In the latest FIFA rankings released on Thursday, Nigeria has fallen to the 38th position.
The Super Eagles now have 1498.93 points, a decrease from their previous 1520.27 points.
This drop marks a significant shift in the global football landscape, as Nigeria continues to face challenges on the international stage.
Formerly ranked 30th, Nigeria’s decline follows its performance in the two matches after the African Cup of Nations, where they emerged as runners-up after losing 2-1 to the host nation.
In their recent games, the Super Eagles played a 1-1 draw against Bafana Bafana of South Africa in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and suffered a 2-1 defeat to Benin Republic in a match played in Ivory Coast.
Nigeria’s hopes for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers remain doubtful, as the nation failed to secure victories in these crucial matches.
Meanwhile, Argentina maintained its top position in the rankings, solidifying its status as the leading football nation in the world.
The South American giants gained 2.14 points, bringing their total to 1860.14, reflecting their consistent high-level performance in recent tournaments.
The FIFA rankings, reported by PUNCH Online, are calculated using the Elo model, which considers team strength, match importance, and results.
Liberia remain the biggest climber in the rankings, moving up 10 positions to a new highest rank of 142nd.
Liberia also scored the most points, gaining 37.47 points.
Equatorial Guinea experienced the biggest drop, falling 10 positions and losing 47.53 points, marking a significant downturn in their ranking.
FIFA rankings 2nd to 5th
However, the second and third spots on the latest ranking remain unchanged as France and Belgium hold on to their respective positions.
France continues to dominate the football world, securing the second position for another consecutive month with a rating of 1840.59 points.
Despite a minor decrease of 3.12 points from the previous ranking, the French team remains a formidable force in international football.
Following closely behind is Belgium, holding steady in 3rd place with a rating of 1795.23 points, marking a slight increase of 2.75 points. Belgium’s consistent performance in recent matches has contributed to maintaining its position in the top tier of global football.
Meanwhile, Brazil has moved up to the 4th position, overtaking England.
The Brazilian team now boasts a rating of 1788.65 points, a significant increase of 3.2 points from the previous ranking.
This rise reflects Brazil’s strong performance in recent matches and their ongoing efforts to reclaim the top spot.
In a surprising turn of events, England slipped to 5th place after experiencing a decrease of 7.02 points, landing at a rating of 1794.9 points.
Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Croatia
Meanwhile, Portugal maintained its position in 6th place despite a slight decrease of 1.07 points, securing a rating of 1748.11.
In a remarkable climb, the Netherlands has surged to 7th place with a rating of 1742.29 points, marking an impressive increase of 4.37 points.
Spain follows closely behind in 8th place, with a rating of 1727.5 points, a modest increase of 2.42 points.
Croatia has made significant strides, moving up to 9th place with a notable increase of 7.23 points, totalling 1721.07 points.
Italy rounds out the top ten, maintaining its position despite a slight decrease of 0.23 points, achieving a rating of 1724.6 points.
Africa ratings in new FIFA rankings
The best-ranked African team is Morocco in 12th. Senegal ranked 18th.
Egypt and Cote d’Ivoire also ranked 3rd and 4th in the continent ahead of 5th placed Nigeria in the world ranking. The duo ranked 36th and 37th respectively.
North African nations, Tunisia ranked 41st and Algeria, 44th.
While West African counterparts, Cameroon and Mali ranked 49th and 50th respectively. South Africa ranked 50th and the Benin Republic 91st.
Here are the top 20 in the latest ranking:
11: USA
12: Morocco
13. Colombia
14. Uruguay
15. Mexico
16. Germany
17. Japan
18. Senegal
20. Iran.
As teams across the globe prepare for upcoming competitions, the latest FIFA rankings underscore the dynamic nature of football and the ongoing battle for supremacy among the world’s top footballing nations.
Each team’s performance in the coming months will undoubtedly influence their standings, adding to the anticipation and excitement surrounding international football.
PUNCH Online reports that the next ranking will take place July 18 – four days after the UEFA EURO 2024 come to an end in Germany.
