Lionel Messi pays the price as Jude Bellingham's World Cup surge reshapes FIFA Power Rankings; Kylian Mbappe untouched

With the quarterfinals now complete, FIFA's latest Power Rankings have undergone their biggest shake-up yet, and the biggest casualty is Lionel Messi.

Updated on: Jul 13, 2026, 09:45:04 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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The FIFA World Cup has entered its defining phase, and so has the race to be recognised as the tournament's standout performer. With the quarterfinals now complete, FIFA's latest Power Rankings have undergone their biggest shake-up yet, and the biggest casualty is Argentina captain Lionel Messi.

Lionel Messi looks on during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarter Final match between Argentina and Switzerland at Kansas City Stadium (Getty Images via AFP)

France skipper Kylian Mbappe remains untouchable at the summit after another decisive display helped Les Bleus reach a third successive World Cup semifinal. The 27-year-old opened the scoring against Morocco in the quarterfinals, taking his remarkable World Cup tally to 20 goals in 20 appearances, before setting up Ousmane Dembele to double France's lead just six minutes later.

That performance ensured Mbappe (8.97) retained top spot in the overall Attacking rankings. His match Attacking score of 8.45 against Morocco was comfortably the highest among all French players in the quarterfinal.

Mbappe's influence has not been limited to goals. Ranked fourth overall in the Creativity charts with a rating of 7.65, the France captain once again stretched Morocco's back line with his intelligent movement before providing the assist for Dembele's goal. Yet it is teammate Michael Olise (8.30) who continues to lead the tournament in Creativity. Although the Bayern Munich winger did not register a goal or assist against Morocco, his 13 ball progressions, nine completed midfield line-breaks and involvement in 11 attacking sequences underlined why he remains the highest-rated creative player at this World Cup.

Messi, meanwhile, paid the price for a comparatively quiet outing against Switzerland. For the first time in Argentina's campaign, the 39-year-old failed to score, slipping one place in the Attacking rankings. England midfielder Jude Bellingham capitalised with his match-winning brace against Norway, climbing four places to second with a rating of 8.25, while Messi dropped to third on 8.07. England captain Harry Kane, who was well contained by Norway, also fell five places to ninth after receiving a rating of 6.91.

The semifinal stage now sets up a fascinating battle both on the pitch and in the rankings. Bellingham has the chance to strengthen his grip on second place, or even close the gap on Mbappe, when England face Messi's Argentina in Atlanta on July 16. A day earlier, Mbappe will look to reinforce his status as the tournament's standout performer when France meet Spain in the first semifinal.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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