Norway emerges as a legit contender in the latest World Cup Power Rankings

Norway has emerged as a legitimate contender in the World Cup Power Rankings after strong results in North America. Erling Haaland and Norway began the tournament by routing Iraq before beating Senegal on Monday, earning advancement to the Round of 32. The article highlights that Kylian Mbappé kept his scoring form, and both generational talents scored twice in back-to-back games as France also progressed after defeating Iraq. It notes France still feels it has not fully hit top gear, and that the forthcoming match-up with Norway could prompt both sides to rotate starters since neither path looked significantly easier. Algeria climbed with a 2-1 come-from-behind win over Jordan, positioning them well ahead of a final group match versus Austria. Argentina remained No. 1 after defeating defending champions, while Lionel Messi set a World Cup goal record with 18 and “counting.”