Grading the biggest nations at the 2026 World Cup as Spain shine and Brazil fail test

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Football Muse

20 July 2026

So that's that for the 2026

World Cup

, a tournament packed full of talking points and sub-plots. As the dust settles on the North American showpiece, it's time to review events.

How did the tournament favourites fare? We've graded each of FIFA's top-ranked nations for their

performances this summer.

Spain

overcame a first fixture stumble against Cape Verde to storm to

success. Luis de la Fuente's side conceded only once in eight games, and overcame heavily-fancied

Portugal

France

and

Argentina

sides with relative ease.

Spain's success was a triumph for the collective, at a tournament where individuals shone elsewhere. Fluid, flowing, and almost always in control,

have won 14 of their last 15 games at major tournaments to claim European Championship and

glory.

Reaching successive

finals is no easy feat, with only a handful of sides in history having achieved it.

came unstuck against

in the final, but showed plenty of heart to navigate some tough tests in the knockouts. Their continued over-reliance on Lionel Messi, however, is a concern for the near future.

France fell short in their bid for a third consecutive

final, losing to

in the semi-finals.

Les Bleus

looked unstoppable during the early stages of the tournament, boasting the most exciting forward line in North America. However, Spain's midfield was too good for the French, whose lack of control in central midfield was their Achilles heel.

The best performance at a

for

England

since winning the trophy in 1966, and the best-ever achieved on foreign soil. That said, the manner of their exit to

has ensured Thomas Tuchel's stock has tumbled, with a meek retreat and implosion.

A six-goal performance

to win the bronze final

restored some respect, but questions remain over whether

have the mettle to end 62 years of hurt at Euro 2028.

Brazil

's poor qualification campaign had tempered expectations pre-tournament, but the record five-time winners would expect a quarter-final at a minimum. The Selecao were second best in defeat to Norway in the last 16 and look a long way from the world's top teams.

Morocco

became the first African team in history to reach the

semi-finals in 2022, and followed that success with a drought-breaking AFCON triumph and run to the last eight this summer.

The Atlas Lions fell to French, but can take pride from their performances. Nabbing Ayyoub Bouaddi from

was a masterstroke.

Portugal slipped up in the group stage to finish runners-up to Colombia, a disappointment which impacted their tournament. A hard-fought win over Croatia was a positive, before losing a last-gasp last-16 tie with

had the talent to go far deeper in this tournament.

Belgium are not the force of a decade ago, and their 2026

was perhaps par for the course. A mixed group stage was followed by strong knockout wins against Senegal and the United States, before bowing out to

in the quarter-finals.

The

Netherlands

were one of the most impressive teams of the group stage, thrashing Sweden and Tunisia to progress as Group F winners.

A tough draw pitted the Oranje against

in the Round of 32, where the Dutch conceded a stoppage-time equaliser before losing on penalties. Ronald Koeman's side were on the wrong side of the fine margins.

Germany

's wretched recent record at the

continues. After consecutive group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022,

looked much improved to top a tough group as winners.

Their group stage campaign included a 7-1 mauling of minnows Curacao, but a shock exit followed. A draw with a limited Paraguay side proceeded a penalty shootout defeat, with

missing three spot-kicks to lose on penalties for the first time since 1976. An inquest has followed.

⏪ Argentina stun England to set up World Cup final with Spain

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