After World Cup, Nigeria rise 10 places in FIFA ranking

Nigeria now occupy the 34th position in latest FIFA ranking released Thursday.

The Super Eagles’ qualification for the round-of-16 at the just-concluded World Cup in Brazil has reflected on the July FIFA ranking, as the country now occupies the 34th position.

In the rankings table released by the world football governing body, Nigeria garnered 660 points to move up 10 spots as against June’s 631 points at 44th position.

The African champions now place third in Africa, behind Algeria and Cote d’Ivoire.

Algeria, who are now ranked Africa’s best team, have 874 points to occupy the 24th position in the world, while Cote d’Ivoire have 850 points and are 25th place in the world.

Ghana slipped down by one spot to 38th in the world and fifth in Africa, behind Egypt who remained static with 645 points.

Germany reaped the reward of their triumph at the World Cup and for the first time in 20 years now lead the table with 1,724 points.

World Cup runners-up Argentina are now second with 1,606 points, while third-place finishers Netherlands have moved 12 positions up the table and are now third in the world with 1,496 points.

Also, all the eight teams that dropped out of the World Cup at the quarter-finals stage have climbed up the ranking.

Colombia are now fourth, up by four spots, and Belgium fifth, up by six spots.

France are now 10th, up by seven spots, and Costa Rica are now 16th, up by 12 spots, which is the central Americans’ highest-ever ranking.

If the winners have gained, the less successful teams on the other hand, are left counting the cost of failure in their rankings.

Former champions Spain have fallen from the top spot to eighth place, while Portugal are now 11th, down by seven spots, and Italy are 14th, down by five spots.

England are now placed 20th, down by 10 spots, while 2014 World Cup hosts Brazil have dropped four places to the seventh position.

According to the world governing body, the results of 111 international “A” matches have been taken into account for the current edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking.

Sixty-four out of these matches were played at the World Cup in Brazil, 46 were friendlies and one was a CONCACAF continental qualifier. The total number of international “A” matches taken into account so far this year is now 362.