The FIFA World Cup has entered its defining phase, and so has the race to be recognised as the tournament’s standout performer. With the quarterfinals now complete, FIFA‘s latest Power Rankings have undergone their biggest shake-up yet, and the biggest casualty is Argentina captain Lionel Messi.
France skipper Kylian Mbappe remains untouchable at the summit after another decisive display helped Les Bleus reach a third successive World Cup semifinal. The 27-year-old opened the scoring against Morocco in the quarterfinals, taking his remarkable World Cup tally to 20 goals in 20 appearances, before setting up Ousmane Dembele to double France’s lead just six minutes later.
That performance ensured Mbappe (8.97) retained top spot in the overall Attacking rankings. His match Attacking score of 8.45 against Morocco was comfortably the highest among all French players in the quarterfinal.
Mbappe’s influence has not been limited to goals. Ranked fourth overall in the Creativity charts with a rating of 7.65, the France captain once again stretched Morocco’s back line with his intelligent movement before providing the assist for Dembele’s goal. Yet it is teammate Michael Olise (8.30) who continues to lead the tournament in Creativity. Although the Bayern Munich winger did not register a goal or assist against Morocco, his 13 ball progressions, nine completed midfield line-breaks and involvement in 11 attacking sequences underlined why he remains the highest-rated creative player at this World Cup.
Messi, meanwhile, paid the price for a comparatively quiet outing against Switzerland. For the first time in Argentina’s campaign, the 39-year-old failed to score, slipping one place in the Attacking rankings. England midfielder Jude Bellingham capitalised with his match-winning brace against Norway, climbing four places to second with a rating of 8.25, while Messi dropped to third on 8.07. England captain Harry Kane, who was well contained by Norway, also fell five places to ninth after receiving a rating of 6.91.
The semifinal stage now sets up a fascinating battle both on the pitch and in the rankings. Bellingham has the chance to strengthen his grip on second place, or even close the gap on Mbappe, when England face Messi’s Argentina in Atlanta on July 16. A day earlier, Mbappe will look to reinforce his status as the tournament’s standout performer when France meet Spain in the first semifinal.
