National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
The Super Eagles of Nigeria have dropped nine places in the latest FIFA ranking to occupy the 50th position globally.
Nigeria’s latest position is coming despite defeating Argentina 4-2 in an international friendly in Krasnodar, Russia.
The Nigerian senior national team had played a 1-1 draw against Algeria in their last World Cup qualifying encounter and a formality game which did not eventually earn the Eagles an upward movement on the FIFA’s ranking.
Nigerians have continued to wonder what yardstick the global football organization uses in its ranking which has placed Nigeria on the eighth position on the continent behind Senegal, Tunisia, Egypt, Congo DR, Morocco, Burkina Faso and Cameroon.
According to Goal.com, aside being top-ranked African nation, the Lions of Teranga are 23rd in the world- their highest-ever position on the global ladder – on the back of securing a first World Cup place since 2002.
| Ranking | Country | Movement |
| 1 | Germany | No movement |
| 2 | Brazil | No movement |
| 3 | Portugal | No movement |
| 4 | Argentina | No movement |
| 5 | Belgium | No movement |
| 6 | Spain | Up 2 |
| 7 | Poland | Down 1 |
| 8 | Switzerland | Up 3 |
| 9 | France | Down 2 |
| 10 | Chile | Down 1 |
| 11 | Peru | Down 1 |
| 12 | Denmark | Up 7 |
| 13 | Colombia | No movement |
| 14 | Italy | Up 1 |
| 15 | England | Down 3 |
| 16 | Mexico | No movement |
| 17 | Croatia | Up 1 |
| 18 | Sweden | Up 7 |
| 19 | Wales | Down 5 |
| 20 | Netherlands | No movement |
Germany, Brazil, Portugal, Argentina and Belgium remained unmoved as the top five teams in the world, and they will be heading to the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Palestine (82, up 2), Luxembourg (84, up 9) and Chinese Taipei (135, up 8) all joined Senegal in reaching their best ranking positions to date.
There were also notable leaps forward by Korea DPR (114, up 18), Lebanon (87, up 13), Burkina Faso (44, up 11), and Indonesia (154, up 11).
The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on 21 December 2.
