England's statement win and Norway's rising threat in World Cup

England’s march into the quarter-finals came at a cost. Jarell Quansah’s red card against Mexico has now brought a two-game ban, ruling him out of the Norway tie and, if they get there, the semi-final. On top of that, there are injury worries over Marc Guehi, Declan Rice and Reece James before Saturday’s showdown.

The win over Mexico was more than a result. It was a flex. England beat the co-hosts in the Azteca, a ground that swallows visiting teams whole and almost never lets them leave with anything. Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane kept their outstanding tournaments rolling, but it was the defensive steel that defined the night.

Jordan Pickford was defiant, Dan Burn came off the bench and slotted into the chaos, and the 10 men clung to their lead after Quansah’s dismissal before the hour. It was ugly at times, but it was the kind of resistance that wins tournaments.

Now Thomas Tuchel gets the task every modern coach dreads: figuring out how to stop Erling Haaland. At the start of the tournament, England would have snapped your hand off for this quarter-final. They have it. Now they have to survive it.

Norway (FIFA ranking: 21) ⬆️ 1

Norway arrived with the world’s deadliest striker. Against Brazil, that mattered. Haaland’s double dragged them into their first-ever World Cup quarter-final and announced, in case anyone needed reminding, that one moment of space is all he needs.

Behind him, Orjan Nyland is playing like a man possessed, turning routine saves into momentum swings. In front of him, Martin Odegaard dictates the rhythm, deciding when Norway keep the ball and when they go to war. This is not a one-note team. They’re comfortable in possession and relish a physical contest.

Now come the familiar faces. Haaland of Manchester City and Odegaard of Arsenal up against England, packed with Premier League colleagues and rivals. No secrets. No surprises. Just a straight fight for a semi-final.

Belgium (FIFA ranking: 9) ⬆️ 1

Belgium looked finished after limp showings against Egypt and Iran. Then something snapped. A 5-1 hammering of New Zealand jolted them awake at the end of the group stage, and an improbable comeback against Senegal in the round of 32 turned a fading generation into a live threat again.

They were dismissed as yesterday’s team. Yet after beating the United States, they are in the quarter-finals and building a head of steam. Spain await, and that’s where the fairytale is really tested.

The mood has been dampened, though, by a brutal injury blow: Aston Villa midfielder Amadou Onana has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury. For a side already walking a fine line between experience and decline, losing that power in midfield cuts deep.

Switzerland (FIFA ranking: 15) ⬆️ 1

Switzerland always seem to find their way into the knockouts. This time, they’ve gone a step further. After three straight World Cups ending in the last 16, they finally broke through, beating Colombia on penalties to reach their first quarter-final since they hosted the tournament in 1954.

They did it without Johan Manzambi, the 20-year-old who had lit up their campaign with three goals and two assists before injury struck. Without him, the spark faded. Just two shots on target against Colombia told its own story, but their defensive organisation carried them over the line.

Argentina are next. On paper, it’s a mismatch. On the pitch, Switzerland will back their structure, their nerve and their knack for dragging big teams into uncomfortable games. They will fancy it.

The eliminated – honour, heartbreak and hard lessons

Morocco (FIFA ranking: 6) ⬇️ 3

No repeat of 2022’s semi-final heroics, but Morocco still made history, becoming the first African side to reach back-to-back World Cup quarter-finals.

They eased through a forgiving group and held Brazil to a draw in their opener, then survived the Netherlands on penalties before ruthlessly knocking out co-hosts Canada 3-0 despite registering only five shots.

France stopped them cold. A star-studded side they barely troubled, and the absence of injured forward Ismael Saibari stripped them of their edge. The performance stung, but the campaign as a whole? Respectable, especially under the weight of expectation from home.

Paraguay (FIFA ranking: 34)

Beating Germany in the last 32 will live forever in Paraguayan football folklore. Asking them to repeat that against France was too much.

They hardly laid a glove on Didier Deschamps’ team, yet they were stubborn, awkward, and left a blueprint for how better sides might frustrate France later on. For a team that had been torn apart 4-1 by the U.S. in their opening match, this World Cup ended up looking far better than it began.

Mexico (FIFA ranking: 10)

Heartbreak at the Azteca. Mexico lost at a World Cup in their spiritual fortress for the first time, ending a 10-game unbeaten run at the stadium in this competition.

