Ranking the World Cup Final 8

With 8 teams left, people are wondering who is supposed to win, and who is destined to lose. Soccer isn't always predictable. If it was, we could take the first 32 teams in the FIFA rankings, and just play 1 vs 32. That would be boring. Soccer has many surprises. This World Cup has already disposed of teams that were ranked in the FIFA top ten, according to the latest rankings released in May. England, Italy, France, and Portugal are all home. We don't need to waste time on them. Here is where FIFA ranks the final 8 World Cup Quarter-Finalists, and where I rank them as a fan.

FIFA ranks Ghana as the32ND team in their World rankings. This puts them as the last team of the final 8. Paraguay is ranked 31ST by FIFA, making them the 7TH team of the 2010 World Cup survivors. I rank Ghana slightly ahead of Paraguay. Playing in South Africa makes Ghana, from West Africa, the crowd favorite. Their match with Uruguay will be tough, but not impossible. Paraguay has a much tougher match, having drawn Spain. FIFA ranks the final 6 World Cup teams like this: Uruguay 16, Argentina 7, Germany 6, Netherlands 4, Spain 2, and Brazil 1.

I agree with Uruguay as the 6TH best team left in the World Cup. They are however favored, to move into the semi-finals. Uruguay is a team moving in a good direction. South America has 4 teams remaining in the final 8. It could possibly turn out to be an all South American semi-finals at the World Cup. That would be over-kill. We all realize by know how good the South American teams are.

The next 2 teams in the World Cup rankings are Argentina, the 5TH and Germany the 4TH best teams left. I disagree with this. I believe both teams are better than the Netherlands. I rank the Dutch as the 5TH best team left in the World Cup. I will give Germany the slightest edge over Argentina, with the benefit of the quarter-finals to prove me right or wrong. This makes Argentina 4TH on my list, with the young German team 3RD.

FIFA ranks Brazil and Spain, 1 and 2 in the World. As a fan I have to agree. Brazil has the greatest World Cup resume. If someone can beat them, that team will have earned it. Spain has a much easier path to the semi-finals. They face Paraguay. Brazil faces the Dutch in the quarters. Brazil will get every teams best. They have been up to the task at 5 other World Cups.

FIFA top 8 left in order 1-8: Brazil Spain Netherlands Germany Argentina Uruguay Paraguay Ghana/ My fan ranking: Brazil Spain Germany Argentina Netherlands Uruguay Ghana Paraguay

Resource: FIFA.com