France stayed on top of the rankings after winning all three group games, and Who is winning the World Cup right now points to a side with a 21 per cent projected chance of lifting the trophy. That figure puts the holders ahead of a knockout field that has already trimmed several contenders.
Didier Deschamps and France
Ousmane Dembele drove the latest French result with a hat-trick against Norway’s B-team, while Didier Deschamps missed the game because of the death of his mother. France still outclassed the opposition and moved into the round of 32 with three convincing wins in three Group J matches.
Michael Olise handled the No 10 role and already had three assists and counting. Kylian Mbappe and Desire Doue were part of the attack as France kept its place at the top of the ranking update that follows each day of knockout matches.
Germany and The Netherlands
The second day of the round of 32 changed the field around France. Germany and The Netherlands went out on penalties, while Brazil and Morocco stayed alive after victories over strong opposition. Japan headed home after losing to Brazil, and Paraguay beat Germany for their first World Cup knockout win.
That sequence matters because France is projected as the leading contender even as the bracket has already removed two of the teams in the top 10. The holders are still standing, but the path around them has already thinned, and the live projection tool has started to separate the front-runners from the teams left playing catch-up.
Brazil and Morocco
Brazil’s own route stayed alive as Carlo Ancelotti’s side made light work of Scotland and Haiti before drawing with Morocco. Against Japan, Casemiro scored the equaliser, Bruno Guimaraes supplied the final pass, and Gabriel Martinelli struck the added-time winner. Japan lost that game and went out.
France’s next test is Sweden in the round of 32, and the 21 per cent figure is the number to watch as the knockout phase keeps resetting the race. Lionel Messi was the tournament’s top scorer with six goals entering the last 32, but France still held the sharpest title outlook in the rankings.
