In a remarkable development, the Super Eagles of Nigeria, who finished as runners-up in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), have surged 14 spots in the February FIFA ranking, now securing the 28th position globally as reported by Daily trust....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
The official ranking, published on the website of the world football governing body, reveals that the Nigerian team has accumulated 1,522 points, a significant increase from the 1,474 points they held in December 2023.
This upward trajectory also solidifies the Super Eagles’ standing as the third-best team on the African continent. They trail behind Morocco (12th) and Senegal (17th), who have amassed 1,663 and 1,620 points, respectively.
Meanwhile, the newly-crowned African champions, Cote d’Ivoire, have reaped the rewards of their continental triumph on home soil. They now occupy the 39th position, having climbed 10 spots.
South Africa, the AFCON second runners-up, have also made significant progress, ascending 8 spots to reach the 58th position. However, Egypt (36th), Cameroon (51st), and Ghana (67th) experienced drops after their early exits from AFCON 2023.
The Angolan side, ousted in the quarter-finals, stands out as the biggest climbers in the latest global ranking, moving up 24 places to secure the 93rd position.
In terms of points, Qatar, the two-time Asian Cup winners, have capitalized on home comforts to successfully defend their continental crown. They now occupy the 37th position, with an impressive tally of 92.04 points.
Other notable movements include Jordan (70th, up 17), Thailand (101st, up 12), and Tajikistan (99th, up 7), making their first-ever appearance in the top 100 due to their maiden Asian Cup campaign.
Senegal (17th, up 3), despite suffering a shoot-out heartbreak in the AFCON Round of 16 against eventual winners Cote d’Ivoire, achieved their best-ever ranking.
Additionally, Equatorial Guinea (79th, up 9), South Africa (58th, up 8), Cabo Verde (65th, up 8), Namibia (107th, up 8), and Mali (47th, up 4) have all demonstrated impressive performances in the latest FIFA rankings…CONTINUE READING>>
