The Super Eagles of Nigeria may have clinched the bronze medal of the just concluded Africa cup of nations in Tunisia, but the side beats Semi Finals conqueror and eventual winners, Tunisia to the top of the latest FIFA ranking released on Wednesday.
Interestingly, the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking is unsurprisingly heavily influenced by the African Cup of Nations, which recently reached its climax in Tunisia.
Making the biggest gains are new African champions Tunisia, who surge up to 31st place (up 14). Bronze medallists Nigeria (21st, up 14) make an equally impressive impact to secure their highest ranking in almost nine years. With Senegal (27th, up 6) also climbing, unseated African champions Cameroon (13th, up 1) – the undisputed number one team on the continent in recent years – are now within striking distance. Algeria (52nd) move up 11 spots; Morocco (33rd) and Mali (46th) both climb 5. Meanwhile, Kenya (70th, up 6) and Rwanda (100th, up 9) secure their highest ever positions in the ranking.
Nigeria defeated Cameroon 2-1 in the quarter final stage but the 2000 and 2002 winners still managed to stay above the Super Eagles in 13th position.
| Ranking as of 18 February 2004 |
| Rank: | Team: | Points: Feb 04 |
Rank: Jan 04 |
Change Since Jan 04 |
Rank: Dec 03 |
Change Since Dec 03 |
| 1 | Brazil | 846 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | France | 828 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 3 | Spain | 795 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 4 | Netherlands | 749 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 5 | Mexico | 742 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
| 6 | Argentina | 741 | 5 | -1 | 5 | -1 |
| 7 | England | 740 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 1 |
| 8 | Czech Republic | 739 | 6 | -2 | 6 | -2 |
| 9 | Turkey | 737 | 8 | -1 | 8 | -1 |
| 10 | Italy | 731 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 11 | United States | 729 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| 12 | Germany | 727 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| 13 | Cameroon | 720 | 14 | 1 | 14 | 1 |
| 14 | Denmark | 712 | 13 | -1 | 13 | -1 |
| 15 | Ireland Republic | 709 | 14 | -1 | 14 | -1 |
| 16 | Belgium | 693 | 16 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| 17 | Portugal | 681 | 17 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| 18 | Costa Rica | 679 | 17 | -1 | 17 | -1 |
| 19 | Croatia | 676 | 20 | 1 | 20 | 1 |
| 20 | Sweden | 674 | 19 | -1 | 19 | -1 |
| Rank: | Team: | Points: Feb 04 |
Rank: Jan 04 |
Change Since Jan 04 |
Rank: Dec 03 |
Change Since Dec 03 |
| 21 | Nigeria | 672 | 35 | 14 | 35 | 14 |
| 22 | Uruguay | 669 | 21 | -1 | 21 | -1 |
| 23 | Korea Republic | 665 | 22 | -1 | 22 | -1 |
| 24 | Paraguay | 661 | 22 | -2 | 22 | -2 |
| 25 | Russia | 657 | 24 | -1 | 24 | -1 |
| 26 | Poland | 654 | 25 | -1 | 25 | -1 |
| 27 | Senegal | 651 | 33 | 6 | 33 | 6 |
| 28 | Romania | 650 | 27 | -1 | 27 | -1 |
| 28 | Japan | 650 | 29 | 1 | 29 | 1 |
| 30 | Saudi Arabia | 648 | 26 | -4 | 26 | -4 |
| 31 | Iran | 646 | 28 | -3 | 28 | -3 |
| 31 | Tunisia | 646 | 45 | 14 | 45 | 14 |
| 33 | Morocco | 644 | 38 | 5 | 38 | 5 |
| 34 | Egypt | 641 | 32 | -2 | 32 | -2 |
| 35 | Slovenia | 640 | 31 | -4 | 31 | -4 |
