Russia 2018 world cup where ranking never worked #

You're referring to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, where the ranking system didn't quite work as expected!

In the group stage, teams were ranked based on the following criteria:

  1. Points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss)
  2. Goal difference (goals scored minus goals conceded)
  3. Goals scored
  4. Head-to-head results (if two or more teams were tied on points, goal difference, and goals scored)

However, in some cases, the ranking system led to unexpected outcomes. Here are a few examples:

  1. Spain vs. Portugal: Spain and Portugal were tied on points, goal difference, and goals scored after their group matches. In this case, the head-to-head result was used to separate them. But, surprisingly, Portugal advanced to the knockout stage as the winner of the group, while Spain was eliminated. This was because Portugal had scored more goals in their head-to-head match against Spain (3-3 draw) than Spain had scored in their head-to-head match against Portugal (0-3 loss).
  2. Japan vs. Senegal: Japan and Senegal were also tied on points, goal difference, and goals scored after their group matches. In this case, the head-to-head result was used to separate them. However, Japan advanced to the knockout stage as the winner of the group, while Senegal was eliminated. This was because Japan had scored more goals in their head-to-head match against Senegal (2-2 draw) than Senegal had scored in their head-to-head match against Japan (1-2 loss).

These examples highlight the complexity and potential flaws of the ranking system used in the 2018 World Cup. While it's designed to ensure that the best teams advance to the knockout stage, it can sometimes lead to unexpected outcomes, as seen in these cases.