attack against Spain but did very little else the rest of the way. Maybe we were kidding ourselves. But firing the coach two days before the cup wasn't going to make it any easier. A debacle.

Teams eliminated in the group stage

RK		CHG	ANALYSIS
17.	Senegal	-3	Unlucky to go out on yellow cards. Was fun while it lasted and they have a bright future.
18.	South Korea	+5	Scored a huge win over Germany to end the tournament on a high note and eliminate the reigning champs. Played better than expected, but it was a tough group.
19.	Germany	-13	The worst World Cup this national team has ever experienced in modern history. A shocking effort that raises serious questions.
20.	Nigeria	-4	Had a chance to move on but was unfortunate not to get a draw against Argentina to move on. Showed up in one match, didn't in the other two.
21.	Poland	--	Congrats on the win. It came 180 minutes too late. Great in qualifying, horrible at the World Cup.
22.	Peru	+2	Got a win against Australia to earn a memorable moment before headed home. This team played well, but the finishing was off. Decent showing.
23.	Serbia	-4	Cooled off after winning the opener. Discouraging performance. Had the chances and couldn't put them away.
24.	Iceland	-2	The underdog couldn't do it. The Euro 2016 run wasn't a fluke, but it just came across a tough group that it couldn't handle.
25.	Costa Rica	--	Ended the tourney on a draw, but far away from its expectations when before the start of the tourney. Could be the end of an era with many important players towards the end of their careers.
26.	Iran	--	Unlucky to not beat Portugal. It was always going to be hard to get out of the group stage. It had a chance, but it failed to capitalize on it. Oh, what could have been.
27.	Morocco	+1	I really like how this team played. Effort and heart, but Morocco wasted so many chances that it makes me sick to think about it.
28.	Australia	-1	Not nearly enough quality to contend. Very predictable in attack. Can't just score on penalty kicks.
29.	Saudi Arabia	+2	Picked up a win over Egypt to end on a positive note. Well done.
30.	Tunisia	--	Ended with a win over Panama for its second-ever World Cup victory. That's something at least.
31.	Egypt	-2	Mohamed Salah and 10 more. Never really stood a chance. I never got the pre-tournament hype for this team.
32.	Panama	--	Three matches, three losses. As expected, but it was fun at least. Panama celebrated goals like it just won the final, and that shows you just what its first trip to the cup meant to this small nation.