Nigeria men’s senior football team, the Super Eagles, have dropped one place from 48th to 49th position in the latest FIFA world rankings.
The Nigerian team lost two games at the World Cup and won one, but maintained their position in the continent, as they stand as 7th among African teams.
The rankings released on FIFA website on Thursday is based on a newly introduced formula which “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 Ranking.”
“The changes, of which there are several, include the fact that inactive teams now preserve their point totals, with no devaluation of older games. Points are dropped, however, from losing or drawing against weaker opposition, with the only exception to this rule matches in knockout rounds of major competitions such as the FIFA World Cup,” according to a statement on FIFA’s official website
Meanwhile, 2018 FIFA World Cup champions, Les Blues of France, climbed six places from their previous spot to stay top of the ranking – a position they last held in May 2002.
Second runners-up of the Russia showpiece, Belgium, climbed one place to rank second, above Brazil on third position.
World Cup silver medalists, Croatia, climbed a resounding 16 places to rank fourth in the world, while Uruguay occupy fifth position.
England occupy sixth place, Portugal are seventh, Switzerland dropped two places to eight while Spain moved up one place to be tied on ninth position with Denmark.
The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on 20 September 2018.
