Brazil are currently the #1 ranked Fifa nation in the lead up for the 2022 Qatar World Cup, so how did the countries who entered the recent tournaments as the top-ranked nation fare?
Fifa shared their latest men’s rankings this June, with Brazil marginally pipping Belgium for the top-spot. The Selecao retained the position with 1,837.56 ranking points, ahead of the Red Devils’ 1,821.92. Argentina climbed into third, above 2018 World Cup winners, France.
England, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Denmark rounded out the top-10, with Germany only 11th. The United States rose to 14th, 2022 Africa Cup of Nations champions Senegal sit 18th above Wales, Ukraine ranked 27th, Canada 43rd and Scotland fell to 45th.
France won the last World Cup in 2018 as the seventh-best ranked Fifa nation
France entered the 2018 World Cup in Russia as the seventh-best ranked Fifa nation, while runners-up Croatia were only in 20th. Les Bleus rose to second in the standings at the mid-way mark of the tournament and took over the top spot after their second World Cup title.
Yet France would only stay top of the tree until October 2018, as Belgium took over as the #1 nation. The Red Devils’ rein would last to March 2022, with Brazil and Les Bleus sharing spells in second until the Selecao would dethrone Roberto Martinez’s side for the top spot.
Brazil have not headed into a World Cup as the top-ranked nation since the 2010 edition in South Africa. Yet they would leave the Rainbow Nation as just the third-ranked country in Fifa’s table, with the winner, Spain, and runner-up, Holland, taking over the top-two spots.
So, with that in mind, how have the countries who entered recent World Cups as the top-ranked nation gone on to fare during that Fifa tournament, and when did they take over?
Germany entered 2018 Russia World Cup as the top-ranked Fifa nation
Germany entered the 2018 World Cup in Russia as the top-ranked Fifa nation, with the last standings shared seven days before the tournament started. Die Mannschaft took the spot from Brazil in September 2017, but lost the position with France winning that World Cup.
The 2018 finals were Joachim Low’s third and final as Germany boss, having taken over the helm after the 2006 edition. He had also led Die Mannschaft to global glory during 2014 in Brazil, and would stay in charge to July 2021 after their disappointing Euro 2020 campaign.
Germany were unable to defend their World Cup title in Russia, having exited the edition in just the group stage. Low oversaw a 2-1 win over Sweden between defeats to Mexico and South Korea to finish Group F fourth, as Sweden and Mexico reached the knockout phase.
The shocking record would see Germany slip from the top-spot all the way down to 15th-place after the World Cup. France as champions took over as the #1 nation, from Belgium, Brazil, Croatia, Uruguay, England, Portugal, Switzerland, Denmark, Spain and Argentina.
Spain entered 2014 Brazil World Cup as the top-ranked Fifa nation
Spain began the 2014 World Cup in Brazil as the top-ranked Fifa nation, with the standings shared one week before the tournament would start. They took over the position from the Netherlands in September 2011, having briefly fallen behind Holland in the world rankings.
- WORLD CUP: HOW MANY TIMES HAS THE TROPHY BEEN RETAINED?
Yet the most recent World Cup held on South American soil would end horribly for Spain, as they crashed out in the group stage. La Roja could only finish the opening round of the finals in third, having taken one win from their meetings with Holland, Chile and Australia.
The Netherlands also dealt Spain a 5-1 defeat in their opening fixture of the 2014 edition in Brazil. A tournament La Roja entered as the defending champions, having taken the title in 2010 with a win over Holland in the final. Exiting in the group stage saw Spain fall to eighth.
Brazil entered 2010 South Africa tournament as the top-ranked nation
Brazil may currently be the #1 ranked Fifa nation, but the Selecao last entered a World Cup as the top-ranked country in the 2010 edition in South Africa. They had only eclipsed Spain for the top-spot in April ‘10, and ended the tournament falling to third behind the finalists.
- WORLD CUP: HOW MANY TIMES ITALY HAVE FAILED TO QUALIFY
The Selecao produced a solid tournament while the Rainbow Nation hosted the footballing world, as they reached the quarter-finals. Brazil topped Group G above Portugal, the Ivory Coast and North Korea, before beating Chile. But the Netherlands ended their tournament.
It was the second World Cup running that Brazil’s tournament ended in the quarter-finals. They also reached the same stage in 2018, following their fourth-place in 2014 – their best finish since winning the record fifth World Cup title during 2002 in Japan and South Korea.
Brazil entered 2006 World Cup in Germany as top-ranked Fifa nation
Brazil had also entered the 2006 World Cup in Germany as the top-ranked Fifa nation, the spot they held since July 2002. The Selecao would also stay the #1 country until February 2007, when Italy overtook the South American nation after a staggering run of 1,687 days.
- WORLD CUP: TOURNAMENT RECORD OF FRANCE ICON ZIDANE
Germany did not represent a perfect tournament for Brazil, as they lost to France in the quarter-finals. Les Bleus, on the other hand, would go all the way to the final, before the Berlin affair saw Italy emerge victorious on penalties after Zinedine Zidane was sent off.
France entered 2002 edition as top-ranked nation before slipping behind Brazil
Brazil took over the #1 Fifa ranking spot in July 2002, after winning a record fifth and their most recent World Cup title in Japan and South Korea. France had entered the edition as the top-seed, a position held since May 2001, but fell to third behind Brazil and Argentina.
- WORLD CUP: TOURNAMENT RECORD OF BRAZIL LEGEND CAFU
France could not retain the top seed after a woeful tournament saw Les Bleus crash out in the group stage. They failed to win any of their games, with Senegal kicking things off with a 1-0 win, before Uruguay and France played out a goalless draw, while Denmark won 2-0.
A group stage exit came as a shock to France, who travelled to Asia as the defending title-holders. They won a maiden World Cup on home soil in 1998, which Brazil began as the #1 nation and ended top of the tree ahead of Les Bleus – who rose all the way up from 18th.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
