No top-ranked team has won the World Cup: Can Argentina?

Argentina are in the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the world's No. 1-ranked team, carrying both the confidence of defending champions and the weight of an unusual piece of history. Since the FIFA ranking system was introduced in 1993, no team holding the top spot has gone on to win the World Cup in the same cycle.

However, this Argentina side, led by Lionel Messi and shaped by years of success under Lionel Scaloni, has many fans wondering whether the so-called curse is finally ready to be broken. We asked football supporters from different fanbases whether Argentina can defy history and lift the trophy once again.

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"I don't think Argentina can break the curse because there are better teams right now. If you look at teams like France and Spain, they are all very strong." — Moied Kalam Watun, 21, Brazil supporter and engineering student.

"Argentina have that capability because Scaloni has brought some upgrades to the team while the core remains the same. They have that grit to play for Argentina. — Swachchha Ahmed, 26, Germany supporter and finance professional.

"I don't think being the No. 1-ranked team automatically means Argentina will win the World Cup. The tournament is largely knockout-based, where form, luck and handling pressure play a huge role." - Sumaiya Labiba, 23, Brazil supporter and fitness influencer.

"With a team that is ranked No. 1 and has already won both the World Cup and the most recent Copa América, I don't think words like 'curse' really apply to this particular group of players.” - Ahmed Shabab Hassan, 21, Portugal supporter and business student.

"As long as Messi is playing in the World Cup, they remain a problem for every other team because Messi himself is unpredictable." - Zarif Zawad Nabil, 23, Portugal supporter and engineering student.

"I think they'll reach the quarter-finals or semi-finals, but honestly, I don't see them beating France or Spain." - Ahnaf Newaz, 22, England supporter and business student.

“I would say it is not impossible for this Argentina team to break that deadlock. The reason is very simple: this squad already has a 'winning DNA'.” - Shahriyar Hossain Labib, 24, Brazil supporter and engineering student.

"The ranking is not why they are contenders. They are contenders because they are defending champions and because they have a balanced, battle-hardened squad." - An Naimu Arko, 23, Germany supporter and business student.