Evaluating the World’s Top International Teams
The summer months have arrived, the domestic campaigns have wrapped up, and international football has started. While the matches are not as enticing as the Euros last summer or the World Cup coming in five months, the friendlies and Nations League fixtures are still vital to building continuity before the World Cup. Here is an evaluation of each of the top 10 ranked teams in the world, courtesy of FIFA’s points system.
1.Brazil
A side rich in attacking talent per usual, Brazil holds down the number one spot in the world despite failing to win the Copa America last summer on home turf. Their main man is still Neymar, and the emergence of Vinicius Jr., and Raphinha on the left and right wings respectively give them a dynamic front three. The lineup can become even more attacking if Neymar is played in an attacking midfield role and Gabriel Jesus or Richarlison leads the line. In midfield, Casemiro and Fabinho are two of the world’s best at breaking up play, while Lyon’s Lucas Paqeuta is a growing creative force. This world cup will be the last for an aging but brilliant Thiago Silva at the heart of the defense, and his partner Marquinhos is arguably just as good. The South American side are not short on talent in any position, and the pressure will be on to win their first World Cup in 20 years. For Neymar personally, bringing a title to his country would unquestionably push him into the pantheon of great Brazilians. On paper they are probably one of the two best sides in the world, but as seen last summer and in 2018, they have fallen short recently.
2. Belgium
The golden generation led by Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, and Romelu Lukaku finished third in 2018 but were outclassed by Italy in the quarter finals of the Euros last summer. This is likely the last dance for the Belgians, and we have already seen Hazard and Lukaku have massive drops in form. In addition, they have an aging back line with Toby Alderwield and Jan Vertonghen not getting any younger. After a disheartening 4-1 loss in the Nations League to Netherlands last week, manager Roberto Martinez must look to inject some youth into the squad. Jeremy Doku and Charles De Ketalaere have potential to be difference makers up front, but the options for younger defenders are few and far between. If Belgium is going to truly challenge for the title in Qatar, it is likely they will need timeless performances from their aging core.
3.France
The reigning world champions and deepest team in the world, France disappointed last summer as they were knocked out by Switzerland on penalties in the round of 16. Despite that, they are surely one the favorites for Qatar. With Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema leading the line, Paul Pogba and N’golo Kante running the midfield, and plenty of strong defensive options, they are unbelievably talented. It will be interesting to see how Didier Deschamps sets up his side in the Nations League, as he has recently experimented with a back three instead of the back four they used to win the World Cup four years ago. The competition in the squad is great, and breakout stars such as Christopher Nkunku and Aurelin Tchouameni are just two examples of the growing talent level they have. Despite all this, they lost 2-1 to Denmark in their first Nations League match. While Denmark is a strong side, France will have to beat teams much better than them in order to repeat as world champions. They have just a few months to get back to their best, and if they can do so, they will be favorites to win once more.
Paul Pogba and France were champions 4 years ago in Russia
4.Argentina
Perhaps the most in form country at the moment, Argentina has now reached 32 games unbeaten after comfortably beating Italy 3-0 in La Finalissima. They finally seem to have balance in the squad, with Angel Di Maria and Lautauro Martinez fitting in around Lionel Messi to create a dynamic front three. Their midfield is industrious and creative, as Rodrigo De Paul and Giovanni Lo Celso have become undroppable, and the back line led by Cristian Romero and Emi Martinez is much more consistent than in recent years. There is still at times an over reliance on Messi, but it is much less common than previous years, and Messi is still producing at a high level for the national team. It will likely be his last shot at winning the World Cup, and all eyes will be on him and his much improved teammates as they look to continue their unbeaten run through the summer and into the tournament.
5.England
A country known for disappointing in major tournaments in the past, England’s run to the semis in the 2018 World Cup and narrow loss in the final of last year’s Euros has skyrocketed expectations. Gareth Southgate’s men are deep, and now they have a blend of experience as well as top level young talent. How Southgate sets his team up though could decide just how far the Three Lions can progress. Will he opt for his traditional back 5-3-2, or a more attacking 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1? With the depth they possess in attacking midfield and wide positions, many fans are clamoring for the more attacking lineups to be used more often, but Southgate’s favorite back five formation is what they relied on for large parts of deep tournament runs. England can go toe to toe with any other team on their day, and with the experience gained from the past two major tournaments another deep run will be expected. However, they still have plenty of questions to answer, and the pressure will only grow after the recent near misses.
