Nigeria Achieve Best Leap in 17 Months

FIFA RANKING

Femi Solajawith agency report

Despite Super Eagles failure to go beyond the second-round phase of the just concluded AFCON 2021 in Cameroon, Nigeria achieved her best height of 3rd position on the continent since September 17th, 2020.

The new height was the fallout in the latest FIFA ranking released yesterday.

The Super Eagles are now number 32 in the world from their previous 36th position.

In Africa, Super Eagles are now ranked number three, overtaking previous front liners, Tunisia and Algeria.

Incidentally, it is the same Tunisia that the Super Eagles pushed down the ladder that eliminated Nigeria from the Last 16 Round of the AFCON 2021.

Ghana, Nigeria’s 2022. World Cup playoffs opponents dropped from their previous 52nd position (number eighth in Africa) to 61 globally and 11 in Africa.

For African champions, Senegal, it was a big leap. They are not just Africa’s number one, they have broken into the top 20 in the world, ranking number 18.

However, the biggest global jump is Gambia who moved from their previous 150th position to 125.

Their progress was caused by their good run to the quarter-finals at the African Cup.

Equatorial Guinea, who also reached the last eight at the tournament, climbed 15 places and are now in the Top 100.

Since Nigeria lost her first position on the continent in 1994 when the ranking system was introduced, Eagles best position had been the third best which they maintained till July of 2014 after the World Cup in Brazil where the team was knocked out in the second round by France.

But Nigeria was 34th best in the world but retained the third position on the continent until July of 2019 when Eagles won bronze medal at the AFCON tournament held in Egypt.

Even when Nigeria won the AFCON tournament in South Africa in 2013, her position was 4th in the continent and 30th position in the world ranking.

The next FIFA ranking would be published on 31st of March with the World Cup Play-off matches against Black Stars of Ghana as the only match which the team would be rated.

Overall, Belgium still occupies the top spot ahead of Brazil and France.