Super Eagles failure to beat Indomitable Lions of Cameroon and Mexico in the last friendly window has pushed Nigeria down to 34th spot in the August FIFA ranking released yesterday. Eagles are now fifth in Africa.
The immediate implication of this slump is that Eagles now risk losing top seed at the AFCON and 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
The Super Eagles are now ranked behind Senegal, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco in the African standing.
In the new rules for seeding teams, each country’s standing in the FIFA ranking is now crucial as one of the yardsticks to be used to seed teams for next year’s AFCON in Cameroon as well as for the final 2022 World Cup playoffs in March.
Super Eagles Manager, Gernot Rohr did not have the full compliment of his foreign legions to prosecute the friendlies against Mexico as almost all the Nigerian stars were on vacation at the end of the seasons in Europe.
The NFF was therefore forced to resort to players from the domestic NPFL to prosecute the clash with the Mexicans. They lost 4-0 to the Mexicans who used the game to prepare for their Gold Cup clash.
A mainly experimental Super Eagles fell 1-0 to the Indomitable Lions in a first friendly in Austria, before they held the same team to a scoreless draw in a rematch days later.
The Teranga Lions of Senegal remain Africa’s number one team and 21st in the world and Tunisia are second on the continent and occupy 28th on the global ranking.
In-form Algeria climbed 12 places to 30th in the world and third in Africa and Morocco are now 32nd and fourth in Africa.
Belgium remain at number one, Brazil are second, France third, England fourth and Euro 2020 winners Italy are fifth.
In sixth place is Argentina, the seventh spot has Spain while Portugal, Mexico and USA are eight, ninth and tenth respectively.
The next FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking will be published on 16 September 2021.
AFRICA’S TOP 10
1. Senegal
2. Tunisia
3. Algeria
4. Morocco
5. Nigeria
6. Egypt
7. Ghana
8. Cameroon
9. Cote d’Ivoire
10. Mali
