June 11 to June 27. Only 17 straight days of uninterrupted soccer action (although there were plenty of hydration breaks). It was glorious, it was awe-inspiring, it was simultaneously too much to handle and not enough. The Group Stage of the first-ever 48 team World Cup is officially over, and the Round of 32 has already started. Before we get too far into the knockouts, though, I thought it would be worth taking a second to look back at the stories that defined the opening stages of this massive tournament, and give a nod to some of the surprise packages, little-engines-that-could, and favorites living up to the expectations. 

Surprises

By now you know I love the little guys — who doesn’t? There’s something about underdogs that just gets me going. For me, the Group Stage was made special by things like the bravery of the Haitian national team as they took on the likes of Morocco, Scotland, and the mighty Brazil without blinking or shrinking. Or perhaps it was watching each of the four tournament debutants (Curaçao, Cape Verde, Uzbekistan, Jordan) not only play their first minutes, but score their first goals on the biggest stage. 

The more I think about it, though, the storylines just keep going. 

DR Congo returned to the World Cup in style, taking Portugal to the brink to earn a draw, challenging Colombia to the final whistle, and getting their big win to advance on the final day. They cemented themselves as one of the nine African teams to advance to the knockouts, none of which were more impressive than the team of the tournament so far: Cape Verde. Now, before I get too emotional and rambly, I think a spotlight on this summer’s biggest underdog darlings is deserved, as their story feels closest to what this tournament is meant to be:

As they took the pitch against soccer royalty in Spain and Uruguay, the world expected essentially nothing out of the little island nation of Cape Verde. And yet, despite the noise and the all-but-assured understanding they’d receive from their countrymen if they failed to get out of the group, the Blue Sharks, as they’re known, stood tall — and they only got taller as the minutes ticked past. A date with the reigning champions in the Round of 32 is their reward for three hard-fought draws, and it’s a title card no one ever expected to be reading. 

What makes this even better is the fact that it’s not guaranteed that Cape Verde will ever play on this stage again — but they’re here now. We don’t know if any more soccer stars will come out of their tiny nation in the coming years — but a generation of young players are being inspired this summer. It’s impossible to say how far this team will go at this year’s World Cup — but hundreds of millions of people will remember hearing their name called for years to come. 

This is how dreams are born. This is where legends begin. This is the beautiful game — splayed wide in all its glory, refracting the shine of its brightest stars. 

So, am I a fan of the expanded field? As much as it pains me to reverse my opinion, I think the proof is in the pudding. Give me more Cape Verdes, please. More Jordans, Curaçaos, Uzbekistans. Give me the Cinderella stories, and let the world remember what it means to dream every four years. 

What’s the Deal?

For every pleasant surprise, there seems to be at least one shocked, disappointed national team left reeling in the wake of their early elimination. We’ll keep this section short — it never pays to dwell on another team’s suffering — but it’s certainly worth mentioning some of the most surprising names that won’t be taking part in any additional matches this summer. 

Stories coming out of the South Korea and Uruguay camps have been pretty interesting to follow — from cancelled flights home to potential investigations — but the truth of the matter is that both teams simply got it wrong at this year’s tournament. The talent was evident, but a lack of urgency mixed with a lack of composure saw them both drop unnecessary points, allowing underdogs to rise up and take their places. 

For Türkiye, it was a disappointing return to the world’s stage after a 22-year wait, especially considering they finished third in the 2002 tournament last time they qualified. While they had an undeniably talented roster, it felt like the lack of experience on such a big stage held back young stars Arda Guler and Kenan Yildaz, but I reckon this won’t be the last we see of them under World Cup lights.

The last team I feel belongs in this category is Scotland. The Scots boast some serious talent, but it always feels like the ceiling stays in the same place. They can make it to the big stage, but they struggle to make noise after getting there. If they could’ve found the equalizer against Morocco, I think we’d be having a very different conversation right now, but that deflating loss right before playing Brazil proved too much for them to handle. 

Some Favorites For You

To discuss the favorites, I’ve opted for some power rankings. I’ve picked the four teams I feel are in the best form and position to win the tournament at this point, taking into consideration results, style of play, and potential paths to the final. I picked one per quarter of the bracket, so, just because I think the Netherlands and France are both really good, they’ve got less of a chance to win the final in my eyes because they’ve got to go through one another to get out of their quarter. 

You picking up what I’m putting down? Smelling what I’m stepping in? Good — time for some power rankings:

• Argentina - It’s hard to look past the greatest player of all time, especially when he’s spearheading a talented group that would run through a brick wall for him. This Argentina side is completely unapologetic in its approach to every game: do the little things with intensity, and get the ball to Messi. They know their talisman will get at least five game-changing opportunities each match, and the odds that he takes advantage of them? Remarkably high. That clear identity — mixed with an extremely easy route to the final — makes the defending champs my heavy favorites to retain the title.

• France - It’s entirely possible we get a repeat of last World Cup’s final. Kylian Mbappe is in form and Michael Olise is a magician. They scored 10 goals in the Group Stage, and they never looked like they really broke a sweat, even in that tight match against Senegal. I don’t think they’ll have a real problem until a potential quarter-final against Morocco or the Netherlands, and even that might not be enough to slow down their march to the trophy.

• England - Despite a bit of a stinker against Ghana, the Three Lions remain one of the tournament’s most dangerous units. Watching them play is like watching a Premier League team — unfortunately, we’ve seen that the EPL team in question could just as easily be Arsenal as it is Man City. What the heck do I mean by that? Well, they’ve got the talent to play beautiful, fluid soccer. Unfortunately, they have a pragmatic manager (who is extremely good at his job, mind you) who often leans into tactics that are far more practical than exciting. It’s like owning a Ferrari and driving five miles under the speed limit at all times. That, paired with a route to the final that could include Brazil, Japan, Norway, and/or Mexico, means England can’t be any higher than third on this list.

• Portugal - Ronaldo’s last dance. Potentially the most talented roster in the entire tournament. The only reason Portugal isn’t any higher on this list is because they might have to play Spain in the Round of 16, which would be the matchup of the round if it comes to fruition. They’ve got a sneaky-good mix of teams to navigate through to get to the final, and they’ve already shown that they’re susceptible to an underdog push.

With just four making the list, there were some hard cuts. You could practically flip a coin between Spain and Portugal, but the Portuguese have shown us a lot more attacking power than their neighbors thus far. I still think the Netherlands are extremely talented, and a 2-2 draw against Japan is nothing to laugh at. They very nearly ousted France for a spot on the list, but I listened to my head instead of my heart. The same reasoning came into play when I left both Mexico and the USA off the list, but it’s not a joke anymore when I say that both sides could make some seriously deep runs before it’s all said and done. 

Now, get back to the Round of 32, you crazy soccer fans. I’m done — for now.