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Last Updated:June 26, 2026, 05:05 IST
Only one team — Mexico — have lost more FIFA World Cup matches than Argentina and Germany. The co-hosts of this year's FIFA World Cup have suffered 28 defeats in 63 matches.
Germany equal Argentina's tally of 24 defeats in FIFA World Cup. (Picture Credit: AP)
Germany faced Ecuador in their third and final Group E match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Thursday (Friday IST) and suffered a shocking 1-2 defeat in front of 80,663 fans at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. The loss to Ecuador was only Germany’s third defeat against a South American team and their 24th overall loss in FIFA World Cup history.
With 24 defeats in 115 FIFA World Cup matches played so far, Germany have now equalled Argentina’s tally. The three-time FIFA World Cup winners have also lost 24 of the 90 matches they have played in football’s biggest tournament.
Only one team — Mexico — have lost more FIFA World Cup matches than Argentina and Germany. The co-hosts of this year’s FIFA World Cup have suffered 28 defeats in 63 matches across 18 editions of the tournament.
Teams to lose most matches in FIFA World Cup
| RANK | TEAM | MATCHES | DEFEATS | GOALS CONCEDED |
| 1. | Mexico | 63 | 28 | 101 |
| =2. | Germany | 115 | 24 | 134 |
| =2. | Argentina | 90 | 24 | 101 |
| 3. | South Korea | 41 | 23 | 81 |
| 4. | Serbia | 49 | 22 | 71 |
| 5. | Uruguay | 61 | 21 | 79 |
| =6. | France | 75 | 20 | 86 |
| =6. | England | 76 | 20 | 70 |
| =6. | Belgium | 53 | 20 | 75 |
| =6. | Sweden | 53 | 20 | 79 |
| =6. | United States | 39 | 20 | 67 |
| =7. | Brazil | 117 | 19 | 109 |
| =7. | Spain | 69 | 19 | 75 |
| =7. | Switzerland | 44 | 19 | 76 |
| 8. | Czech Republic | 36 | 18 | 55 |
| 9. | Italy | 83 | 17 | 77 |
| =10. | Russia | 45 | 16 | 54 |
| =10. | Slovakia | 34 | 16 | 52 |
In the FIFA World Cup, Germany have lost three of their five matches against Italy and have suffered one defeat each against Argentina, Yugoslavia, Sweden, England, Spain, Austria, Mexico, Switzerland, France, South Korea, Czechoslovakia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Algeria, Hungary, Japan, East Germany, Serbia, Denmark, Croatia and Ecuador.
Germany against each team in FIFA World Cup
| Argentina | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 5 | +7 |
| Yugoslavia | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 4 | +7 |
| Sweden | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 7 | +4 |
| England | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 8 | +2 |
| Spain | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 5 | +1 |
| Italy | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 | −5 |
| Uruguay | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 3 | +6 |
| Austria | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 6 | +6 |
| Mexico | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 2 | +6 |
| Switzerland | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 6 | +4 |
| France | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| Chile | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | +6 |
| United States | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | +4 |
| Netherlands | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 4 | +2 |
| Poland | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 |
| South Korea | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Czechoslovakia | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 |
| Turkey | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 3 | +8 |
| Australia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | +7 |
| Portugal | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | +6 |
| Belgium | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 4 | +4 |
| Costa Rica | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 4 | +4 |
| Morocco | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 |
| Ghana | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 |
| Brazil | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 3 | +4 |
| Bulgaria | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 |
| Algeria | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Hungary | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 10 | −4 |
| Saudi Arabia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | +8 |
| Curaçao | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | +6 |
| United Arab Emirates | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | +4 |
| Ecuador | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 |
| Peru | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 |
| Cameroon | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 |
| Iran | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 |
| Scotland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 |
| Soviet Union | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 |
| Bolivia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| Paraguay | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| Northern Ireland | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Colombia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Republic of Ireland | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Tunisia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Japan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 |
| East Germany | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 |
| Serbia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 |
| Denmark | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | −2 |
| Croatia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | −3 |
| Ivory Coast | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 |
| Total (47) | 115 | 80 | 21 | 24 | 242 | 133 | +108 |
Despite suffering their first-ever FIFA World Cup defeat to Ecuador, Germany managed to finish at the top of the Group E standings with six points. In the Round of 32, they will face the third-placed team from either Group A, B, C, D or F on June 29 in Foxborough.
Germany suffered shocking group-stage exits in each of the last two FIFA World Cups and will be hoping to mount a serious title challenge this time after securing qualification for the knockout stage.
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Harshit BishtSenior Sub-editor
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