The Super Eagles of Nigeria have dropped by two spots in the latest FIFA ranking to place 42nd in the world.
In the ranking table on the website of the world football governing body, on Thursday, the Eagles dropped 16.04 points to rank 1474.44 points as against 1490.48 in October.
The Eagles dropped 16.04 points to rank 1474.44 points as against 1490.48 in October
The FIFA rankings are influenced by a team’s performance in international competitions, including friendlies, qualifiers, and major tournaments. In recent months, the Super Eagles have been active on the international stage, participating in various competitions. The outcomes of these matches, whether victories, draws, or losses, contribute significantly to a team’s ranking.
It’s essential to scrutinize the recent matches played by the Super Eagles to understand the context of their ranking adjustment. Were there unexpected losses, or perhaps lower-scoring draws that impacted their overall standing? A closer look at the match results provides insights into the team’s current form and competitive standing.
Global football is highly competitive, with teams vying for positions in the rankings to secure favorable draws in tournaments and establish themselves as football powerhouses. The Super Eagles, historically a strong force in African football, face tough competition from other nations striving to climb the FIFA ladder.
Additionally, the quality of opposition matters in the FIFA rankings. Wins against higher-ranked teams contribute more to a team’s points tally than victories against lower-ranked opponents. Therefore, understanding the calibre of teams the Super Eagles faced in recent fixtures sheds light on the intricacies of their ranking adjustment.
However, the drop did not affect the team’s placement on the continent, as it still remained the 6th team on the continent, behind Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, Algeria, and Egypt, respectively.
The drop in ranking comes after the Super Eagles were held to a 1-1 draw in their two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Lesotho on Nov. 16 and Zimbabwe on Nov. 19.
Although Argentina (1st) still leads the way ahead of France (2nd), England (3rd, up 1) is now in the trio of teams at the front of the pack, followed by Belgium (4th, up 1), who have also climbed one place.
Although Brazil (5th, down 2) have lost ground following back-to-back defeats by Colombia and Argentina, they have clung on to their place in the top 5.
The Netherlands (6th, up 1) and Portugal (7th, down 1) have traded places in the top 10, which is once again completed by Spain (8th), Italy (9th) and Croatia (10th).
Uruguay (11th, up 4) have made solid progress, but they have to be content with a place just outside the top 10.
The Comoros Islands (119th, up 9), meanwhile, enjoyed an even better month with wins against the Central African Republic and Ghana, and have two reasons to celebrate as they are now in 119th place, their highest-ever position.
Kosovo (101st, up 4) may not have climbed as many positions as the Comorans, but the Kosovans are also now higher in the ranking than ever before.
Guinea-Bissau (103rd, up 7), Azerbaijan (114th, up 6), Libya (120th, up 6), Malaysia (130th, up 7) and Rwanda (133rd, up 7) are the other big movers in the November ranking.
The ranking also had the re-entry of Samoa (187th), American Samoa (188th) and Tonga (196th), who were all playing international football again following months of inactivity.
The ranking took into consideration FIFA World Cup qualifiers that took place in African countries as well as in Asia and South America.
The other confederations’ schedules considered included UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying matches, Concacaf Nations League 2023-24 encounters and the Pacific Games 2023.
These matches all had a significant effect on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, including on the make-up of the podium.
