Top 5 national teams with the longest unbeaten streaks in football history
Even though club football enjoys a widespread following, there is no denying that international football is in a league of its own. The international break amidst an ongoing season comes as a breath of fresh air for fans and their players.
Spectators are excited to see their favorite national stars come together beyond club rivalries. Meanwhile, the players often beam with pride after getting an opportunity to don their national team jersey.
The international stage is often the perfect platform for a player to prove his worth as a whole. Many legends of the game have admitted that a trophy with their country brings much more joy than that with a club.
The football world is busy getting back to club football after a short international break. But we recently came across Italy breaking the record for the longest unbeaten run.
In this article, let us take a look at Italy's record along with other national teams with the longest unbeaten streaks in football history.
#5 France — 30 (1994-1996)
After failing to qualify for consecutive FIFA World Cups in 1990 and 1994, a disappointed French national team converted their frustration into something positive.
Starting from 16 February 1994, Les Bleus went on an unbeaten spree until 9 October 1996. Which means, under the guidance of manager Aimé Jacquet, France continued to go about 2 years and 8 months without tasting a defeat.
The current world champions achieved this feat between the period of 1994 and 1996 after appointing Aimé Jacquet as a temporary coach. However, Jacquet went on to develop a new team around captain Didier Deschamps and young blood Zidane. Undoubtedly, Aimé Jacquet was promoted to a full-time role.
#4 Argentina — 31 (1991-1993)
Another team that was triggered by a heart-breaking defeat before rewriting the record book is Argentina. Having lost the 1990 FIFA World Cup final versus West Germany, the Albiceleste stockpiled 31 games undefeated.
With Gabriel Batisuta as their attacking spearhead, Argentina took off following a 2-0 victory over Hungary in a friendly face-off. The South Americans ended their unbeaten campaign by bagging back-to-back Copa America trophies in 1991 and 1993.
The latter was also their last major trophy before entering a 28-year drought that came to an end with the 2021 Copa America victory. During that period, Gabriel Batistuta stood at the pinnacle of his career and became Argentina's all-time top scorer. However, the same feat is now under their current captain Leo Messi's belt.