The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FIFA ranking

  • FIFA RANKING: Eagles drop 9 places

    FIFA RANKING: Eagles drop 9 places

    NIGERIA’S Super Eagles crashed nine  spots to occupy a disheartening number 70 in the latest FIFA world ranking released on Thursday.

    The Eagles were 61st in the month of June and 12th in the continent.

    The latest ranking showed that Eagles are miserably placed in the 70th spot and poorly 17th on the continent while Algeria maintained their supremo number one spot on the African soil.

    The Elephants of Ivory Coast are second in Africa and 35th in the world while Ghana’s Black Stars are rated third best in Africa and 36th in the world and Senegal are fourth and 41st in the world.

    Other better and highly rated African countries are Egypt, Tunisia, Cameroon, Morocco, Congo DR, Mali, Cape Verde Island, Guinea and South Africa in the 5th – 13th positions respectively.

    The other countries that occupied the 14th – 16th positions are Benin Republic, Uganda and Congo.

    Nigeria once a powerhouse in African football are now overtaken by hitherto lowly-rated countries like Benin Republic, Uganda, among others.

    Argentina remain at the summit of the July FIFA world ranking but only after a tumultuous month of action that resulted in plenty of movement further down.

    Belgium occupy the number two spot and Colombia, Germany, Chile and Euro 2016 champions, Portugal taking the number three – six positions.

    The Euro 2016 runners-up, France, Spain, Brazil and Italy make up the top 10 spots in the world.

    A total of 228 ‘A’ internationals contributed to the new order with those big events in Oceania, Europe and the Americas especially important in propelling nations upwards.

    New Zealand emerged as the month’s biggest climbers moving up a whopping 54 places to 93rd on the back of an OFC Nations Cup victory that both qualified the All Whites for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup and furthered their FIFA World Cup qualifying ambitions.

    The next Fifa world ranking will be published on Thursday, August 11, 2016.

  • Nigeria ranked 63rd in FIFA ranking

    Nigeria ranked 63rd in FIFA ranking

    Nigeria has risen by three places in the latest rankings released by FIFA on Thursday.

    The Super Eagles amassed 2.5 points to garner a total of 542.5 points for January.

    Nigeria is now ranked 12th in Africa and 63rd in the world, supersport.com reports.

    The team first round elimination at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Rwanda was expected to affect the country’s position in the monthly rankings.

    Belgium, Argentina, Spain, Germany and Chile occupy the top five positions on the ladder.

  • Nigeria drops to 42nd in FIFA ranking

    Nigeria drops to 42nd in FIFA ranking

    The Super Eagles dropped by five places to 42nd in the October ranking released by FIFA on Thursday morning

    Nigeria was ranked 37th last month, but has now fell from that position because of Super Eagles dismal performance in the 2015 African Nations Cup qualifiers.

    The country is now ranked ninth in African behind Algeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Tunisia, Ghana, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Egypt and Senegal.

    Germany, Argentina and Colombia occupied the top three spots in the world.

    Belgium, Netherlands, Brazil, France, Uruguay, Portugal and Spain completed the top 10.

    The next FIFA ranking will be published on November 27.

     

     

  • Nigeria drops to 37th in FIFA ranking

    Nigeria drops to 37th in FIFA ranking

    … Now sixth in Africa

    Super Eagles of Nigeria dropped by four places to 37th position in the latest FIFA ranking released on Thursday morning.

    Nigeria was ranked 34th in last month’s ranking put together by the world football governing body.

    The African champions had endured an horrific Morroco 2015 African Nations Cup qualifying campaign, losing 2-3 to Congo in Calabar and recorded a goalless draw with South Africa in Cape Town earlier this month.

    In the continental ranking, Nigeria lies sixth in Africa, behind Algeria, Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Ghana and Senegal.

    On the global scale, world champions Germany lead the table, with Argentina, Colombia, Netherlands and Belgium completing the countries in top five.

    The next ranking will be published on October 23.

     

    Africa’s top 10

    –          Algeria

    –          Ivory Coast

    –          Tunisia

    –           Ghana

    –          Senegal

    –           Nigeria

    –          Cape Verde islands

    –           Cameroon

    –          Guinea

    –           Burkina Faso

     

     

  • Nigeria drops to 37th in FIFA ranking

    Nigeria drops to 37th in FIFA ranking

    Nigeria has dropped to 37th spot in this month FIFA World ranking released on Thursday.

    The country was ranked 36th last month.

    The ranking table on the World governing body’s website on Thursday showed that though Nigeria still had 710 points, it dropped by one spot.

    However, in the December ranking, Nigeria retained its fourth position in Africa behind  Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Algeria.

    On the global scene, Spain maintained the first spot, ahead of Germany, Argentina and Colombia, who followed in that order.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that next FIFA ranking will be published on January 16, 2014.

     

  • Nigeria drops in FIFA rankings

    Nigeria drops in FIFA rankings

    … Now 36th in the world

    Nigeria has dropped three places in November’s FIFA ranking, moving from 33rd to 36th in the world.

