Spain end year as football’s best once again

World and European champions top of the FIFA rankings for sixth straight year with Germany and Argentina in 2nd and 3rd.

Spain sits top of the rankings, 118 points ahead of second-placed Germany [Getty Images]

Spain tops the year-end FIFA rankings for the sixth straight year, since starting its run of major tournament wins at the 2008 European Championship.

The 2010 World Cup winner leads Germany, Argentina and Colombia at the head of an unchanged top 10.

Just 30 national team matches were played in the past month to affect the calculations.

The United States remains the best-placed CONCACAF team at No 15.

Ivory Coast leads Africa at No 17.

Bosnia-Herzegovina rises two places to No 19, pushing No 21 Mexico down one.

Iran still leads Asian confederation teams and rises 12 places to No 33.

FIFA says No 18 Ukraine made the biggest rankings rise in 2013, up 29 places, but failed to qualify for the World Cup, losing a playoff to No 20 France.

Roy Hodgson’s England are 13th.

Source: AP