Will Spain Keep Finding a Way? Re-Ranking the World Cup Teams With Six Games Left

The World Cup quarterfinals have arrived, and only eight teams are still playing. England faces Norway, while Switzerland takes on Argentina in two of the most exciting matchups of the round. The teams that are still alive have shown they can win tough games under pressure. But the teams that have already gone home have plenty of stories worth telling, too.

England has some injury and suspension problems heading into the quarterfinals. Defender Jarell Quansah earned a two-game ban after his red card against Mexico. Midfielder Declan Rice, defender Marc Guehi, and right back Reece James are all dealing with injuries before Saturday's game. Despite all that, England's win over Mexico was one of the best performances of the tournament so far.

Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane played well against Mexico, but it was the defense that really stood out. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made important saves, and substitute Dan Burn was excellent after coming on. England held their lead even after Quansah was sent off before the hour mark. Manager Thomas Tuchel now faces the challenge of stopping Erling Haaland in the next round.

Norway is ranked fifth among all teams at this World Cup. Haaland scored twice against Brazil to send Norway to their first-ever quarterfinal. Goalkeeper Orjan Nyland has been one of the best at the tournament, and Martin Odegaard controls the midfield with skill. Norway are both comfortable with the ball and physically strong enough to take on any opponent.

Switzerland is ranked sixth and has reached the knockout stage again. They beat Colombia on penalties to reach their first quarterfinal since 1954, when they hosted the tournament. They did it without key player Johan Manzambi, who was injured, which made scoring much harder. But their solid defense helped them hang on and get the win.

Belgium had one of the strangest and most dramatic tournaments of any team. They barely got out of their group, drawing against Egypt and Iran before beating New Zealand. Then, trailing Senegal 2-0 with just four minutes left, they pulled off a stunning comeback to win 3-2 after extra time. They later beat the United States 4-1 before losing to Spain in the quarterfinals.

Morocco made history by becoming the first African country to reach back-to-back World Cup quarterfinals. They drew with Brazil, beat the Netherlands on penalties, and knocked co-hosts Canada out 3-0 in the round of 16. Their loss to France was disappointing, and they really missed the injured Ismael Saibari up front. Still, it was a proud tournament for Morocco and their passionate fans.

Cape Verde were the feel-good story of the tournament. They drew all three group games, including a 0-0 tie with European champions Spain. In the round of 16 against Argentina, they came from behind twice and pushed Messi and the world champions all the way. Goalkeeper Vozinha made eight incredible saves, and Sidny Lopes Cabral scored a curling goal that could win the tournament's best-goal award.

Brazil are going home early and disappointed once again. They lost to Norway in the round of 16, a team they have not beaten in five matches. Even legendary manager Carlo Ancelotti could not find a solution. Neymar came on late and will mostly be remembered for arguing with Norway players rather than making a difference on the field.

Germany, Japan, Senegal, Colombia, Egypt, and Canada all had tournaments with high points and low points. Egypt made history, Colombia showed class in the group stage, and Japan were exciting to watch before injuries hurt them badly. Canada reached the knockouts for the first time ever, which was a big step forward for their program. Each team showed growth and gave their fans moments to cheer about.