Nigeria Move Up In FIFA Ranking ...Retains Fourth Position In Africa

Nigeria on Wednesday leapt one step up in the World Football governing body’s ranking of nations affiliated to it as it moved from the 39th position to the 38 but retained the fourth position among African countries having trailed Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Egypt.

FIFA released its latest rankings Wednesday with the 2010 FIFA World Cup winners; Spain still retaining the first spot. They are closely followed by the runners up; Netherland while Brazil climbed to the third position.

Germany occupy the fourth place and are followed by one of their victims in the first FIFA world cup in Africa; Argentina in the fifth with England; another victim of theirs occupying the sixth position.
The surprise country of the South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup; Uruguay, Portugal, Italy and Croatia made up the top 10 countries in the ranking.

Nigeria’s West African neighbours and arch rivals; Ghana are placed in the 15th position in the world and by that feat, lead the pack in the African ranking. They are followed by another West African country; Cote d’Ivoire in a distant 21st position with the African Champions; Egypt placing 36th in the world and 3rd in Africa.

The host of the very first FIFA World Cup in Africa; South Africa are placing 5th in Africa and 39th in the world while Algeria and Cameroon occupy 40th and 48th respectively in the world but are placed on 6th and 7th in Africa.

Reacting to the Nigeria’s upward movement, the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF Spokesman Ademola Olajire said the development is as a result of the Super Eagles good outing in the ongoing 2012 Orange CAF Cup of Nations qualifier games and the international friendly matches against the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone and the Harambee Stars of Kenya last month.

“The Federation is happy with the development. By the time we play Argentina in June and get a good result, our ranking will move up again. This is why the federation wants to engage the Super Eagles in more first grade international friendly matches especially with top football nations.’’

It could be recalled that Nigeria was ranked 5th in the world after the Cup of Africa Nations victory in Tunisia in 1994 and an excellent performance at the USA ’94 World Cup which was her first appearance at that stage.
In 2006 when the administration of Sani Lulu Abdullahi came on board, the country was placed first in Africa and 9th in the World ranking. Since then, the country has continued to nose dive following the destruction of the senior national team; Super Eagles by agents the former minister and chairman National Sports Commission, NSC Hassan Gimba described as pseudo football administrators and managers - by Asuelimen Osasuyi

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