On Thursday, October 24, FIFA presented its newest ranking of national teams, in which the biggest highlight was the rise of Portugal to seventh place, overcoming the Netherlands. While the top 10 remained quite similar, with first place solidly held by Argentina, some teams are fighting quietly such as Brazil, while others, like France and Spain, continue showing their strength. Now, let's delve into the specifics of this new configuration and understand the shifts that have come along with these movements.
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Argentina: Messi's Reign Continues
Since the triumph in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, nobody has taken Argentina from the top of FIFA's rankings. And for good reason. Under the leadership of Lionel Messi himself, the team has continued leading with great form during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. In the last international break, Argentina crushed Bolivia 6-0 and drew 1-1 with Venezuela to once again grab the top spot with 1883.5 points.
What will make Argentina so exciting is not only the individual brilliance of Messi himself but the overall balance and consistency that the squad holds. It has a good defense, creative midfield, and lethal attack, and most importantly, great chemistry. All these facets combined will transform Argentina into a well-oiled machine that can conquer every team both on the road and at home.
France and Spain: The Fight for the Top
With 1859.85 points, France sits behind Argentina as one of the most consistent teams lately. The French defeated Belgium in the Nations League 2-1 and Israel 4-1, continuing with a good mix of physical strength, speed, and refined technique. With stars like Kylian Mbappé on the roster, France stands firmly in second place and is definitely among the favorites in any international tournament.
The third place is Spain, with 1844.33 points, which also fared strongly during the last international break. It showed that its tradition of possession-based, attacking soccer is alive and well with victories over Denmark and Serbia. This time, the Spanish national team consists of a mix between youth and experience in the squad that not many teams possess. The fight between France and Spain to pip Argentina in the next ranking updates also is going to be close.
Brazil: Still Chasing the Top
The Brazilian national team, which for many years led the FIFA rankings, is still in fifth place with 1784.37 points. Under the guidance of Dorival Jr., Brazil is working to recover from a period of instability. In the most recent rounds of World Cup qualifiers, the team secured two important victories: 2-1 against Chile and 4-0 over Peru.
Despite these positive results, Brazil does not stop facing challenges in the quest to go back to the top. It has taken some heavy toll due to lack of success and consistent performances that Brazil has been able to put up in major international tournaments. While undeniably individual talent exists in the country, a cohesive team is lacking to dominate just like in the past. With Dorival Jr., new energy is expected to be given to this squad and prepare it for further challenges.
Portugal: A Rise Well Deserved
The main changes in rank are the rise of Portugal to seventh place with 1,752.68 points, passing the Netherlands. With Cristiano Ronaldo leading from the front, Portugal has continued to show strength despite the many changes within the squad and technical bench. During the most recent international break, Portugal defeated Poland and drew with Scotland, results that made them leap up.
That is not very surprising, of course, with all that talent on that roster. Besides Ronaldo, other players such as Bruno Fernandes and João Félix have been in outstanding form. The question now, of course, is whether Portugal can sustain this momentum and emerge as one of the forces to be reckoned with in Europe for the next few competitions also.
Netherlands: Work Still to be Done
The Dutch national team, meanwhile, slid down minimally into eighth place with 1748.24 points. Memphis Depay's absence was definitely detrimental to the team, and during the last international break, Oranje didn't win even one game; they drew with Hungary and lost to Germany. Ronald Koeman's team still searches for the rhythm in playing, above all after a period of rebuilding. On the other hand, though, the young talent that is beginning to emerge in the Netherlands is something to salivate about for the future.
Colombia and Italy: Surprises and Struggles
The top 10 is completed by Colombia and Italy. Colombia, with 1724.37 points, has maintained its stability, but it has not been as strong as in previous years. In the meantime, Italy has 1729.4 points and is in a period of change. After the disappointment of not being able to participate in the last World Cup, the Italians are fighting to return to prominence, managing to stay among the best, although the road is still long to full recovery.