Lionel Messi suffers major blow as Jude Bellingham's England heroics change everything
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Lionel Messi suffers major blow as Jude Bellingham's England heroics change everything")
Jude Bellingham Photograph: (AFP)
Jude Bellingham's England brace against Norway lifts him above Lionel Messi in FIFA World Cup 2026 Power Rankings as Kylian Mbappe retains the no 1 spot
Jude Bellingham's stunning brace for England in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinal against Norway has reshaped the latest FIFA Power Rankings and pushed Lionel Messi down the standings. The 23-year-old midfielder scored both goals in England's hard-fought 2-1 victory over Norway, securing a place in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Argentina advanced to the last four with a 3-1 win over Switzerland. However, it was a relatively quiet performance from Lionel Messi, who failed to score during the match.
The latest FIFA Power Rankings reflected those performances, with Messi slipping from second to third place. The Argentine legend now holds an Attacking Score of 8.07. Bellingham emerged as the biggest mover in the rankings. His match-winning display against Norway earned him an Attacking Score of 8.25, lifting him four places into second position. Only France captain Kylian Mbappe remains ahead of him with an Attacking Score of 8.97.
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Jude Bellingham Photograph: (AFP)
Mbappe strengthened his grip on the top spot after another influential display in France's quarterfinal victory over Morocco. The French superstar scored once again to maintain his lead in the rankings. Norway's World Cup journey came to an end following the defeat to England, and it was also a disappointing outing for Erling Haaland. The striker failed to find the back of the net, resulting in a one-place drop in the FIFA Power Rankings.
Haaland now sits fourth with an Attacking Score of 7.53, trailing only Mbappe, Bellingham, and Messi. France winger Ousmane Dembele also enjoyed a significant rise after impressing against Morocco. His performance helped him climb three places to fifth in the latest rankings.
Despite leading England into the semifinals, captain Harry Kane was unable to score against Norway. As a result, he dropped three places in the FIFA Power Rankings and now occupies ninth position with an Attacking Score of 6.91. The FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinals will see France face Spain, while Argentina will meet England in a blockbuster clash. The tournament's final is scheduled to take place on July 20.
