13 April 2011
Algeria were Africas biggest climbers in the latest release of the FIFA World Rankings, with the Desert Foxes moving up 15 places to 40th overall and sixth in the CAF region.
Ghanas Black Stars are still Africas top ranked side (15th overall, up 1 place), with Cote dIvoire (21st, up 4), Egypt (36th, down 1), Nigeria (38th, up 1) and South Africa (39th, up 7) rounding out the rest of the top five from the continent.
Bafana Bafana are at their highest ranking since August 2005 and have climbed no less than 51 places in the last year.
Libya, despite the political turmoil in their country, have risen 13 places to their highest ever ranking of 58th.
Spain and the Netherlands retained their first and second places respectively, while Brazil are up two places to 3rd and Italy have moved back into the top ten, jumping two places to 9th. The remainder of the top ten is made up of Germany (4th, down 1), Argentina (5th, down 1), England (6th), Uruguay (7th), Portugal (8th, up 1) and Croatia (10th, down 2).
FIFA World Ranking: Top 20 Overall
(Up/down movement in parenthesis)
1. Spain (-)
2. Netherlands (-)
3. Brazil (+2)
4. Germany (-1)
5. Argentina (-1)
6. England (-)
7. Uruguay (-)
8. Portugal (+1)
9. Italy (+2)
10. Croatia (-2)
11. Norway (-)
12. Greece (-2)
13. Japan (+2)
14. Chile (-)
15. Ghana (+1)
16. Serbia (+4)
17. Slovenia (-)
18. Russia (-5)
19. France (-1)
20. Australia (+1)
FIFA World Ranking: Top 20 African Teams
(Overall ranking and up/down movement in parenthesis)
1. Ghana (15; +1)
2. Cote dIvoire (21; +4)
3. Egypt (36; -1)
4. Nigeria (38; +1)
5. South Africa (39; +7)
6. Algeria (40; +15)
7. Burkina Faso (42; -2)
8. Cameroon (48; -6)
9. Senegal (51; +18)
10. Libya (58; +13)
11. Gabon (59; +1)
12. Tunisia (61; -16)
13. Guinea (62; -18)
14. Botswana (69; -2)
15. Mali (70; +15)
16. Morocco (72; -6)
17. Malawi (78; +10)
18. Cape Verde Islands (79; -6)
19. Benin (80; -)
20. Uganda (84; +2)