They had not conceded a goal all tournament until Jude Bellingham’s rapid double. Even after Quansah’s red card gave them almost 40 minutes against 10 men, they could not find a way through. Endless crosses rained into the box, but quality deserted them in the final third.

Julian Quinones, with four goals in five games, will be the enduring memory of this side. The result will be the scar.

Colombia (FIFA ranking: 11)

Colombia had enough chances to beat Switzerland. Instead, they crashed out on penalties, agonisingly close to a quarter-final with Argentina that would have carried the weight of revenge after losing the Copa America final two years ago.

They had looked the part earlier. They outplayed Portugal in a goalless draw to top Group K, then brushed past Ghana in the round of 32. There was a sense this team could go deep. In the end, they found one defence they could not break.

United States (FIFA ranking: 16)

The U.S. fell flat when it mattered. Belgium outclassed them in the round of 16, extending a bleak run against top European opposition and underlining how far they still have to go.

The group stage had promised more. So did their last-32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Instead, the home World Cup ended with a whimper. The Folarin Balogun saga – his controversial involvement despite off-field noise – will linger in the background, but the display against Belgium did not match the ambition of this project.

Egypt (FIFA ranking: 24)

Egypt arrived with a reputation as serial underachievers. They leave having shed that skin.

They stunned Argentina in the last 16, counter-attacking with menace and leading for most of the match before collapsing late on. Before that, they had claimed their first World Cup win, against New Zealand, and their first knockout victory, edging Australia on penalties in the round of 32.

At 2-0 up on Argentina, game management deserted them. They needed to shut it down, slow it, smother it. They didn’t. The collapse was brutal, but the impression they left was of a team finally ready to belong on this stage.

Canada (FIFA ranking: 30)

Canada’s campaign is hard to pin down. They earned their first World Cup point, then reached the knockouts for the first time in their history. Yet their run came through a soft group, and their only wins came against Qatar and South Africa.

In the last 16, they lost 3-0 to Morocco, a scoreline that flattered the winners after Canada squandered a string of first-half chances. Years of investment were meant to build a side worthy of hosting. On this evidence, the real victory might be the foundation they’ve laid for regular World Cup appearances, not this one-off run.

Cape Verde (FIFA ranking: 64)

Cape Verde became one of the stories of the tournament. They exited against Argentina, but they did it swinging.

They had already stunned the world by drawing 0-0 with European champions Spain and then finishing above Uruguay to reach the last 16, taking second place after three group draws. Against Argentina, they twice came from behind, refusing to bow to Messi and the world champions.

Goalkeeper Vozinha was a revelation, making eight saves and denying Messi one-on-one. Roberto “Pico” Lopes again anchored the defence, but the moment of the night belonged to full-back Sidny Lopes Cabral, whose outrageous curling strike from a seemingly impossible angle will live long in highlight reels.

Brazil (FIFA ranking: 5)

Another World Cup, another disappointment. The most decorated nation in the competition’s history will hit 28 years without a title by the next edition – their longest drought.

Even Carlo Ancelotti could not steer them past the last 16. Brazil looked strangely passive against Norway, a team they still have never beaten in five meetings. Neymar came on late, scored a consolation penalty and spent more time in the spotlight for taunting Nyland and clashing with Odegaard than for his football, ending the night in tears at the whistle.

Portugal (FIFA ranking: 7)

Portugal’s talent never truly ignited. Outside of a 5-0 dismantling of debutants Uzbekistan, they rarely looked clearly superior to their opponents.

In the round of 16 against Spain, Roberto Martinez’s side drifted, stuck in a lull, and only woke up after conceding in stoppage time. By then, it was too late.

This was Cristiano Ronaldo’s last World Cup. He scored in a record sixth edition and finally found a knockout goal – a penalty against Croatia – but from open play he was largely a bystander.

Netherlands (FIFA ranking: 7)

The Netherlands looked ominous in the group stage, thrashing Sweden 5-1 and unleashing an exciting front line of Cody Gakpo, Brian Brobbey and Crysencio Summerville.

Then came Morocco in the last 16. Ronald Koeman switched to a back five, trying to contain rather than impose. It almost worked; Morocco needed a late equaliser. But the question lingers: why abandon what had worked so well?

The shootout was a disaster. Three misses from five and an early exit, followed by Koeman’s resignation. After so much optimism, the fall felt steep.

