Among the top ten in the FIFA rankings, the Brazilian team has accumulated the worst performance in the last five games, with 46.7% success, ranking seventh on the list. Although the historical series is not always a faithful reflection of the teams’ reality, it serves as a parameter to indicate the favorites for the next World Cup.
In its recent history, Brazil lost to France and Japan, beat South Korea and Senegal and drew with Tunisia. The irregular sequence was worsened by the terrible impression left after the defeat on Thursday (26) against the French, when Carlo Ancelotti’s team was dominated and defeated despite playing much of the second half with one more player.
The cut helps to measure the momentum of the main candidates for the title and reinforces the idea that, although Brazil remains among the favorites, it reaches the final cycle in a less stable condition than its main competitors.
At the top of the ranking, the Spanish team appears as the most consistent team today. Current champions of the European Championship, in a campaign with seven wins in seven games, including triumphs over four world champions, the Spanish team has a base made up of young talents led by the star Lamine Yamal, well integrated, with a technical midfield capable of controlling the pace of the games.
On this date, FIFA beat Serbia 3-0, maintaining its unbeaten record in the five-game period, with four wins and one draw.
The maintenance of a clear game model, combined with the replacement of parts without a sudden drop in performance, makes Spain one of the most reliable teams at the moment.
Second in the FIFA rankings, Argentina is still reaping the fruits of the victorious cycle that began with the 2022 World Cup title. Even in a gradual process of renewal, the team maintains high competitiveness and led the South American Qualifiers.
Although they also maintain a good recent record, with four wins in five games, the Argentines, however, chose not to face European teams throughout the cycle until the 2026 World Cup. This Friday (27), for example, they won a friendly against Mauritania, 2-1.
Messi started the match against the African team on the bench and entered the second half, already 2-0 in favor of the current world champions. Although he continues to play at a high level, the star has not yet confirmed his presence in the World Cup. The doubt directly affects Argentina’s favoritism in the World Cup and is likely to drag on for a while longer.
This type of concern does not cross the minds of the French, who place their main hopes on star Kylian Mbappé, who will reach the World Cup at the height of his 27 years. Scorer of France’s first goal against Brazil, he leads a generation full of talent that, even after the renewal of the squad, finalist of the last two World Cups and champion in 2018, maintains its strength. The team’s current picture shows four wins in the last five games.
Although it has not yet translated into recent achievements, the English team is also among the favorites, supported by a talented and increasingly mature generation. Players like Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden raise the technical level of the team, which began to show greater offensive control in recent games.
Still, doubts persist about the ability to transform performance into titles, especially in decisive games against opponents of the same level. In their last five games, they won all four qualifiers and drew the recent friendly with Uruguay, 1-1.
Closing the first half of the top 10, which represents the group most likely to win the World Cup, the Portuguese team will once again take to the World Cup what is seen as one of the most promising generations in the country.
The coexistence between Cristiano Ronaldo and a new offensive generation offers multiple solutions, although the team still fluctuates in terms of tactical consistency. The star, however, represents the country’s biggest doubt today. No one doubts his appetite to compete in the World Cup, but, at 41, his physical condition is far from ideal.
Even without the captain, absent from FIFA on this date due to an injury to his right thigh, Portugal maintains its status as a candidate for the title due to its excellent crop of players.
The teams that complete the top 10 of the FIFA rankings present different scenarios. The Netherlands remains organized and competitive, with emphasis on the defense led by Virgil van Dijk, but finds limitations in attack against stronger opponents. Morocco is experiencing a recent rise, with remarkable campaigns and strong tactical discipline, although it has fewer options in the squad to withstand long tournaments.
Belgium is going through a period of transition after the peak of its main generation and is no longer repeating the same collective performance. Germany, in turn, is trying to regain its leading role after years of instability, still in search of regularity. The outlook indicates a World Cup with several candidates, but with different levels of consistency, while Brazil remains under pressure to transform potential into more solid results.
