Ecuador 1-0 Argentina: World champions lose qualifying finale, also lose number 1 spot in the world to Spain

Argentina finished 2026 World Cup qualifying with just 10 men on the field and 1-0 defeat in Ecuador on Tuesday, with the reigning World Cup champions already guaranteed top spot in CONMEBOL.

Nicolas Otamendi was sent off in the 31st minute for the denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity,

 Enner Valencia scored from the penalty spot (in the 13th minute of first-half stoppage time) to clinch a 2nd-place finish for Ecuador (9 points behind Argentina).

Ecuador went down to 10 themselves in the 51st minute when Moises Caicedo stomped on Nicolas Gonzalez to earn a straight red card after having already been booked earlier in the game.

The result will cost Argentina a significant FIFA record to Spain.

Following the conclusion of the September international break, Spain will overtake Argentina at the top of the FIFA world rankings. The ranking system assigns points to every national team based on results from recent matches, with weight given to the type of competition in which those results occurred.

Argentina had held the top spot in the FIFA rankings since April 2023. That run was largely fueled by their triumph at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, as well as previous titles at the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 Finalissima. Their Copa America 2024 win and a strong run through the 2026 qualifiers only solidified their place.

However, despite their consistent performances in recent years, Scaloni’s team could not remain at the top any longer. The loss to Ecuador marked the end of Argentina’s reign although even a win on Tuesday may not have been enough to hold off Spain.

That’s because Argentina will no longer have any official matches in 2025, having completed their run in the World Cup qualifiers. During the October and November international breaks, they will play friendlies, which carry fewer ranking points giving Spain the opportunity to gain ground and pull ahead.

Source: msn, worldsoccertalk