Nigeria has moved five places up from 43 to 38 in the latest rankings released by FIFA yesterday. Since March, Nigeria has been experiencing a downward trend in the global rating and have moved up for the first time this year. She has displaced Burkina Faso as the fourth best team in Africa. Cote d’Ivoire is still the number one ranked team in Africa despite dropping a spot from 14 to 15, followed by Egypt who maintained in the 34th position in the world. Ghana is the third best team in Africa and is still the 36th team in the world.
Holland ended Spain’s one year reign at the top of the rankings, The Oranje thus profited from Spain’s defeat by Italy? in a friendly that cost the world and European champions valuable points – to become only the seventh team (after Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy and Spain) to lead the rankings. There has also been a dramatic change in South American axis; with Copa America champions Uruguay becoming the top-ranked South American side following Brazil’s loss to Germany. Brazil is now sixth. Despite having their friendly against the Netherlands called off, England has moved up two positions because of Brazil’s misfortunes.
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