Fans of football argue over whether or not the FIFA World Cup ranking table shows how good a team is. It has been going on for years. Still, it is an integral part of the international game, and the world governing body uses it to decide how teams will be seeded for tournament and qualification draws.
Which team is the top-ranked team going into the FIFA World Cup?
List of FIFA World Rankings for 2022 – Check out the Coca-Cola-sponsored FIFA ranking. Each team’s game performance determines its overall rating, with the best teams at the top. Brazil is the most recent Team of the Year. Belgium, Argentina, France, England, and Italy came in second through fifth. Here is the complete list of the FIFA Football World Rankings.
Brazil
Federation: Conmebol
Previous Ranking: 1
After beating Belgium in March this year, the Samba Boys are at the top of the rankings going into the 2022 World Cup. They won the Copa America in 2019, but the last time they won the World Cup was in 2002 when Cafu did it. Since then, they have yet to make it to a semi-final.
This year, Neymar has a great supporting cast, but one lousy sign hangs over their campaign. The team with the best ranking going into the World Cup has never won it.
Belgium
Federation: UEFA
Previous Ranking: 2
Belgium is the unexpected newcomer on this list. They’ve maintained a high ranking by consistently doing well at major events, even if they have yet to win one. As their golden era of superstar names fades, the Belgians have been riding high, advancing to the quarterfinals of the last four major championships and placing third at the 2018 World Cup.
However, many of his star players are either retired or on the verge of retirement. Thus, Roberto Martinez may be faulted for not pushing his team any further. If Belgium doesn’t perform well in Qatar, they might as well disappear from the top of the scene.
Argentina
Federation: Conmebol
Previous Ranking: 3
Most fans will root for Argentina in their final World Cup appearance with Lionel Messi. The 35-year-old may decide to retire from Argentina after the tournament, a possibility that increases if they win the whole thing. Messi and his country won the Copa America last year, marking their first major trophy in the sport.
Their recent 3-0 victory boosted Argentina’s confidence in Italy in the Finalissima. There may be fewer A-listers in the mix, but the group’s cred is getting stronger by the day thanks to their unified strategy.
France
Federation: UEFA
Previous Ranking: 4
Will they always be the top World Cup team? France’s current world champion has many talented players available in Qatar. Though their star-studded squad is likely to enter the competition with high hopes, they should be aware of the recent trend in which tournament champions have failed to advance out of their group.
After winning the World Cup in 2018, France won the UEFA Nations League in 2021, although they were knocked out in the round of 16 at the rescheduled European Championships. It’s important to note that the squad has lost some crucial players due to injuries. The 2018 champions’ N’golo Kante, and backup goalkeeper Paul Pobga are among them.
England
Federation: UEFA
Previous Ranking: 5
The position of the Three Lions as they enter Qatar is peculiar. Despite England’s worst run of form since 1992, this is their best chance in a generation to win the World Cup. England’s run to the 2018 semi-finals and the Euro 2020 final established the team’s credentials as one of the best in the world, but the team’s performance in the Nations League after the Wembley loss led to demotion.
Although Harry Kane is the team’s focal point, England still has a strong chance of advancing to the finals thanks to the development of Jude Bellingham and the rest of their starting XI.
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