Nigeria up six places in FIFA ranking

• Egypt’s Mohamed Salah (right) and Nigeria’s Stanley Amuzie during their African Cup of Nations qualification match played at the Borg el-Arab Stadium in Alexandria...on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

Pius Ayinor

Nigeria moved up six places in the latest FIFA World Ranking released on Thursday in Zurich.

 The Super Eagles who are three-time African champions moved from 67th to 61st in the latest ranking for the month of May.

 

But in spite of the improvement, the country remains outside the top 10 in Africa having maintained the 12th position on the continent. It also means that nothing has been gained as it affects this month’s draw for the 2018 World Cup as the Eagles may not be seeded occupying lowly position in Africa.

Algeria remain the highest ranked team in Africa but 32nd in the world while Argentina is still the number one in the universe. African champions Ivory Coast are second in Africa with Ghana, Senegal, Egypt, Tunisia, Cape Verde and Congo DR following that order. The other countries in the top ten of Africa are Guinea, Cameroon, Congo.

Belgium, Colombia, Germany, Chile, Spain, Brazil, Portugal, Uruguay and Austria are the other teams in the world top 10.

The top movers in the latest FIFA rankings on Thursday are Slovakia and Madagascar. The Europeans climbed eight places to become 24th. Madagascar not easily recognised for a place in the world of football climbed 29 places to 108.