Dethroned! Messi’s Argentina knocked off top of FIFA rankings

Lionel Messi’s Argentina have been knocked off the number one spot in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings, ending the world champions’ two-year reign at the top.

Argentina endured a frustrating time during the last international break, losing to Ecuador. The South American champion are now ranked third in the world, with France moving up to second.

Taking the number one spot is European Champion, Spain. Lamine Yamal’s Spain have stormed back to the summit of international football, claiming top spot in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings for the first time since 2014.

Their rise comes after victories over Turkey and Bulgaria in World Cup qualifying.

Spain players during the World Cup European Qualifiers Group E in Konya Stadium (Photo by Huseyin Yavuz/ dia images via Getty Images)

Spain’s resurgence is a significant boost ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which they will enter as champions of Europe.

Meanwhile, England stayed in fourth, while Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal climbed to fifth, overtaking Brazil, who now sit sixth after a series of poor results.

Morocco and Japan remain the highest-ranked teams in Africa and Asia, reflecting their growing strength on the global stage. Mexico continue to lead CONCACAF, holding 14th place, ahead of the United States in 16th.

The full FIFA rankings (1-20)

Here are the top 20 FIFA men’s teams, according to their rankings:

1. Spain – 1875.37 points
2 France – 1870.92 points
3 Argentina – 1870.32 points
4 England – 1820.44 points
5 Portugal – 1779.55 points
6 Brazil – 1761.60 points
7 Netherlands – 1754.17 points
8 Belgium – 1739.54 points
9 Croatia – 1714.20 points
10 Italy – 1710.06 points
11 Morocco – 1706.27 points
12 Germany – 1704.27 points
13 Colombia – 1692.10 points
14 Mexico – 1688.38 points
15 Uruguay – 1673.65 points
16 USA – 1670.04 points
17 Switzerland – 1648.30 points
18 Senegal – 1645.23 points
19 Japan – 1640.47 points
20 Denmark – 1627.64 points