Germany (FIFA ranking: 12)

Germany looked to have shaken off their recent tournament trauma with two strong group games – a demolition of Curacao and a late win over Ivory Coast. Then came a 2-1 defeat to Ecuador with close to a full-strength XI, a warning they failed to heed.

Paraguay sent them home in the last 32. Jonathan Tah thought he had saved them in extra time, only for his goal to be ruled out for blocking the goalkeeper. It should never have come to that. Paraguay had been battered 4-1 by the U.S. earlier.

This is another early exit to add to the pile. After failing to escape the group in both tournaments since their 2014 triumph, Germany now have their first World Cup penalty shootout defeat as well. Julian Nagelsmann has gone. The rebuild, again, starts now.

Japan (FIFA ranking: 17)

Japan were one of the neutrals’ favourites. They played with energy, humility and adventure in the group stage, enough that many tipped them to trouble Brazil in the last 32. They did more than that, taking the lead through Kaishu Sano.

Brazil eventually matched their intensity and snatched it with an added-time winner. Injuries to Kaoru Mitoma, Takefusa Kubo and Wataru Endo before and during the tournament left Japan short of their full power. You were left wondering what this side might have done at full strength.

Senegal (FIFA ranking: 18)

Senegal were minutes from the quarter-finals. They led Belgium 2-0 in the 86th minute. Then the game imploded around them, ending in defeat after Youri Tielemans’ extra-time penalty.

Tears flowed at the whistle, a raw end to a year that had already seen them stripped of their AFCON crown. Yet for long stretches against Belgium they were superb, highlighted by Ismaila Sarr’s stunning chest control and volley. They had also pushed France hard in the group stage.

The collapse will haunt them. The performance showed they still belong among the elite.

Ivory Coast (FIFA ranking: 31)

Ivory Coast left the World Cup with their only defeats coming against Germany in the group and Norway in the round of 32. Wins over Ecuador and Curacao underlined their status as one of the best of the chasing pack, but also how far they still have to climb.

They brought the youngest squad at the tournament. Amad shone, scoring a winner against Ecuador and a brilliant solo goal versus Norway. Yan Diomande flashed the kind of talent that could earn him a major move this summer.

Their strikers, though, never scored. That lack of a focal finisher left too much burden on Amad and Diomande and ultimately capped their ceiling.

Croatia (FIFA ranking: 13)

After finishing runners-up in 2018 and third in 2022, Croatia bowed out in the round of 32, undone late on by Portugal.

They had finished second in Group L behind England, losing 4-2 to Tuchel’s side in their opener before beating Panama and Ghana. Then came the knockout blow.

Attention now turns to Luka Modric. At 40, the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner may have played his last international match. Croatia can replace his position. They cannot replace him.

Sweden (FIFA ranking: 37)

Not long ago, Sweden were finishing bottom of their qualifying group behind Kosovo, Slovenia and Switzerland without a win. Under Graham Potter, the transformation has been swift.

They edged Ukraine and Poland in the play-offs, smashed Tunisia 5-1 in their opener and drew with Japan. With Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres and Anthony Elanga, the talent is there.

France ended their run in the last 32. There is no shame in that. The frustration will be that Sweden still haven’t found the consistency their squad suggests is possible.

Ecuador (FIFA ranking: 25)

Ecuador defended stoutly but struggled badly at the other end. Across four games, they scored only twice and failed to break down Curacao.

Both goals came in their standout moment – a 2-1 win over Germany. When the knockouts arrived, they ran into Mexico’s ruthlessness and had no answer.

Enner Valencia, 36, never really got going. Their other key figures – Moises Caicedo, William Pacho, Piero Hincapie – are all defensive players. Hincapie’s late red card against Mexico, for covering his mouth in a confrontation, summed up a campaign that never quite found balance.

Ghana (FIFA ranking: 65)

Ghana arrived ranked 73rd in the world, the second-lowest at the tournament. It always felt wrong. Over four games, they proved it.

A win over Panama set them on their way, and a gritty 0-0 draw with England – in which they were desperately unlucky not to win a late penalty – sealed qualification. Colombia eventually overpowered them in the last 32, and without the injured Mohammed Kudus they lacked a cutting edge.

Still, this felt like a reset. After years of inconsistency, Ghana leave with a platform to build on.

Austria (FIFA ranking: 22)

Austria squeezed into the knockouts with late drama against Algeria, then ran into a wall named Spain in the round of 32.