| 36 | Greece | 639 | 30 | -6 | 30 | -6 |
| 37 | Bulgaria | 625 | 34 | -3 | 34 | -3 |
| 38 | South Africa | 620 | 36 | -2 | 36 | -2 |
| 39 | Norway | 619 | 42 | 3 | 42 | 3 |
| 40 | Ecuador | 613 | 37 | -3 | 37 | -3 |
| Rank: | Team: | Points: Feb 04 |
Rank: Jan 04 |
Change Since Jan 04 |
Rank: Dec 03 |
Change Since Dec 03 |
| 41 | Colombia | 609 | 39 | -2 | 39 | -2 |
| 42 | Finland | 607 | 40 | -2 | 40 | -2 |
| 43 | Serbia and Montenegro | 602 | 41 | -2 | 41 | -2 |
| 44 | Iraq | 592 | 43 | -1 | 43 | -1 |
| 45 | Switzerland | 590 | 44 | -1 | 44 | -1 |
| 46 | Mali | 586 | 51 | 5 | 54 | 8 |
| 47 | Jordan | 573 | 59 | 12 | 47 | 0 |
| 48 | Jamaica | 570 | 46 | -2 | 46 | -2 |
| 49 | Zimbabwe | 567 | 49 | 0 | 53 | 4 |
| 50 | Slovakia | 562 | 47 | -3 | 50 | 0 |
| 50 | Honduras | 562 | 47 | -3 | 49 | -1 |
| 52 | Algeria | 555 | 63 | 11 | 62 | 10 |
| 53 | Scotland | 553 | 51 | -2 | 54 | 1 |
| 53 | Israel | 553 | 50 | -3 | 51 | -2 |
| 55 | Latvia | 549 | 53 | -2 | 51 | -4 |
| 56 | Congo DR | 548 | 54 | -2 | 56 | 0 |
| 56 | Venezuela | 548 | 55 | -1 | 57 | 1 |
| 58 | Qatar | 547 | 61 | 3 | 65 | 7 |
| 59 | Iceland | 546 | 56 | -3 | 58 | -1 |
| 59 | Kuwait | 546 | 56 | -3 | 48 | -11 |
| Rank: | Team: | Points: Feb 04 |
Rank: Jan 04 |
Change Since Jan 04 |
Rank: Dec 03 |
Change Since Dec 03 |
| 61 | Bosnia-Herzegovina | 545 | 58 | -3 | 59 | -2 |
| 62 | Thailand | 543 | 60 | -2 | 60 | -2 |
| 63 | Ukraine | 542 | 61 | -2 | 60 | -3 |
| 64 | Bahrain | 537 | 63 | -1 | 64 | 0 |
| 65 | Estonia | 534 | 67 | 2 | 68 | 3 |
| 66 | Oman | 531 | 65 | -1 | 62 | -4 |
| 67 | Wales | 530 | 65 | -2 | 66 | -1 |
| 68 | Trinidad and Tobago | 524 | 70 | 2 | 70 | 2 |
| 68 | Austria | 524 | 68 | 0 | 67 | -1 |
| 70 | Kenya | 523 | 76 | 6 | 72 | 2 |
| 71 | Zambia | 522 | 69 | -2 | 68 | -3 |
| 72 | Côte d'Ivoire | 519 | 70 | -2 | 70 | -2 |
| 73 | Burkina Faso | 517 | 72 | -1 | 78 | 5 |
| 74 | Cuba | 514 | 74 | 0 | 75 | 1 |
| 74 | Hungary | 514 | 72 | -2 | 72 | -2 |
| 74 | Peru | 514 | 74 | 0 | 74 | 0 |
| 77 | United Arab Emirates | 511 | 77 | 0 | 75 | -2 |
| 78 | China PR | 509 | 85 | 7 | 86 | 8 |
| 79 | Guatemala | 508 | 78 | -1 | 77 | -2 |
| 80 | Ghana | 506 | 79 | -1 | 78 | -2 |
| Rank: | Team: | Points: Feb 04 |
Rank: Jan 04 |
Change Since Jan 04 |
Rank: Dec 03 |
Change Since Dec 03 |
| 81 | Chile | 504 | 80 | -1 | 80 | -1 |
| 82 | Libya | 503 | 83 | 1 | 83 | 1 |
| 83 | Australia | 496 | 81 | -2 | 82 | -1 |
| 84 | Uzbekistan | 495 | 82 | -2 | 81 | -3 |
| 85 | Angola | 488 | 83 | -2 | 83 | -2 |
| 86 | Syria | 481 | 86 | 0 | 85 | -1 |
| 87 | Guinea | 480 | 102 | 15 | 101 | 14 |
| 87 | Canada | 480 | 87 | 0 | 87 | 0 |
| 89 | New Zealand | 478 | 88 | -1 | 88 | -1 |
| 90 | Albania | 477 | 89 | -1 | 89 | -1 |
| 91 | Belarus | 474 | 90 | -1 | 90 | -1 |
| 92 | Indonesia | 473 | 91 | -1 | 91 | -1 |
| 93 | Macedonia FYR | 470 | 92 | -1 | 92 | -1 |
| 94 | Haiti | 467 | 93 | -1 | 96 | 2 |
| 94 | Georgia | 467 | 93 | -1 | 93 | -1 |
| 96 | Togo | 461 | 95 | -1 | 94 | -2 |
| 97 | Turkmenistan | 459 | 96 | -1 | 99 | 2 |
| 97 | El Salvador | 459 | 96 | -1 | 95 | -2 |
| 99 | Cyprus | 456 | 98 | -1 | 97 | -2 |
| 100 | Rwanda | 452 | 109 | 9 | 109 | 9 |
Table courtesy FIFA.COM
Published: 2004-02-18 19:10:36
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