Belgium’s Red Devils continue leading the way in FIFA World Ranking
ZURICH: Marc Wilmots’s Belgium continue to dominate, followed closely by Argentina, Spain, Germany and Chile in the the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking.
The latest edition contains few changes to the top 50, with most teams yet to play in 2016.
Only 14 international A matches were taken into account for the latest ranking, all of which were friendlies. The total number of games played in 2016 currently stands at 58
Four-times world champions Italy (14th, up one), meanwhile, recorded the only positive movement in the top 20 this month.
Further down the table, Poland (31st, up three) gained the most ground of the top 50 teams, climbing three places, while Serbia (50th, up one) re-entered the top 50 at Norway’s expense (51st, down one).
While no team reached its best-ever position in the March ranking, a few teams successfully held on to their highest-ever ranking, namely: Belgium (first), Chile (fifth), Austria (10th), Hungary (19th) and Kyrgyzstan (105th).
The most impressive movers in March were Venezuela and Armenia. The South Americans gained 57 points and rose six places to 75th, thanks to an excellent 1-0 victory over Costa Rica in Barinas on February 2, while Armenia enjoyed the biggest climb of the month (116th, up seven).
Other big movers were Israel (67th, up six), Kazakhstan (125th, up six) and Guyana (156th, up six).
There were no changes to the regional composition of the top 50 for March, which remains: UEFA (31), CONMEBOL (eight), CAF (six), CONCACAF (four), AFC (one) and OFC (none).
Belgium, Argentina, Mexico, Iran and New Zealand held their positions at the top of their respective confederations, with the only change in leadership at confederation level this month taking place in CAF, Cape Verde Islands leapfrogging Côte d’Ivoire to become Africa’s new number one.
The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on April 7.
Summary
Leader Belgium (unchanged)
Moves into top 10: none
Moves out of top 10: none
Matches played in total: 14
Most matches played: Congo DR, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Lebanon, Mali (two matches each)
Biggest move by points: Venezuela (up 57 points)
Biggest move by ranks: Armenia (up seven ranks)
Biggest drop by points Ivory Coast (down 84 points)
Biggest drop by ranks São Tomé e Príncipe (down 15 ranks)
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