Brazil surge up FIFA rankings

Five-times world champions leap back into top ten with Confederations Cup win as Asian teams struggle to make impact.

Japan confederation Cup
Asia’s highest ranking team Japan have dropped to 37th place [AFP]

Brazil have surged to ninth in the FIFA rankings after winning the Confederations Cup, rebounding from their historic low standing.

The five-time World Cup winners and 2014 hosts had fallen to 22nd before a five-match victory streak earned the warm-up event title.

Brazil could struggle to retain their position because their next competitive match is at the World Cup next June. Most high-ranked teams will play at least four more qualifying matches which score higher than friendlies in FIFA’s calculations.

World and European champion Spain top the rankings despite their 3-0 beating from Brazil in the final last Sunday.

Italy, third-placed at the Confederations Cup, climb to No. 6. Uruguay rise seven to No. 12 after finishing fourth in the eight-team tournament.

Germany follows Spain, and Colombia rises four to their highest-ever position of No. 3.

Argentina, who drew 0-0 with Colombia in a World Cup qualifying match, and the Netherlands are fourth and fifth. Portugal and Croatia fall to seventh and eighth, respectively.

Tenth-ranked Belgium reaches their highest-ever position. England drop six to No. 15, losing their top-10 status for the first time since October 2008.

Ivory Coast leads African teams at No. 13, and Confederations Cup entry Nigeria falls four to No. 35.

Mexico is CONCACAF’s best at No. 20, a fall of three places after failing to advance from their Confederations Cup group.

The United States climb six places to No. 22 as reward for a perfect record of four wins in June, including three World Cup qualifiers and a 4-3 victory against Germany in a friendly.

Japan, who also played at the Confederations Cup, leads Asia at No. 37.

Iran’s qualification for the World Cup helped them rise 15 to No. 52. Qatar, who lost a key qualifier to Iran and have been eliminated, drop eight to No. 112.

Tahiti were punished for their three heavy losses at the Confederations Cup by dropping 16 to No. 154.

New Zealand heads Oceania at No. 55, up two.

Rankings:

1. (1) Spain
2. (2) Germany
3. (7) Colombia
4. (3) Argentina
5. (9) Netherlands
6. (8) Italy
7. (6) Portugal
8. (4) Croatia
9. (22) Brazil
10. (12) Belgium

Source: AP