Nigeria slips to 70th spot on FIFA rankings

Nigeria’s Super Eagles slipped nine places on the ladder to occupy 70th spot in the latest FIFA world rankings released on Thursday.

It will be recalled, that the Super Eagles were rated 61st and 12th on the continent in the last rankings.

However, the latest rankings showed that the Eagles have dropped to the 70th spot and 17th on the continent having amassed 514 points, while Algeria maintained its number one spot on the continent and 32nd in the world with 781 points.

The Elephants of Ivory Coast are second in Africa and 35th in the world, while Ghana’s Black Stars are third best in Africa and 36th in the world, as Senegal placed fourth  in Africa and 41st in the world.

Other better rated African countries above Nigeria are Egypt, Tunisia, Cameroon, Morocco, Congo DR, Mali, Cape Verde Island, Guinea and South Africa in the fifth to 13th position respectively.

Nigeria once rated fifth best in the world in 1994, on the latest rankings is also trailing behind Benin Republic (14th), Uganda (15th) and Congo (16th) on the continent.

Meanwhile, Argentina remains at the summit of the rankings with 1585 points.

Belgium occupies the number two spot and Colombia, Germany, Chile and Euro 2016 champions, Portugal occupy the number three – six positions.

The Euro 2016 runners-up, France, Spain, Brazil and Italy make up the top 10 spots in the world.

A total of 228 ‘A’ internationals contributed to the new order with those big events in Oceania, Europe and the Americas especially important in propelling nations upwards.

New Zealand emerged as the month’s biggest climbers moving up a whopping 54 places to 93rd on the back of an OFC Nations Cup victory that both qualified the All Whites for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup and furthered their FIFA World Cup qualifying ambitions.