In the latest FIFA rankings released on Thursday, Nigeria has dropped to the 38th position, accumulating 1498.93 points, down from their previous 1520.27 points.
This decline underscores challenges faced by the Super Eagles in international football.
Previously ranked 30th, Nigeria’s drop follows their performance in two recent matches after finishing as runners-up in the African Cup of Nations, where they lost 2-1 to the host nation. Subsequently, they played to a 1-1 draw against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and suffered a 2-1 defeat to Benin Republic in a match held in Ivory Coast.
These results have cast doubts on Nigeria’s prospects for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.
Meanwhile, Argentina retains its top spot in the rankings with 1860.14 points, reflecting their consistent high-level performance.
France and Belgium maintain their positions in second and third place respectively, with France securing 1840.59 points and Belgium earning 1795.23 points.
Brazil has climbed to fourth place, overtaking England, with 1788.65 points, while England slipped to fifth place with 1794.9 points after a decrease of 7.02 points.
In Africa, Morocco leads as the highest-ranked team at 12th globally, followed by Senegal at 18th.
Egypt and Cote d’Ivoire are placed 36th and 37th respectively, ahead of Nigeria in the world rankings. Tunisia ranks 41st, Algeria 44th, Cameroon 49th, and Mali 50th.
South Africa holds the 50th position, while Benin Republic is ranked 91st.
The FIFA rankings, which employ the Elo model considering team strength, match significance, and outcomes, highlight the competitive landscape among global footballing nations as they prepare for future competitions.
The next ranking update is scheduled for July 18, shortly after the conclusion of UEFA EURO 2024 in Germany.
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