Nigeria Content Online

Nigeria’s national football team, the Super Eagles, are still ranked the 34th national team in the world according to the latest FIFA rankings released yesterday.

They are also still ranked 5th in Africa despite the embarrassing lone goal defeat inflicted on them by Guinea in a 2012 Cup of Nations qualifier decided earlier in the month in Conakry.

For their part, the Guineans climbed 34 places from their previous 84th position to number 47 in the rankings which is however still a long way from the 22nd position they occupied as far back as January 2007.

The biggest movers in Africa are the Central African Republic who climbed 60 places to 112th in the world and 28th in Africa, mostly as a result of their 2-0 victory over Algeria in a Cup of Nations qualifier earlier this month.

Niger, who also recorded a shock 1-0 victory over Egypt, also jumped 54 places to 26th in Africa and 100th overall.

The loss to Niger notwithstanding, African champions Egypt are still number one on the continent but have dropped to 11th in the world which means there are no African teams amongst the world’s 10 best sides.

Trailing the Pharaohs are Ghana, who moved up three places to 17th in the world, their highest ever position in the FIFA rankings, even though they failed to beat lowly Sudan in Accra.

Africa’s third ranked side in the latest rankings are Cote d’Ivoire who leapt four places to 19th in the world, followed by Algeria who climbed two spots to now occupy the 33rd position in the world, a spot above the Super Eagles.

Although the Super Eagles were in November 1999 ranked as low as 82nd in the world, its highest ever position in the rankings was the 5th it occupied back in April 1994.

Gabon, who were previously number four in Africa are now the continent’s 12th ranked side and number 39 in the world.

Spain still on top

World champions Spain maintained its hold on the top spot in the FIFA rankings, while the United States slipped to number 25 after having played only exhibition matches since the end of the World Cup in South Africa.

Croatia and Russia returned to the top 10 following victories in 2012 European Championship qualifiers, and France bounced back into the top 20 after an historic low last month.

In second place are the Netherlands, ahead of third-placed Brazil, which swapped places with fourth-ranked Germany. Argentina are fifth, followed by England.

Russia’s wins over Ireland and Macedonia lifted it 15 spots to number 10, while Croatia are now ninth.

Australia heads the Asian Football Confederation countries at number 21.

A total of 156 international matches – 80 continental qualifiers and 76 friendly matches – were taken into account for the October edition of the world ranking, which brings the total number of matches evaluated in 2010 to 641.