Lionel Messi and Argentina will resume their CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifiers campaign against Uruguay and Brazil in two weeks. As Lionel Scaloni’s squad looks to secure its place in the tournament, it has reached a historic milestone in the FIFA rankings, becoming the country with the third-most days overall at the top.
Following the latest update in February, Argentina has now spent a total of 1,457 days as the world’s No. 1 team, considering all previous periods atop the ranking. This fugure includes stints from March 2007, October 2007 to June 2008, July to October 2015, and April 2016 to March 2017, in addition to the current run that began in April 2023 and continues through February 25.
With this milestone, Argentina has surpassed Belgium in the all-time table, as they held the top spot for 1,442 days. Now, La Albiceleste sets its sights on Spain’s 1,959 days. However, Brazil’s all-time record of 5,070 days at the top of the rankings is still far away.
Additionally, Argentina continues to extend their own record for the longest consecutive reign atop the FIFA rankings. The team has held the position for 22 uninterrupted months and, with wins over Uruguay and Brazil in March, would surpass the two-year mark as the world’s top-ranked side.
Lionel Messi of Argentina looks on during a match against Chile (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
France and Spain loom as potential challengers
France and Spain remain in contention for the No. 1 ranking, but Argentina controls its own fate. As long as Scaloni’s squad keeps winning, no team can overtake them. However, should Argentina drop points, its standing could depend on the outcome of the UEFA Nations League’s matches.
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In the upcoming UEFA Nation League matchday, Didier Deschamps’ France will face Croatia. The French coach already confirmed that Kylian Mbappe will return to the national team, after missing the last call. On the other hand, Luis de la Fuente’s Spain takes on the Netherlands in home-and-away quarterfinal matchups during March’s international window.
Lionel Messi’s strong start of the year
As Argentina prepare to face two of the toughest opponents in South America, captain Lionel Messi has showcased his top form with Inter Miami at the start of the year.
Lionel Messi provided two assists in his 2025 MLS debut (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
After scoring two goals in the preseason tour, Messi scored Miami’s first official goal of the 2025 season, helping the team 1-0 win over Sporting KC in the first leg of their Concacaf Champion League series. He also delivered two assists in Miami’s 2-2 draw against NYCFC for Miami’s 2025 MLS debut.
Argentina are close to the 2026 qualification
Argentina’s path to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada is well on track and could be mathematically secured with victories over Uruguay and Brazil, combined with favorable results elsewhere.
Currently, Argentina lead the standings with 25 points, five ahead of second-place Uruguay. La Albiceleste continues to set records, but March’s qualifiers will be decisive in maintaining its dominance on the global stage.
