February 15, 2024
1 min read

FIFA rankings: Nigeria climbs to 24th, above AFCON winning Ivory Coast

In a significant surge, the Super Eagles of Nigeria have made an impressive climb to the 24th position in the latest FIFA rankings, displacing Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria to secure the top three spots in Africa. The rankings, released on Thursday, reflect the team’s remarkable performance in the recently concluded Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

At the start of the Nations Cup on January 11, the Super Eagles were positioned as the sixth-best team in Africa. However, their unbeaten run to the final propelled them to the third spot in the latest rankings. This achievement also saw them overtake Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria.

Cote d’Ivoire, the AFCON champions, experienced a remarkable ascent by climbing ten places, breaking into the top five football-playing nations in Africa. Meanwhile, Angola, who suffered defeat against Nigeria in the quarterfinals, emerged as the most significant movers in the rankings, rising an impressive 24 places.

The FIFA release highlighted the performance of African teams, stating, “Cote d’Ivoire (39th, up 10) reap the rewards of their continental triumph on home soil, secured following an eventful tournament campaign. Beaten finalists Nigeria (28th, up 14) make significant strides but are no match for the Angola side they ousted in the last eight (93rd, up 24), who are the biggest climbers in the latest installment of the global ranking.”

Globally, Argentina retained its coveted No. 1 spot, with France and England trailing behind in the second and third positions, respectively. The top 10 places also featured Belgium, Brazil, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Croatia.

Notably, the 2022 World Cup hosts, Qatar, witnessed a rise in their rankings after retaining their Asian Cup. The FIFA release noted, “Qatar’s rise sees them enter uncharted territory, with two other teams also recording best-ever rankings. Senegal (17th, up 3), who suffered shoot-out heartbreak at the hands of the eventual winners Cote d’Ivoire in the Africa Cup of Nations round of 16, break new ground, while Tajikistan (99th, up 7) mark their maiden Asian Cup campaign by making a first-ever appearance in the top 100.”

The latest rankings underscore Nigeria’s football resurgence on the continental stage, with the Super Eagles positioned as a formidable force in African football.

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