Spain top of FIFA rankings, Morocco reach record high

Spain has ascended back to the pinnacle of the FIFA men's world rankings, reclaiming the number one position after a victory over Argentina. The Spanish team, managed by Luis de la Fuente, defeated the 2022 World Cup champions Argentina 1-0 in extra time on Sunday, marking their return to the top spot for the first time since January.

Following Spain's climb, Argentina has slipped to second place in the rankings. France and England maintain their third and fourth positions, respectively. Brazil has moved up to fifth place, while Morocco has achieved a historic milestone by reaching a record-high sixth position in the global standings.

Other notable movements include Portugal falling two places to seventh after their round-of-16 exit in the World Cup. Belgium has climbed to eighth, swapping places with the Netherlands, who have dropped to ninth. Mexico has made a significant jump, breaking into the top 10.

Norway experienced the most substantial rise, climbing 12 places to 19th after reaching the World Cup quarter-finals. Conversely, Germany has fallen out of the top 10, now sitting at 12th, just ahead of Croatia. Italy, who failed to qualify for the World Cup, has slipped to 15th.

The rankings also show significant drops for Tunisia, falling 12 places to 57th, while Egypt has climbed five spots to 24th. Paraguay rose seven places to 34th after reaching the World Cup round of 16. Cabo Verde moved up three places to 64th, and Ghana climbed eight places to be one spot behind Cabo Verde.