New Telegraph

Nigeria drops two steps in FIFA ranking

 

Nigeria’s Super Eagles are currently 34th in the FIFA ranking released this Thursday. This is a slump from the 32nd position occupied in the 27 May 2021 ranking which is the one preceding the current ratings.

In Africa, Nigeria dropped to the fifth position behind Senegal, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco

In the period under review, Nigeria played only two matches, both against Cameroon in June, but did not win any.

However, the results of the matches played little role in the current ranking which saw an upsurge by teams from Europe, South America and North America which recently held their continental championships.

In all, there are 348 matches involved and the winners of the various continental championships all made significant advances.

Consequently, there has been a considerable amount of movement in the standings, although Belgium managed to retain their top spot despite being eliminated in the quarter-finals of the European Championship.

Their last-eight opponents and eventual winners of the tournament, Italy, (5, +2), moved up into the Top 5, just behind EURO runners-up England (4, no change). Just above that pair, Brazil (2, +1) and France (3, -1) swapped places.

Argentina (6, +2) reaped the benefits of a triumphant Copa America campaign, while the two Gold Cup finalists broke into the Top 10.

Victorious in that tournament and winners of the CONCACAF Nations League as well, United States (10, +10) climbed no fewer than ten places, eight more than Mexico (9, +2), who, despite losing in the final of both competitions, now sit one spot above their continental rivals.

In addition, it is worth noting the impressive progress made by Gold Cup invitees Qatar (42, +16), who reached the semi-finals in the USA, thereby recording the largest climb of the month and equalling their highest-ever position in the Ranking, which dated back to the first edition in 1993.

A handful of other teams that did not take part in regional tournaments, such as Sierra Leone (106, +8), Eswatini (146, +8), Puerto Rico (171, +7), and Mongolia (185, +7), still managed to gain ground courtesy of positive friendly results.

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