Latest FIFA Ranking: Super Eagles Rise Again, See New Position
Super Eagles have moved up nine places in the latest FIFA World ranking to rise to 41st position globally, despite Nigeria’s absence at the just concluded 2017 AFCON in Gabon.
According to the ratings released yesterday by World football ruling body FIFA, Nigeria garnered 686 points to maintain her 7th spot on the continent.
AFCON 2017 champions, Cameroon surged upwards 29 places to the 33rd position , even as runners-up Egypt now occupy the number one spot in Africa and 25 in the world.
AFCON bronze medalists, Burkina Faso (38, plus 15) and Ghana (45, plus 9) also enjoyed large gains while quarter- finalists Congo DR (37, plus 12), Morocco (48, plus 9) and hosts Gabon (87, plus 21) also had cause to celebrate.
Meanwhile, Super Eagles group E opponents in the 2019 AFCON qualifiers, South Africa (13), Libya (23) and Seychelles (51) all dropped in the ranking.
Bafana Bafana dropped 2 spots, Libya lost pace by 3 spots and little Indian Ocean Islands of Seychelles dropped by a spot in the ranking.
In total, 60 matches counted towards the latest ranking. The most significant changes for the February edition of the FIFA World Ranking arrive courtesy of matches played at the 2017 CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) per FIFA.
Despite the many successes from the Americas and Africa over the preceding weeks, the composition of the top five teams remains unchanged for the February ranking. Argentina (1), Brazil (2), Germany (3), Chile (4) and Belgium (5) hold onto their positions while France (6, plus 1) move past Colombia (7, minus 1).
The next FIFA World Ranking will be published on 9 March 2017.
