India, July 13 -- The FIFA World Cup has entered its defining phase, and so has the race to be recognised as the tournament's standout performer. With the quarterfinals now complete, FIFA's latest Power Rankings have undergone their biggest shake-up yet, and the biggest casualty is Argentina captain Lionel Messi.

France skipper Kylian Mbappe remains untouchable at the summit after another decisive display helped Les Bleus reach a third successive World Cup semifinal. The 27-year-old opened the scoring against Morocco in the quarterfinals, taking his remarkable World Cup tally to 20 goals in 20 appearances, before setting up Ousmane Dembele to double France's lead just six minutes later.

That performance ensured Mbappe (8.97) retained to...