Nigeria - Super Eagles drop 11 places in FIFA ranking

Nigeria have dropped 11 steps on FIFA ranking of male national teams.
In the table released on Wednesday, Nigeria fell 11 places to No. 56.

Egypt fell 25 places to No. No. 61 while South Africa fell two spots to No. 58.
Winner of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, Zambia, rose 28 spots to No. 43 while first runner-up, Ivory Coast, moved three steps to No. 15; and bronze winner, Mali, rose 25 places to No. 44.

For the first time in 11 years, Zambia have joined the top 50 football teams.

Ghana moved three paces to No. 23 while Spain maintained its position as the world leader in men’s football.
Germany moved up one step to the second position while Netherlands dropped one pace to the third place.

Uruguay and England retained their standings on the fourth and fifth positions while Portugal stepped up one pace to the sixth level.
Brazil is seventh, falling one step, while Italy is eighth, moving one pace up.

The ranking for Africa places Ivory Coast as the leading football nation; followed by Ghana; Algeria; Zambia; Mali; Gabon; Libya; Nigeria; Tunisia; and South Africa.

FIFA explained that the results of 51 international matches had been taken into account in compiling the current edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola Ranking, of which 32 took place as part of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations and 19 were friendlies.

It also said the next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking would be issued on March 7. 2012, one week earlier than originally planned.