The 2025 calendar year came to a close with the release of the final FIFA World Rankings, a snapshot that reflected how the top national teams finished the year, including Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.
Argentina played just one match during the November international window. A 2–0 victory over Angola in Luanda proved sufficient for La Scaloneta to hold onto second place in the FIFA rankings. France remained third despite recording emphatic wins over Ukraine and Azerbaijan, while Spain stayed firmly at the top.
With a veteran Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal closed the year in sixth place. The team posted mixed results in November, falling 2–0 to Ireland before responding with a dominant 9–1 win over Armenia. Those performances allowed Portugal to remain steady in the upper tier of the standings.
Spain maintained their position at the summit after defeating Georgia 4–0 and drawing 2–2 with Turkiye in their final European World Cup Qualifiers. Those results not only secured first place but also set the stage for the already confirmed Finalissima against Argentina, a highly anticipated showdown between Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Teams chasing in the rankings
England finished fourth, and Brazil ended the year in fifth place. England became the first European nation to secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup after closing the campaign with back-to-back 2–0 victories over Serbia and Albania. Brazil followed with a 2–0 win against Senegal and a 1–1 draw with Tunisia in their final fixtures of the year.
The rest of the top ten was completed by Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Croatia. FIFA confirmed that the next ranking update will be released in January due to the Africa Cup of Nations, with additional changes expected after the March and June international windows ahead of the World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Morocco continued climbing in the FIFA rankings
Morocco continued to establish itself as Africa’s strongest national team. After lifting the Arab Cup with a final victory over Jordan, Morocco climbed to 11th place. That rise positioned them within striking distance of the top ten, particularly with the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, which they will host.
Top 10 of the FIFA World Rankings
- Spain – 1877.18
- Argentina – 1873.33
- France – 1870.00
- England – 1834.12
- Brazil – 1760.46
- Portugal – 1760.38
- Netherlands – 1756.27
- Belgium – 1730.71
- Germany – 1724.15
- Croatia – 1716.88