Ralf Rangnick’s team carried a punch – they scored three goals in two separate group games – but when they met the very best, including Argentina earlier on, they could not impose themselves at either end. For their first World Cup since 1998, it was progress, but also a reality check.

Australia (FIFA ranking: 28)

Australia lit up the early days of the tournament with a shock 2-0 win over Turkey, a result that set the tone for a gritty, defiant campaign.

Tony Popovic’s side sat deep, absorbed pressure and tried to spring forward with quick counters. The execution in the final third deserted them as the tournament wore on, though they did claw their way back level against Egypt before losing on penalties in the round of 32.

Back-to-back knockout appearances is no small feat. They leave with heads high and reputations enhanced.

Algeria (FIFA ranking: 29)

Algeria never really caught fire. Switzerland knocked them out in the round of 32, and they rarely looked like creating the chances to change that.

On the positive side, Riyad Mahrez, at 35, finally scored his first World Cup goals, while 24-year-old Feyenoord winger Anis Hadj Moussa hinted at a bright future. Yet the core of this team is ageing, and they appear to be slipping behind African rivals such as Senegal, Ivory Coast and Morocco.

DR Congo (FIFA ranking: 41)

At only their second World Cup – and their first since playing as Zaire in 1974 – DR Congo reached the knockouts and became one of nine African nations in the last 32.

A draw with Portugal and a win over Uzbekistan carried them through as one of the best third-placed teams. Against England, they struck first through Brian Cipenga and, for a time, had Lionel Mpasi on course to join Vozinha and Eloy Room among the goalkeeping cult heroes of this tournament. England eventually broke them down, but DR Congo’s impact was lasting.

Bosnia and Herzegovina (FIFA ranking: 61)

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s debut in the knockouts as an independent nation was a landmark in itself. Wins over Qatar and a draw with Canada pushed them through.

They fell to the U.S. in the round of 32, but they will always have the memory of beating Italy in UEFA’s play-offs to get here. Sometimes the road to the World Cup is as defining as the tournament itself.

South Africa (FIFA ranking: 54)

After losing their opener to Mexico, even the optimists in South Africa would have struggled to see a path out of the group. They found one.

Reaching the knockouts for the first time in their history made this a success on paper. The manner of their exit, though, will sting. Beaten in stoppage time by the co-hosts, they were seconds from extra time and the lottery of penalties. Hugo Broos leaves as the oldest man to coach a team in a World Cup knockout game, and with a sense of what might have been.

Iran (FIFA ranking: 21)

Iran leave without losing a match. That will hurt more than a heavy defeat.

They thought they had snatched a last-gasp winner against Egypt, only for VAR to rule it out for a marginal offside. Moments later they hit the crossbar. A win would have sealed their passage. Instead, they were left watching other results.

When Algeria scored late in their final group match, Iran were in. Austria’s even later equaliser knocked them out. All this in a tournament played amid military conflict with co-hosts the U.S., with players flying in and out of the country around games until that policy was finally scrapped. They performed admirably. The ending was cruel.

New Zealand (FIFA ranking: 86)

New Zealand will remember this World Cup for Elijah Just’s three goals and Chris Wood’s deft touches in their opener against Iran.

After that, the gap in quality showed. Egypt and Belgium swept them aside. Yet for their first World Cup since 2010, they contributed moments, stories and even a viral figure in Tim Payne. The next target is clear: finally reaching the knockouts.

Turkey (FIFA ranking: 27)

Few teams under-delivered like Turkey. Many expected them to progress ahead of Australia and Paraguay. Instead, they were out with a game to spare.

They salvaged some pride with a 3-2 win over the U.S. in their final match, scoring their first goals of the tournament. It was a late flourish that arrived far too late.

Uruguay (FIFA ranking: 19)

Uruguay backed themselves to go deep. They had finished level on points with Brazil and Colombia in qualifying. At the World Cup, that pedigree vanished.

Draws with Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde left them needing a result against Spain. They never truly threatened to get one. A goalkeeping blunder and a red card completed a self-inflicted collapse at the end of a bitterly disappointing campaign.

Saudi Arabia (FIFA ranking: 58)

Saudi Arabia regressed from their 2018 and 2022 showings, when they managed at least one group-stage win. Their only trip to the knockouts remains 1994.

This time, they were hard to beat, drawing twice and proving awkward opponents. With the rapid growth of their domestic league and a home World Cup to come in 2034, their next appearance on this stage could look very different.

