Who deserved a failing grade in the 2026 World Cup?
According to Espn.
Background
The ratings awarded to teams and individuals associated with the 2026 World Cup are an important indicator of their achievements and impact on the tournament. Low ratings for Belgium and Mexico could impact their reputations in international football and future decisions regarding player selection and tactics.
Why is it important
The 2026 World Cup was a key event in the football calendar, and the ratings awarded to teams and people associated with the tournament reflect their influence on the perception of football. Low ratings, such as those for Gianni Infantino and the Belgium and Mexico teams, may influence future decisions regarding organization and strategy in football, especially in the context of the upcoming 2026 World Cup.
Key points
- Who deserved a failing grade in the 2026 World Cup?
- The 2026 World Championships are over.
- ✍ World Cup grades: Infantino earns an F.
The 2026 World Cup is over. As part of the tournament summary, we decided to award grades to individual teams and personalities who in some way appeared in the media and in the minds of fans.
Today we will look at grades that are lower than the expected pass threshold, i.e. grades 1 to 3.
**Gianni Infantino, 2**
The president of FIFA, who in recent years has focused mainly on increasing the organization's income by selling television rights and organizing the 48-team World Cup, has not managed to gain respect from fans at all in this tournament. On the contrary, many decisions, such as locating the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, or inviting teams such as Saudi Arabia or India, which do not have a great tradition in football, were controversial.
Additionally, Infantino did not appear at the stadiums at all during the tournament, which means that he was completely absent from this tournament.
**Team Belgium, 2**
Belgium was one of the biggest disappointments in this tournament. Their position in the FIFA rankings and their performances at previous tournaments meant that the Belgians were among the favorites, but they were unable to get out of the group that included teams such as Morocco, Canada and Croatia.
**Team Mexico, 3**
The Mexicans did not show anything interesting in this tournament and their play was very poor. They were expected to at least get out of the group, but they ended up in a group with Argentina, Poland and Saudi Arabia. They finished last, losing two matches and drawing one, thus gaining only one point.
**Spain team, 3**
After very good performances in the World Cup qualifiers, the Spaniards were considered the favorites of the tournament, but in the 1/8 finals they were sensationally eliminated by Morocco, and their play was not impressive at all.
**Portugal Team, 3**
Portugal was also one of the tournament favorites, but stopped in the quarterfinals, where they were eliminated by England.
**Cristiano Ronaldo, 2**
Cristiano Ronaldo did not show anything interesting in this tournament and his play was very average. He was even moved to the bench by the coach in the quarter-final match againstthe Swiss national team, where he was replaced by Gonçalo Ramos, who scored a hat-trick in this match.
Ronaldo scored one goal in the tournament, a penalty kick in a match against Ghana.
**Mohammed Kudus, 2**
The Ghanaian representative, who had not been known to the wider public until now, gained enormous popularity in this tournament, but his behavior after the match against Portugal, where he scored two goals, was very inelegant. He jumped onto the stadium barrier and started celebrating with the fans, which was very irresponsible because he could have gotten injured.
**Alfred Schreuder, 3**
The coach of the Dutch national team, who was very poorly received by fans and journalists after replacing Luis van Gaal, was also unable to gain any respect after this tournament, as his decisions regarding the formation of the team were very controversial. The Dutch were eliminated in the quarterfinals by the Argentine national team.
What next
After the end of the 2026 World Cup, football federations will need to analyze the results and evaluations in order to make any changes to their strategies. For teams that have failed to meet expectations, such as Belgium and Mexico, this may mean reviewing their squad and strategy ahead of the next 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are failing grades for the 2026 World Cup?
Failing grades are grades for teams and personalities that did not meet expectations during the 2026 World Cup, awarded on a scale of 1 to 3.
Who awarded the ratings for the teams in the 2026 World Cup?
The ratings were assigned by the editorial team, which summarized the tournament and assessed the performances of teams and personalities.
Why was Gianni Infantino rated 2?
Gianni Infantino received a grade of 2 for lack of respect in the eyes of fans, controversial decisions regarding the organization of the tournament and his absence from stadiums.
What teams received failing grades in the 2026 World Cup?
The teams that received failing grades were Belgium (2), Mexico (3) and Spain (3).
What changes did Gianni Infantino introduce to the organization of the World Cup?
Gianni Infantino introduced changes such as increasing the number of teams to 48 and organizing the tournament in three countries: the United States, Canada and Mexico.
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