4 Takeaways From FIFA's Final Pre-World Cup Men's Rankings

FIFA released its final men's world ranking on Thursday morning, just hours before Mexico and South Africa kick off the biggest World Cup in history at the Azteca. It's the latest official snapshot before the tournament rewrites the entire list.

The next update arrives the day after the World Cup final. Here are four key takeaways:

There's a poetry to it. Argentina, the reigning world champions, surged two spots to reclaim the No. 1 ranking. Powered by comfortable friendly wins over Iceland and Honduras.