The Super Eagles of Nigeria have surged to 24th place in the latest FIFA rankings, displacing Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria to secure the third spot in Africa. Their impressive AFCON campaign, where they reached the final undefeated, propelled them from sixth to third place in the continental rankings.
Cote d’Ivoire, the AFCON champions, climbed ten places to break into the top five African football-playing countries.
Among African teams, the FIFA release noted, “Cote d’Ivoire (39th, up 10) reap the rewards of their continental triumph on home soil, secured following an eventful tournament campaign.
Beaten finalists Nigeria (28th, up 14) make significant strides but are no match for the Angola side they ousted in the last eight (93rd, up 24), who are the biggest climbers in the latest installment of the global ranking.”
Argentina maintains its position as the top-ranked team globally, followed by France and England. The top 10 is completed by Belgium, Brazil, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Croatia.
Qatar, the hosts of the 2022 World Cup, also experienced a rise in the rankings due to their victory in the Asian Cup. The FIFA release highlighted, “Qatar’s rise sees them enter uncharted territory, with two other teams also recording best-ever rankings.
Senegal (17th, up 3), who suffered shoot-out heartbreak at the hands of the eventual winners Cote d’Ivoire in the Africa Cup of Nations round of 16, break new ground, while Tajikistan (99th, up 7) mark their maiden Asian Cup campaign by making a first-ever appearance in the top 100.”
