Nigeria has been named the third best team in African football in the latest FIFA rankings despite an early exit from the 2021 African Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
It ranks behind Morocco(second) and AFCON 2021 winners, Senegal, which ranks first. Others behind Nigeria are Egypt, Tunisia, Cameroon, Algeria, Mali and the Ivory Coast.
The country moved up four places and now ranks 32nd in the latest rankings.
Senegal currently sits at the 18th position in the world ranking after emerging champions of the 2021 AFCON.
Previous AFCON champions, Algeria, who were number one in Africa, slipped to 43 in world ranking while Mali occupy the 48th position and Ivory Coast in 51st spot.
The number one team in the world ranking remains Belgium followed by Brazil, France, Argentina, England, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Denmark and Netherlands.
On its website, FIFA said the new ranking method named “SUM” relies on adding/subtracting points won or lost for a game to/from the previous point totals rather than averaging game points over a given time period as in the previous version of the World Ranking.
“The points which are added or subtracted are partially determined by the relative strength of the two opponents, including the logical expectation that teams higher in the ranking should fare better against teams lower in the ranking,” the world football governing body said.