    The ranking table on FIFA’s website on Thursday showed that Nigeria has 710 points, as against the 724 points recorded in October.

    The latest ranking also ranked Nigeria fourth in Africa, behind Algeria, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire who have 800, 849 and 918 points respectively.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the development will be a disappointment to Nigerian football fans following Super Eagles’ qualification for the 2014 World Cup on November 16.

    The African champions also played a 2-2 draw with Italy in an international friendly played in London on November 18.

     

  • Keshi unmoved by FIFA’s ranking

    Keshi unmoved by FIFA’s ranking

    Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi , said the latest FIFA ranking that tied Nigeria down on 35th place in the world is nothing to worry about.

    The African champions, who prior to June’s rating occupied the 31st spot in the world dropped to 35th position and had remained unmoved in the latest July Rankings with 700 points,.

    However, Keshi who became the first Nigerian to win the Africa Cup of Nations title as a captain and coach said he has no issues with the Eagles’ July position on the rankings.

    “I don’t know how the rankings work so I am not worried about it. What I am worried about is seeing my team play well, futaa.com quoted Keshi as saying in supersport.com.

    Nigeria has also lost its fourth spot in the Africa ranking to Algeria while Cote d’ Ivoire, Ghana and Mali maintain their first, second and third spots respectively.

    Spain, Germany, Colombia, Argentina and the Netherlands are the top five nations in the world according to the rankings.

     

  • Nigeria moves up in latest FIFA rankings

    Nigeria moves up in latest FIFA rankings

    African champions, Nigeria has moved up three places in the latest FIFA rankings released monthly by the world football governing body.

    Supersport.com reports that the Super Eagles moved up three places in the latest rankings having amassed 780 ranking points.

    Nigeria is now ranked fourth in Africa and 28th in the world.

    Meanwhile, former coach of the Super Eagles, Christian Chukwu has declared that the current appreciation recorded by the team should not lull the players and coaches into a false sense of security as “there is still work to be done.”

    “Of course, I am pleased at the news because it means we are doing something right but the players and coaches know the rankings will count for nothing if they fail to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. There is still work to be done,” Chukwu told Supersport.com on Thursday.

    The Super Eagles had a rewarding last 30 days having drawn 2-2 against heavily fancied Mexico in an international friendly and defeating Kenya 1-0 in Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier played in Nairobi, Kenya.

     

     

  • FIFA ranking: Mba sad over Nigeria’s slide

    FIFA ranking: Mba sad over Nigeria’s slide

     

    Super Eagles midfielder, Sunday Mba has voiced his displeasure at the latest monthly rankings released by world football governing body, FIFA.

    Supersport.com reports that Nigeria dropped one place in the classification for March as their 757 ranking points saw the African champions slip to 31st in the world and fourth in Africa behind the Ivory Coast, Ghana and Mali.

    Nigeria was previously ranked 30th after racking up 775 points but slipped a solitary place after a less-than-fruitful month following a 1-1 draw against Kenya in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying game in Calabar.

    Mba, who impressed for the Super Eagles at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, however does not believe the draw against the Kenyans is enough to see Nigeria drop in the rankings.

    “I am not happy with the rankings but FIFA knows best. We must respect their decision but I don’t think we played too badly against Kenya. We dominated the game against the Harambee Stars but just couldn’t score more than one goal,” Mba exclusively told supersport.com.

    The attacking midfielder then expressed his desire to help Nigeria move up the rankings in the coming days.

    “I always give my best when I play for my country. We at the national team will give our best in the upcoming matches and try to win so we can help Nigeria rise in the rankings,” he said.

    Nigeria averaged 107.11 ranking points in 2010 and a lowly 56 points in 2011.

     

  • Eagles target world’s top 10 spot – Maigari

    Eagles target world’s top 10 spot – Maigari

    The President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Aminu Maigari, has said the Super Eagles will aim to be in the FIFA top 10 this year.

    Nigeria is currently ranked 30th in the world after the Super Eagles won a third African Nations Cup crown in South Africa last month.

    Nigeria’s best FIFA ranking was fifth in April 1994.

    “Like you know we have secured a friendly with the CONCACAF champions Mexico. It is part of our drive to ensure that we finish the year among the best 10 footballing nations in the world,” Maigari told MTNFootball.com.

    “We are in talks with the other soccer powers in the world and we hope to utilise every FIFA free window.”

    The Eagles will on May 31 in Houston, Texas, take on Mexico in a friendly preparatory to the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.

    In the meantime, the Nigerian government has thrown its weight behind Maigari ahead of his Confederation of African Football Zone 2 executive committee elections holding this weekend in Morocco.

    Maigari is up against his Benin and Niger Republic counterpart for the position vacated by Nigeria’s Amos Adamu.

    “I have been meeting with Aminu Maigari on the CAF elections. We know the importance of having a Nigerian on the executive committee of CAF and as such the Federal government is giving him all the backing he needs to win this election,” the Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, told MTNFootball.com.