Eagles Continue Impressive Show in FIFA Ranking

• Brazil climbs to the summit for the first time in seven years

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Super Eagles continued their impressive ratings under Gernot Rohr’s watch as Nigeria stepped up one place from 41st to 40th spot in the latest FIFA Rankings released thursday.

Rohr’s men who have played five games, pulling a draw against Senegal in the FIFA window in London last fortnight, are fifth best in the African ranking. The other game that would have further soared Eagles standing was against Burkina Faso in London but unfortunately didn’t hold due to visa problems for the Stallions.

The Pharaohs of Egypt, are leading the continental ranking with Senegal and Cameroon occupying the second and third places respectively with Burkina Faso in the fourth place.

Congo DR is sixth while Tunisia, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Morocco complete the list of Africa’s Top ten football nations.

Of the African lot, the Burkinabes have made the most impressions in recent times. The Stallions who are ranked 36th globally recently defeated Ghana in the Match for Third Place at the 2017 CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon to earn their stripes. The result was viewed as something of a surprise, given that they had been eliminated at the group stage of the continental fiesta back in 2015.

In the earlier stages of Gabon 2017, Burkina Faso got the better of Guinea-Bissau (2-0), Tunisia (1-0) and Ghana (1-0), and drew with hosts Gabon (1-1) and eventual winners Cameroon (1-1).
At the global level, five-times world champions Brazil have returned to what they will consider their rightful place at the top of the FIFA rankings for the first time in seven years.

The Brazilians have enjoyed an impressive revival since Tite replaced Dunga as their national team coach last year, winning all nine matches they have played under his leadership including eight World Cup qualifiers.
They continued their run in March with a 4-1 win in Uruguay and 3-0 win over Paraguay to become the first side to book their place at next year’s World Cup in Russia with four games to spare.

Brazil, who replaced arch-rivals Argentina at the top, previously led the rankings going into the 2010 World Cup where they were eliminated by the Netherlands in the quarterfinals.

In second place of the global ranking is Argentina with 2014 World Cup winners Germany in the third place.
Chile is occupying the fourth place with Colombia, France, Belgium, Portugal, Switzerland and Spain making up the world’s top ten ranking respectively.

AFRICA TOP 10

1. Egypt
2. Senegal
3. Cameroon
4. Burkina Faso
5. Nigeria
6. Congo DR
7. Tunisia
8. Ghana
9. Cote d’Ivoire
10. Morocco