FIFA RANKING

• Nigeria Moves One Step to 48th Position 

  Femi Solaja with agency report

Super Eagles’ convincing win in the last African Cup of Nations qualifying match away to Seychelles and another win against Liberia in an international friendly days last early the month has pushed Nigeria on spot upward following the latest FIFA ranking as released by the World Football body thursday.

The upward movement which coincided with the elective congress of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) also held thursday now sees Nigeria climbed from 49th to 48th position in the global ranking.

Although Nigeria won its two international matches against Seychelles and Liberia in the month of September under review, the country was not ranked among the top earners on the continent despite an increase from in points from 1410 to 1415 to gain a spot.

Interestingly, it was Kenya that won the biggest earner of points in Africa who secured a useful lone goal win against Ghana in the last qualifying match and clinched 22 points although in 107 position on the global ranking.

Also, Nigeria improved its ranking on the continent to fifth position as against 7th the last time out. Meanwhile Tunisia moved up one place to 23rd in the world to become the top-ranked African nation, as Senegal dropped one spot to 25th in the world and 2nd in Africa.

DR Congo and Morocco followed in third and fourth spots before Nigeria, while Cameroon, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, Egypt complete the top 10 in the continent.

On the global scene, Belgium have moved to the top of the rankings alongside World Cup winners France and that will be the first time two teams will share the top spot.

Roberto Martinez’s side, who finished third in Russia, have moved up one place to top the ranking for the first time since 2015.

Belgium beat Iceland in the Nations League and Scotland in a friendly earlier this month, while France beat the Netherlands, but drew 0-0 with Germany in the Nations League.