World Cup: Power rankings before kick-off

First Game: June 16th vs. Denmark (Saransk)

Best Major Tourney Finish: 2-time Copa America winners (1939, 1975)

Los Incas celebrated for weeks after they qualified for the World Cup. The dream is close to being lived out in reality when Peru play Denmark on Saturday. Most people don’t know about Peru and people might learn a lot if they get out of Group C. They can upset some big teams.

https://twitter.com/SeleccionPeru/status/1006664580553048064

First Game: June 16th vs. Peru (Saransk)

Best Major Tourney Finish: Euro 1992 winners

Peru’s Group C rivals Denmark can unleash that Danish Dynamite we have seen at World Cups and Euros past. Denmark has a better chance of progressing further because of the European superstar factor. Peru doesn’t have a player like Christian Eriksen. Eriksen’s hat-trick against Ireland put them in the draw and he can take them far with magic and a little luck.

First Game: June 18th vs. South Korea (Nizhny Novgorod)

Best Major Tourney Finish: 1958 World Cup runners-up

The Scandinavian teams stay grouped in these power rankings with Sweden one spot ahead of Denmark and two spots above Iceland. Sweden is better without Zlatan and has the defense to go far. 1-0 wins are popular in the knockout round. Blagult has 1-0 wins in them for at least three weeks.

https://twitter.com/FIFAWorldCupSWE/status/1006501988383764480

First Game: June 16th vs. Croatia (Kaliningrad)

Best Major Tourney Finish: 3-time Africa Cup of Nations winners (1980, 1994, 2013)

The Super Eagles are high up the list because of their massive potential to surprise. They have more youth than Denmark, which helps with stamina and durability in a long tournament. Nigeria also has more clinical scorers than Sweden. They will either crash and burn or make the quarterfinals. Their kits also give them positive points.

https://twitter.com/FIFAWorldCup/status/1006856708017176581

First Game: June 17th vs. Brazil (Rostov)

Best Major Tourney Finish: 3-time World Cup quarterfinalists (1934-1938, 1954)

They are highly ranked and highly skilled. They have a dangerous wingback combination with Ricardo Rodriguez and Stephan Lichtsteiner, Shaqiri has played great for La Nati in the last two tournaments, and they have an easy group. Plus, they are a possible upset candidate for Germany in the Round of 16. Serbia and Costa Rica could not beat Germany.

https://twitter.com/SFV_ASF/status/1001731390210232320

First Game: June 15th vs. Egypt (Yekaterinburg)

Best Major Tourney Finish: 2-time World Cup winners (1930, 1950)

An easy group, two of the best strikers in the world, and a centerback pairing of club teammates. Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani, Diego Godin, and Jose Gimenez are excellent players and can create another Uruguay run to remember. 2010 saw them in an easy group and they got lucky with knockout match-ups. I could see this team be a semifinalist again.

First Game: June 19th vs. Senegal (Moscow)

Best Major Tourney Finish: 2-time World Cup third-place finishers (1974, 1982)

Robert Lewandowski is one of the handfuls of players in the world that can’t be stopped when he is in-form. He can score goals for a month straight with no issues. With Lewandowski and a stingy Polish defense, a deep run is doable. This is one team that wants penalty shootouts in the knockout stage.

https://twitter.com/LaczyNasPilka/status/997416393627848704

First Game: June 18th vs. Tunisia (Volgograd)

Best Major Tourney Finish: 1966 World Cup winners

The top 10 kicks off with England. We say this team is different every two years. This might be the year where we don’t regret saying that. Harry Kane has proven to be a great striker, Raheem Sterling had his best season in the EPL, and they have a manager with a plan in Gareth Southgate. No games in extra time and England could be a quarterfinalist easy. Hell, maybe semifinals.

First Game: June 19th vs. Japan (Saransk)

Best Major Tourney Finish: 2001 Copa America winners

Colombia is looking pretty awesome. They cruised in qualifying and their squad is better now than it was four years ago. Add Radamel Falcao, Izquierdo, Davinson Sanchez, a superstar James Rodriguez and you got yourselves a semifinalist team. That’s if they get by England or Belgium.

First Game: June 16th vs. Nigeria (Kaliningrad)

Best Major Tourney Finish: Third-place at 1998 World Cup

They have four or five midfielders anyone would love to have on their team. They can win Group D over Argentina and beat Spain if they meet in the quarterfinals. Croatia is the best team in this tournament that isn’t a favorite. I know it’s bold.

https://twitter.com/FIFAWorldCup/status/1006585054179610629