The FIFA rankings have played out to perfection in the ongoing World Cup knockout stages with all the better-placed nations winning their last 16 games to date.
As it stands four of the top five ranked nations have qualified for the quarterfinals with Belgium (second on the FIFA rankings) having been the biggest disappointment after coming stuck in the group stages.
Read: Brazil thrash Korea to book WC last 8 berth
Brazil (1), Argentina (3), France (4), and England (5) are all in the last eight joined by Netherlands (8), and Croatia (12) who have all have all progressed after getting past teams ranked lower than them in the last 16.
The other two quarterfinalists could be teams in the top 10 of the FIFA rankings in Spain (7) and Portugal (9).
Spain must find a way past Morocco (22) while Portugal will have to deal with Switzerland (15) today.
If Morocco or Switzerland win their respective games those results will be considered upsets.
Brazil went past South Korea (28), Argentina got past Australia (38), France elbowed out Poland (26), England pushed out Senegal (18), the Netherlands found their way past the USA (16), and Croatia squeezed past Japan (24).
The confirmed quarterfinals so far will have Brazil against Croatia, Argentina will contest Netherlands, while France fight it off with England in a clash pitting the fourth-ranked against the fifth-ranked nation respectively.
If these matches continue with the trend of rankings, then Brazil will meet Argentina in the semi-finals while France meet Spain if Luis Enrique beats Morocco and overs Portugal in the Iberian derby.
The final could then turn out to be Brazil against France on December 18.
Brazil’s placing at the top of the rankings makes them favourites to win the tournament.
Based on the FIFA rankings, Belgium flopped just like sixth-placed Italy who failed to qualify for the World Cup with Denmark (10) out, Germany (11), Mexico (13), Wales (19), and Iran (20) all knocked out in the group stages of the teams in the top 20.
Ghana (61) was the lowest-ranked nation at the World Cup and went out in the group stages with other lowly ranked nations Saudi Arabia (51), Qatar (50), Ecuador (44), Cameroon (43), Canada (41), Costa Rica (31).
Australia (38) and South Korea (28) were the two lowest-ranked nations in the last 16.
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