Spain maintained its top spot in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings in advance of the 2026 World Cup, while the United States men’s national team moved up two spots to overtake rival Mexico.
The United States’ 5-1 thrashing of Uruguay at Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday, moved the team up two spots in the rankings to No. 14, while Mexico moved down a spot to No. 15.
Spain is followed in the rankings by Argentina, France, England and Brazil, which moved up two spots. Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Croatia round out the top 10.
Morocco (11), Italy (12) and Colombia (13) were ranked ahead of the USMNT, with Italy dropping three spots. After Mexico in the No. 15 spot, the top 20 included Uruguay (16), Switzerland (17), Japan (18), Senegal (19) and Iran (20).
Led by head coach Mauricio Pochettino, the United States has used varying lineups of late while still earning positive results as the team cruised past Uruguay, which dropped a spot in the rankings with the loss.
The statement game tied the largest margin of victory for the USMNT against an opponent in the top 15 of the FIFA rankings and it came without the services of Christian Pulisic, Timothy Weah, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Chris Richards. The national team had a 4-0 victory over then-No. 7 Mexico in 1995.
Pochettino made nine changes to a lineup that had just earned a 2-1 victory over Paraguay.
“There is still a lot of work to do, but I think it’s about to keep believing, it’s to keep pushing,” Pochettino said.
The USMNT is scheduled to play its first World Cup game in 2026 at Inglewood, Calif., on June 12, with four more international friendlies on the schedule before then, including matches against Portugal and Belgium in March.
–Field Level Media
