Failure? Mexico closes 2021 outside the top 10 of FIFA rankings

Mexico closed 2021 outside the top 10 of the FIFA ranking, due to poor results, such as losing the CONCACAF leadership to the United States. Can it be 2021 considered a failure?

In fact, the Stars and Stripes finished above the Mexican national soccer team not only in the ranking but also in championships, such as the Gold Cup or the Nations League. 

While this is not a setback for the Mexican national soccer team, as they maintain the same position they obtained in November, it does mean stagnation. 

And this can be reflected not only in the FIFA ranking but also in the position the team currently occupies in the World Cup qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. 

The Mexican team obtained 1,638 points in this last ranking, which is why it could not reach the top 10 teams. 

Why didn't the Mexican national team reach FIFA's top 10? 

The team led by Gerardo Martino continues to be unable to be convincing in important matches and this has affected the team in the FIFA ranking. 

First came the defeat against the United States in the Nations League with a score of 3-2. Then, in the Gold Cup, the Aztecs lost again to the United States, with a score of 1-0. 

Then came the World Cup Qualifying matches in which Mexico tied with Panama and Canada, with a score of 1-1 in both matches. 

And what would sentence El Tri to not being able to advance higher in the FIFA ranking would be the defeats against the United States with a score of 2-0, and the surprising defeat against Canada.

With a 2-1 loss in the World Cup Qualifiers against the Rouges, the Mexican team lost the opportunity to be the leader in its confederation.

It is worth mentioning that FIFA congratulated the Canadian soccer team since this time they managed to move up from 59th place to 40th, in what the international organization called "the best progression of the year". 

COVID-19 altered the fixture schedule 

The highest authority in world soccer detailed that the special circumstances motivated by COVID-19 meant that in 2020 only 352 senior national team matches were played.

This was historic, since 1987 when 323 matches were played, there had never been so few matches played in a calendar year. 

But in 2021, the internationals of world soccer more than made up for it, taking part in a record 1,116 matches.

Despite the pandemic, the leader of the FIFA World Ranking remained the same for the fourth year in a row, with Belgium once again coming out on top, but closely followed by Brazil and France. 

The FIFA ranking of the top 10 teams is as follows

1. Belgium 1828.45

2. Brazil 1826.35

3. France 1786.15

4. England 1755.52

5. Argentina 1750.51

6. Italy 1740.77

7. Spain 1704.75

8. Portugal 1660.25

9. Denmark 1654.54

10. Netherlands 1653.73

11. USA 1648.51

12. Germany 1648.33

13. Switzerland 1642.83

14. Mexico 1638.3

15. Croatia 1620.74

Can 2021 be considered a failure for the Mexican national soccer team?