World Cup Power Rankings: Quarterfinals

JOHANNESBURG -- South America is the big winner as the World Cup quarterfinals approach, placing four of its five teams into the final eight (the fifth, Chile, was knocked out by Brazil).


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Only three European nations remain, compared to seven in 2006, and Africa still has a rooting interest thanks to Ghana's 2-1 win over the U.S. in the second round.

Here's FanHouse's ranking of the eight teams still dreaming of lifting the 2010 World Cup:

1. ARGENTINA (4-0-0, 10 GF-2 GA)
Last quarterfinal appearance: 2006
Next: Plays Germany on Saturday in Cape Town

Soccer is about scoring goals, and no team has done it better at this World Cup than Diego Maradona's Albiceleste. And Argentina has managed that haul without a single strike from Lionel Messi, who's been masterful pulling the strings behind Carlos Tévez (two goals) and Gonzalo Higuaín (four). Maybe this team is just too talented for Maradona to mess up.

2. BRAZIL (3-0-1, 8 GF-2 GA)
Last quarterfinal appearance: 2006
Next: Plays Netherlands on Friday in Port Elizabeth

Brazil has been far from dazzling, but they are efficient, athletic, brilliant defensively and possess more than enough individual skill to get the goals they need. We've still not seen much from Kaká, but Luis Fabiano is on a roll (three goals) and Lúcio and Maicon may be the two best defenders in the world.

3. SPAIN (3-1-0, 5 GF-2 GA)
Last quarterfinal appearance: 2002
Next: Plays Paraguay on Saturday in Johannesburg (Ellis Park)

A ranking based more on potential than performance, Spain, when it puts it all together, is the most talented team in the tournament. The question is whether they will play for 90 minutes. Getting the slumping and/or injured Fernando Torres rolling would be a huge help. But David Villa is scoring spectacular goals, and the Barcelona spine, topped by Xavi Hernández and anchored by Gerard Piqué, is the tournament's best.

4. NETHERLANDS (4-0-0, 7 GF-2 GA)
Last quarterfinal appearance: 1998
Next:Plays Brazil on Friday in Port Elizabeth

Undefeated, untied and only No. 4, the Dutch have been just as good as they've needed to be to win all four games. Still, that's nothing to sneeze at -- the U.S. has won four World Cup games in the past 60 years. Holland's two goal scorers against Slovakia in the round-of-16 win are the key to its success. Few players are more dangerous attacking from deeper positions than Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben.

5. GERMANY (3-1-0, 9 GF-2 GA)
Last quarterfinal appearance: 2006
Next: Plays Argentina on Saturday in Cape Town

Dazzling in two games and pedestrian in two others, the Germans have shown great potential but have the inconsistency one could expect from such a young team. They haven't missed a beat without injured captain Michael Ballack, with playmaker Mesut Özil, 21, and right wing Thomas Müller, 20, among the revelations of the tournament. Germany just keeps churning them out.

6. URUGUAY (3-0-1, 6 GF-1 GA)
Last quarterfinal appearance: 1970
Next: Plays Ghana on Friday in Johannesburg (Soccer City)

The two-time champions have returned to the sport's elite after decades on the fringe thanks to the addition of some welcome skill to their famous bite. Diego Forlán (two goals) and Luis Suárez (three goals) are the best pair of strikers in the World Cup not on Argentina, and the defense, marshaled by captain Diego Lugano and defensive midfielder Diego Pérez, has been excellent.

7. GHANA (2-1-1, 4 GF-3 GA)
Last quarterfinal appearance: never
Next: Plays Uruguay on Friday in Johannesburg (Soccer City)

The Black Stars survived a tight second-round match against the U.S. thanks to the timely finishing of Kevin-Prince Boateng and Asamoah Gyan, but they didn't carry the play. Add that to the fact that the team didn't manage a goal from the run of play during the first round, and you're left with a side that certainly could win, but won't scare anybody. On the plus side, Ghana has an entire continent in its corner.

8. PARAGUAY (1-0-3 3 GF-1 GA)
Last quarterfinal appearance: never
Next: Plays Spain on Saturday in Johannesburg (Ellis Park)

Considering their best player, striker Salvador Cabañas, is missing the World Cup because he was shot in the head in a Mexico City bar, La Albirroja's run to the quarterfinals is remarkable. It also wasn't too challenging -- Paraguay was in the easiest first-round group and needed penalty kicks to advance past Japan in a second-round game that was among the worst World Cup matches ever. The ride should end Saturday.