Argentina misses out on a fourth title! Four major curses persist: no champion has successfully defended the crown in 64 years, and the world's top-ranked team still cannot claim the trophy

The final, which ended on July 20 Beijing time, saw Argentina lose 0-1 to Spain after a grueling extra-time contest, missing out on back-to-back titles and delaying their quest for a fourth crown. Following Argentina's elimination from the final, the four famous curses remain unbroken as the World Cup concludes.

First: The defending champion curse

In World Cup history, only Italy in 1938 and Brazil in 1962 have successfully defended their titles. Since 1962, no team has managed to repeat as champion, a span of 64 years. With Argentina's failed defense, this curse will now extend to at least 68 years.

Second: The world No. 1 curse

Since the FIFA ranking system was introduced in 1992, the team ranked first in the world before the World Cup has never won the tournament—a streak lasting 32 years (1994–2026). Before this World Cup, Argentina held the top FIFA ranking.

Third: The three-time champion timing curse

In World Cup history, only Brazil, Italy, and Germany have won three or more titles. Each of them waited exactly 24 years after their third title to claim their fourth: Brazil (1970–1994), Italy (1982–2006), and Germany (1990–2014). Argentina won their third World Cup in 2022, and their failure to defend this year has extended this curse by another four years.

Fourth: The group-stage perfect record curse

Since Brazil's 2002 World Cup campaign, no team that won all three group-stage matches has gone on to win the tournament, a streak that now spans 24 years (2002–2026).

In this World Cup, Argentina, France, and Mexico all advanced as group winners with perfect records. Mexico was eliminated in the round of 16, France fell in the semifinals, and Argentina lost in the final.