Lionel Messi’s Argentina reigns supreme in FIFA Rankings: Where do Kylian Mbappe’s France, Vinicius’ Brazil, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal stand?

Argentina has tightened its grip on the No. 1 spot in FIFA’s latest world rankings after an impressive international break. While Lionel Scaloni’s side continues to set the standard, other major nations, including the teams of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius, and Cristiano Ronaldo, have seen changes in their positions. FIFA’s April update not only reaffirms Argentina’s dominance but also highlights key shifts among the world’s top-ranked teams, particularly in Europe and South America.

With 1,886 points, Argentina remains the No. 1 team in world soccer, increasing their lead at the top after earning 18 points in the latest rankings update. Their victories over Uruguay (1-0) and Brazil (4-1) showcased their continued dominance, even in the absence of Lionel Messi, who missed both matches due to injury.

FIFA recognized La Albiceleste’s consistency, with the reigning World Cup champions also securing early qualification for the 2026 tournament. Their ability to win crucial matches without their talisman underlines why they remain the team to beat.

In the meantime, Spain has overtaken France to claim the No. 2 spot in the latest rankings. With 1,854 points, La Roja leapfrogged Les Bleus, who now sit in third place with 1,852 points. The shift comes after France suffered a costly defeat to Croatia in the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals. Although Didier Deschamps’ team recovered in the second leg, the setback allowed Spain to capitalize and move ahead in the rankings.

Meanwhile, England remains in fourth place with 1,819 points, having enjoyed comfortable wins in their opening World Cup qualifiers against Latvia and Albania.

Brazil holds on despite heavy loss

Brazil remains in fifth place with 1,776 points, but its recent performances have raised serious concerns. The 4-1 defeat to Argentina not only deepened their crisis but also led to another managerial change, with Dorival Junior losing his job as head coach.

Despite the turmoil, the Seleção managed to maintain their ranking position, but the pressure is mounting as they look to rebuild before the Copa America.

Portugal falls behind as the Netherlands surges

One of the most notable changes in the rankings is Portugal’s drop to seventh place, as the Netherlands climbed to sixth. The Dutch, despite failing to win their last two matches, now sit at 1,752 points, just ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, which dropped to 1,750 points.

This marks a setback for Portugal, which had been steadily climbing in recent years. With the UEFA European Championship fast approaching, Roberto Martínez’s team will need to regain momentum to avoid further slippage.

FIFA Men’s World Ranking: Top 30Argentina – 1886.16 (+18.91)Spain – 1854.64 (+1.37)France – 1852.71 (-7.07)England – 1819.2 (+5.39)Brazil – 1776.03 (+0.18)Netherlands – 1752.44 (+4.89)Portugal – 1750.08 (-6.04)Belgium – 1735.75 (-4.87)Italy – 1718.31 (-13.2)Germany – 1716.98 (+13.19)Croatia – 1698.66 (+7.07)Morocco – 1694.24 (+6.06)Uruguay – 1679.49 (-16.42)Colombia – 1679.04 (-15.4)Japan – 1652.64 (-0.15)USA – 1648.81 (+3.33)Mexico – 1646.94 (+19.54)IR Iran – 1637.39 (+2.08)Senegal – 1630.32 (-6.93)Switzerland – 1624.75 (-0.41)Denmark – 1617.54 (+6.05)Austria – 1580.22 (-9.62)Korea Republic – 1574.93 (-10.52)Ecuador – 1567.95 (+7.82)Ukraine – 1559.81 (+4.87)Australia – 1554.55 (+10.4)Turkey – 1551.47 (+14.23)Sweden – 1536.05 (-4.15)Wales – 1535.57 (+1.18)Canada – 1531.58 (+15.62)