The field for the World Cup quarterfinals is set, with matchups commencing on Thursday. FOX Sports' Alexi Lalas has revealed his power rankings for the remaining eight teams on the State of the Union podcast, identifying France as the strongest quarterfinalist.
France, with odds to win at +180, tops Lalas' list, bolstered by the presence of Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, and Ousmane Dembélé. Lalas suggested that while Erling Haaland's performance for Norway is exceptional, he is not playing on a team as strong as Argentina's squad.
Argentina is ranked second, despite some struggles in recent matches, with odds to win at +400. Norway, initially considered a dark horse, is placed third with odds of +1400.
Quarterfinalist Rankings
Lalas' rankings place the United States at number four, following a historic win against Mexico. Spain is ranked fifth, a placement Lalas acknowledges might be controversial. Morocco is positioned at sixth, with Lalas noting the team's potential to be ranked higher and possibly ahead of Spain.
Belgium, described as having recently defeated the U.S., comes in at seventh. Switzerland, fresh off a victory against Colombia, rounds out the rankings at eighth, a position Lalas believes will not be widely disputed.
Switzerland's odds to win the tournament are listed at +3300. The odds for Belgium are +3000, Morocco +2700, Spain +360, the United States +460, Norway +1400, Argentina +400, and France +180.