Super Eagles: big crash in FIFA ranking

Three-times continental champions Nigeria have dropped to 67th in the monthly FIFA rankings of national teams released Thursday..

The former African football powerhouse crashed five places down from 62nd position last month. It is now 14th in Africa.

The ranking was Nigeria’s worst and followed the failure of the Super Eagles to  qualify for next year’s African Nations Cup in Gabon.

Algeria were Africa’s highest-placed team in 33rd, one ahead of Ivory Coast.

Ghana climbed three points up to 38th, to place third in Africa, followed by Senegal at 43rd.

Egypt, Nigeria’s conquerors moved nine places up to 44th and 5th in Africa. Cape Verde that sat atop Africa last month fell heavily by 16 places to the 47th position globally. They are now 7th in Africa.Tunisia (47th), Congo DR(51), Guinea(58th) and Congo(59th) make up the first ten in Africa.

Cameroon with global ranking of 63rd are Africa’s 11th, Morocco(64) are 12th, Mali(65) are 13th, while South Africa(70) and Uganda(71) are Africa’s 15th and 16th best.

In other rankings  Argentina moved top as South America dominated the FIFA rankings with five teams, half of the continent’s total, in the top 10.

Argentina’s World Cup qualifying wins away at Chile and home to Bolivia dislodged Belgium, who had been leading for the previous five months but dropped into second.

Despite the defeat, Chile climbed to third, an all-time high, with Colombia one place behind them in fourth, Brazil seventh and Uruguay ninth.

Sixteenth ranked Mexico led the way for CONCACAF.

The rankings did not make such happy reading for Asia, who had only two teams in the top 50, Iran in 42nd and regional champions Australia in 50th.

Rankings: (previous month in brackets) 1. Argentina (2) 2. Belgium (1) 3. Chile (5) 4. Colombia (8) 5. Germany (4) 6. Spain (3) 7. Brazil (6) 8. Portugal (7) 9. Uruguay (11) 10. England (9)