No list is more polarizing in the world of football than the FIFA Rankings. The latest head-scratching algorithm was released on Thursday with minimal changes. More than 140 teams retained their April rankings, but nations in the top 10 saw the biggest change.
World Cup hosts Brazil are now the highest-ranked South American team according to FIFA, supplanting Colombia, Uruguay and Argentina. The Selecao sit fourth and remain behind European powers Spain, Germany and Portugal.
Below is the top 20 according to FIFA:
|
Position |
Nation |
Places Moved |
Points |
|
1. |
Spain |
0 |
1460 |
|
2. |
Germany |
0 |
1340 |
|
3. |
Portugal |
0 |
1245 |
|
4. |
Brazil |
Up 2 |
1210 |
|
5. |
Colombia |
Down 1 |
1186 |
|
6. |
Uruguay |
Down 1 |
1181 |
|
7. |
Argentina |
Down 1 |
1178 |
|
8. |
Switzerland |
0 |
1161 |
|
9. |
Italy |
0 |
1115 |
|
10. |
Greece |
0 |
1082 |
|
11. |
England |
0 |
1043 |
|
12. |
Belgium |
0 |
1039 |
|
13. |
Chile |
Up 1 |
1037 |
|
14. |
USA |
Down 1 |
1015 |
|
15. |
Netherlands |
0 |
967 |
|
16. |
France |
0 |
935 |
|
17. |
Ukraine |
0 |
913 |
|
18. |
Russia |
0 |
903 |
|
19. |
Mexico |
0 |
877 |
|
20. |
Croatia |
0 |
871 |
Two of the nations residing in Brazil's group—Mexico and Croatia—rounded out the top 20. Surprisingly, the U.S. men's national team remained ahead of France and the Netherlands, this despite having a non-existent World Cup history by comparison and a less-talented roster.
The narrative to follow with the latest FIFA rankings, however, centers on Group B. Three of the nations in that group—Spain, Chile and the Netherlands—are ranked in the top 15, with Spain currently at the summit of international football. Only one will win the group. The other two will either exit the tournament entirely after the group stage or be forced to face Brazil in the round of 16. Rankings aside, the prospect of facing the host nation in the first knockout match of the tournament is a daunting one and one neither nation will welcome.
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