FIFA Rankings: Eagles
Climb Seven Steps
• Egypt Breaks Into Top
Ten
Nigeria Super Eagles climbed
seven steps on the FIFA
rankings released on
Wednesday to place No 15,
even as African Champions,
Egypt, broke into the top 10
cadre courtesy of the
ranking.
The feat by both countries
was a result of their placing
third and first respectively in
the just concluded Africa cup
of Nations in Angola.
While the Super Eagles was
third, Egypt won the
continental trophy for a third
consecutive time.
In the last rankings released
last December, Eagles placed
22nd, but moved seven
places to place 15 in the
world and the second best
African team.
With the latest ranking,
Egypt is now Africa most
ranked team, while it is the
10th best in the world,
although the only country
among the top ranked team
that will miss the World Cup.
Egypt won its third straight
continental title on Sunday,
lifting it 14 places, and
knocking Croatia down to No.
11. Egypt had a previous
high ranking of 15th in
January 2009.
This is the highest ever
ranking for the Egyptians,
and second highest for an
African team since the
rankings were introduced by
FIFA in the 1990s. Only
Nigeria has been ranked
higher, when it placed fifth in
1994. But as it stands, the
Egyptians are the only team
in the top 10 that will not be
playing at the World Cup.
Other top ranking African
teams include Cameroon,
which fell nine places to
number 20, and Cote
d ’Ivoire, which is now ranked
22nd after falling six places.
Nations Cup runners-up,
Ghana rose seven places to
the 27th position in the
world, while Algeria went
down five spots to 31. Gabon
is now ranked 44, after
climbing four places to
complete the number of
teams from Africa in the top
50.
AFCON surprise package,
Zambia, moved 11 places up
to 73 as Mali, Tunisia, Benin
and Togo were ranked at 53,
55, 67 and 70 respectively.
2010 World Cup host, South
Africa, is ranked 81st in the
world, with Malawi and
Mozambique coming close
behind at 82 and 83.
South Africa ’s Bafana Bafana
has moved up in the latest
rankings released, as it now
sits in 81st position.
It is a rise of four places
from December ’s 85th, and
was helped, no doubt, by its
3-0 success over Zimbabwe
in Durban last month, their
only full international match
since the last rankings were
drawn up.
Meanwhile, Spain kept the
top spot in the rankings. The
United States was unchanged
at No. 14, leading the
CONCACAF nations. Mexico
followed at 17.
European champion, Spain, is
followed by Brazil and
Netherlands. World
champion, Italy, is fourth and
Portugal is fifth.
The top nine was unchanged
after only No. 8, Argentina,
played in the past month,
beating Costa Rica 3-2 in a
friendly match.
February 28, 2010, 11:15:09 AM