6.Italy
The only team on this list that is not going to the World Cup, Italy is in an odd position. Having just won the Euros in the summer, and doing so while playing beautiful football, they seemed to be one of the favorites in Qatar. That is, of course until they lost to North Macedonia and will now be missing their second straight World Cup. It is time to give the young players more attention, especially in defense as Giorgio Chiellini has retired from international duty and Leonardo Bonucci is past his best. They have some pillars to build around in Gianluigi Donarumma and Nicolo Barella, and will need highly rated youngsters such as Gianluca Scamacca, Sandro Tonali, and Alessandro Bastoni to continue their progression. Their performances under Roberto Mancini last summer made Italy look like they were back to their dominating best, but clearly the federation has many issues to deal with as missing out on back to back World Cups is truly unacceptable.
Once thought to be a favorite, Italy failed to qualify for the upcoming World Cup
7.Spain
Led by youngsters Gavi and Pedri in midfield, Spain has the makings of a brilliant possession based side. Offense is their best defense, as they keep hold of the ball for so long that other teams simply do not get enough time on the ball to create many high level opportunities. Sometimes though, this possession is toothless, but with dynamic young forwards such as Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres, maybe this Spain side just needs more time together to gel up front. Alvaro Morata is still the first choice striker, and with 26 goals in 53 games for his nation he actually has a decent record leading the line. Spain will need him to be on top form as they tune up for Qatar, because possession with no real threat will leave them vulnerable to counters that many sides will feast on. After making the semi finals of the Euros last year, they will be looking to make the next step in 6 months time.
8.Portugal
Similarly to Leo Messi and Argentina, all eyes will be on Cristiano Ronaldo’s likely final attempt to win it all with Portugal. Disappointing round of 16 losses in the last two major tournaments have left a bitter taste in their mouth, and with such a talented squad they should be doing better. Manager Fernando Santos must find a way to get the best out of his attacking options around Ronaldo, but not all of Joao Felix, Bernardo Silva, Diogo Jota, Bruno Fernandes, and Rafa Leao will be able to fit into one lineup around the main man. Leao is a bit of a wildcard, as he is coming off a fantastic year with AC Milan, but he has yet to truly get going with the national team. On his day, he offers a unique blend of pace, power, and creativity that few in the player pool can match. Defensively they must decide who will be Ruben Dias’s partner in defense, as Pepe is in good form but at 39 he is nearing the end. The goalkeeper battle between Jose Sa, Diogo Costa, and Rui Patricio is also something to watch out for. Portugal are just as talented as any other team, but unless Fernando Santos can push the right buttons, they will not be close to winning their first ever World Cup.
Ronaldo’s “last dance” will be one of the top storylines in Qatar
9.Mexico
With their usual superiority in CONCACAF having fallen to the wayside in the past year, Mexico will need to perform well in their tune ups this summer to build momentum before the World Cup. Having lost 3-0 to Uruguay last week, those tune ups are not off to a good start. Manager Gerardo Martino is under a lot of pressure, as some fans were calling for him to be sacked even after securing World Cup qualification. The talent at his disposal is not to be scoffed at, as Chucky Lozano, Jesus Corona, Raul Jimenez, and Edson Alvarez all play for quality European sides. The issue has been consistency for this Mexican side, as the performances on the pitch do not always match up with the talent they possess, especially along the front line. Martino will be under intense scrutiny in Qatar, so it is vital to get his boys ticking as they prepare.
10. Netherlands
After missing the 2018 edition, many in the Netherlands breathed a sigh of relief as Virgil Van Dijk and his crew qualified for Qatar. Their recent thrashing of Belgium 4-1 in Brussels shows they are a force to be reckoned with as well. Although they aren’t quite as good as the side that reached the final in 2010, Van Dijk, Matthijs De Ligt, Frenkie De Jong, and Memphis Depay are all capable of deciding a game. Many of the players have not had a chance to create a legacy with their country, as the only major tournament they have played in since 2014 was last year's Euros. Now, with that experience under their belt, they will be hungry to taste some real success in Qatar, and they should not be taken lightly by any of the deeper, more experienced nations.