4 Takeaways From FIFA’s Final Pre-World Cup Men’s Rankings

FIFA released its final men’s world ranking on Thursday morning, just hours before Mexico and South Africa kick off the biggest World Cup in history at the Azteca. It’s the latest official snapshot before the tournament rewrites the entire list. The next update arrives the day after the World Cup final. Here are four key takeaways: There’s a poetry to it. Argentina, the reigning world champions, surged two spots to reclaim the No. 1 ranking. Powered by comfortable friendly wins over Iceland and Honduras. Lionel Scaloni’s side now walks into Kansas City next week wearing both crowns: world champions and the world’s top-ranked team. The symbolism is nice; the history is brutal. No nation has won back-to-back World Cups since Brazil in 1958 and 1962. The top of this ranking has been a revolving door all year; Spain, France and Argentina have each tasted what it’s like being at the top. Being No. 1 in June guarantees nothing. Just ask Belgium, who spent years atop this list with zero trophies to show for it. France dropped from first to third, and the culprit was a sloppy 2-1 defeat to Ivory Coast in their final tune-up. You can spin it this way: friendlies don’t really matter too much. Didier Deschamps was rotating, and France has sleepwalked through preparation before flipping the switch when it actually counts. The glass half empty: this is Deschamps’ farewell tournament and the players still carry the weight of the heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to Argentina in the 2022 World Cup Final. This time around, a loaded Group I featuring Norway and Senegal won’t allow much sleepwalking. Les Bleus have earned the benefit of the doubt. They’ve also earned the scrutiny. Buried in the release was the most significant line: Morocco climbed to seventh, the highest position any African nation has ever occupied in the FIFA rankings. This isn’t a fluke of the algorithm. It’s the compounding return on a 2022 semifinal run, an Africa Cup of Nations triumph, and years of infrastructure investment that the rest of CAF is still scrambling to copy. The Atlas Lions leapfrogged the Netherlands to get there. Their reward for a historic week is immediate: a game against Brazil on Saturday, the marquee fixture of the entire group stage. Win that, and the conversation shifts from “best African team ever” to something far more interesting — legitimate contender. The Dutch slid out of the top seven after a limp 1-0 loss to Algeria in their final friendly, surrendering their spot to Morocco days before the tournament. On paper, it’s one place in a ranking. In reality, this confirms what the eye test has suggested for months: this Netherlands team isn’t perfect. Ronald Koeman’s contract expires after the World Cup, Virgil van Dijk is coming off an inconsistent and grueling Premier League season at 34. There are also questions about the rather timid style of play from a team that used to embody “total football.” However, the Dutch pedigree in major tournaments means you should never count them out, so take FIFA’s new rankings with a grain of salt.