South Korea (FIFA ranking: 32)

South Korea started brightly, beating the Czech Republic 2-1. Then the lights went out.

Back-to-back defeats to Mexico and South Africa, without scoring, left them on three points with a minus-one goal difference – not enough to progress as one of the best third-placed teams. It was a step back from 2022, when they advanced ahead of Uruguay and Ghana.

Captain Son Heung-min struggled to impose himself and was dropped for the final game. A brutal symbol of a campaign that never clicked.

Scotland (FIFA ranking: 42)

Scotland’s fate was sealed not on the pitch but by results elsewhere. When elimination was confirmed, Steve Clarke resigned after seven years in charge.

Their three points, earned against Haiti, were undermined by a 3-0 defeat to Brazil that wrecked their goal difference. After a 28-year wait to return to the World Cup, going out in the group stage will feel like a punch to the gut.

Curacao (FIFA ranking: 82)

The smallest nation at this World Cup did not leave quietly. Curacao took a point off Ecuador thanks to a heroic display from goalkeeper Eloy Room and celebrated their first World Cup goal through Livano Comenencia.

A 7-1 opening defeat to Germany threatened embarrassment, but they recovered to show resilience and personality before losing to Ivory Coast. For a country of their size, simply being here was extraordinary. Competing was even better.

Czech Republic (FIFA ranking: 48)

The Czech Republic fought hard through European play-offs, knocking out the Republic of Ireland and Denmark. On the biggest stage, they faltered.

They needed a win over Mexico in their final group game and were brushed aside 3-0. One point against South Africa left them bottom of Group A. For a team that had scrapped so hard to get here, the flatness of their World Cup was a major let-down.

Uzbekistan (FIFA ranking: 60)

Uzbekistan’s debut ended without a point, but not without moments. They pushed Colombia and even led against DR Congo.

They also shared the pitch with Cristiano Ronaldo in what will almost certainly be his final World Cup, watching him score in a sixth edition as Portugal ran out 5-0 winners. With Fabio Cannavaro in the dugout, they still conceded 11 goals in three games. Organisation at this level has to be better.

Panama (FIFA ranking: 44)

Panama were out before they faced England. A 2-0 defeat in that final game meant they went home as the only team not to score at this World Cup.

There were positives. They lost by just a single goal to both Ghana and Croatia, a huge improvement on 2018, when they shipped 11. If they can add a sharper attacking edge – and they did show flashes, especially against England – there is a base to build on.

Jordan (FIFA ranking: 73)

Jordan’s first World Cup ended with a game to spare after defeats to Austria and Algeria.

They did at least score in every match, including against Argentina, but never managed to disrupt opponents in the way some of the other debutants did. Their goalkeepers could not replicate the heroics seen elsewhere. The experience, though, will be invaluable.

Haiti (FIFA ranking: 88)

Haiti’s return to the World Cup after 52 years brought chaos, goals and a sense of freedom once elimination was confirmed.

They went toe-to-toe with Morocco in a 4-2 defeat, lit up by Sunderland forward Wilson Isidor’s memorable strike. Drawn alongside Morocco and Brazil, both top-10 nations, they had little luck. Next time, they will hope for a kinder path.

Qatar (FIFA ranking: 59)

Qatar started with a credible point against Switzerland. From there, it unravelled.

A 6-0 humiliation against Canada, featuring two red cards, was one of the worst displays of the group stage. A 3-1 loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina confirmed their exit. Under Julen Lopetegui, they never found the cohesion or intensity required to justify their ambitions.

Iraq (FIFA ranking: 63)

Iraq were overmatched in a group containing Haaland and Mbappe. They never got close.

The highlight was captain Aymen Hussein’s goal against Norway, scored shortly after he had been held for questioning by U.S. immigration officials on arrival. Beating Senegal would have kept their hopes alive, but they conceded inside four minutes and had a man sent off soon after. A 5-0 defeat closed their first World Cup since 1986.

Tunisia (FIFA ranking: 57)

Tunisia endured a miserable tournament. A 5-1 thrashing by Sweden in their opener cost Sabri Lamouchi his job, and Herve Renard could not stem the bleeding.

Heavy defeats to Japan and the Netherlands followed. They finished with a goal difference of minus 10 – worse than anyone except Iraq. A campaign to forget, and one that leaves major questions about where they go from here.