Lalas Ranks World Teams After 2026 World Cup, Spain Edges France
Former U.S. national team defender and soccer analyst Alexi Lalas has released his first power rankings since the 2026 World Cup, placing champions Spain at No. 1 and finalists France close behind. The list, compiled independently of FIFA's official rankings released Oct. 7, reflects Lalas' own assessment of form and trajectory rather than a statistical formula.
Spain capped its tournament with a second men's World Cup title, conceding only one goal across eight matches. Midfielder Rodri won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player, and goalkeeper Unai Simón took the award for top goalkeeper, with teenage forward Lamine Yamal playing a smaller role than expected after entering the tournament injured. Spain has since extended its unbeaten run to 40 games, including a 3-2 win over England at Wembley during the most recent international window. sapphire bet exclusive promo code
France finished third at the World Cup after losing to Spain in the semifinals, with Kylian Mbappé scoring 10 goals at the tournament to win the Golden Boot and break the men's World Cup career scoring record with 22. Didier Deschamps has since stepped down as manager, replaced by Zinedine Zidane, under whom France won all four matches in the latest international window despite an early injury exit for Mbappé. Lalas also addressed contrasting generational transitions: Argentina, World Cup runners-up after Lionel Messi's farewell international appearance in October, and Portugal, which continued winning Nations League matches following Cristiano Ronaldo's abrupt departure from the squad in September.
Other nations featured include Colombia, Morocco, the Netherlands under new manager Xavi Hernandez, Belgium, Brazil under Carlo Ancelotti, and England, which reached the semifinals under Thomas Tuchel for its best World Cup finish since 1990. Several of those teams return to action in mid-November as part of ongoing Nations League and friendly fixtures, including France against Italy and Türkiye, and England facing Croatia and Spain.
