Concerning Trend Emerges for Argentina Ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup
The 2026 FIFAWorld Cup has officially arrived, as co-hosts Mexico open against South Africa at the historic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
South Korea is set to face Czechia at 10:00 p.m. ET, kicking off a month-long spectacle with soccer‘s ultimate prize on the line.
Yet, as the biggest World Cup in history gets underway, one of the biggest storylines isn’t about the United States, Canada, or Mexico, but rather defending champions, Argentina.
In its latest World Cup analysis, ESPN highlighted a surprising trend that has suddenly cast a shadow over one of the tournament’s favorites.
ESPN’s Ryan O’Hanlon noted how, since FIFA introduced its world ranking system in 1992, the No. 1-ranked team entering the World Cup has never gone on to lift the trophy.
Brazil were the pre-tournament No. 1s in 2006, 2010, and 2022, while Spain took the top spot in 2014 and Germany in 2018.
None of those teams even reached the semifinals, and Spain and Germany didn’t even get past the group stage.
Argentina currently sits as the No. 1 team in FIFA’s world rankings.
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On paper, Argentina remains one of the strongest teams in the tournament.
They’ve still got the ageless wonder Lionel Messi, who’s scored 41 goals and 28 assists across 40 starts over the last two seasons with Inter Miami. And Julian Alvarez, Lautaro Martinez, Emiliano Martinez, and Alexis Mac Allister are all back from that 2022 squad.
La Albiceleste have spent much of the past three years near the top of the FIFA rankings and are still viewed by many as one of the strongest contenders in this World Cup.
But some legitimate concerns have arisen in recent days, and this just adds to it.
First, Argentina has one of the oldest rosters in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Messi is 38, and several leaders from the last World Cup team are either in the latter stages of their careers or no longer with the team, including Marcos Acuña, Ángel Di María, Ángel Correa, and Paulo Dybala.
Some of their top players have also been dealing with injuries over the last few weeks, including Messi and Emiliano Martínez, along with key defenders Nahuel Molina and Gonzalo Montiel.
Argentina still has one of the deepest and most talented rosters in the tournament, but history has a way of repeating itself, and this is certainly a concerning trend worth paying attention to.
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This story was originally published June 11, 2026 at 2:59 PM.