LATEST FIFA WORLD RANKING

There has been plenty of movement in the latest edition of the FIFA World Ranking, with 77 qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ ensuring a number of changes compared to last month.

Nigeria is in the 57th position. In the top 20, leaders Spain and second-placed Germany remain unchallenged at the top, with Argentina’s move into third place following wins over Uruguay (11th, down 4) and Chile (21st, down 4) edging Portugal down to fourth. Also benefiting from two victories are Italy (5th, up 3) and Russia (9th, up 3), the latter moving into the top ten for the first time since October 2010.

Brazil, who are hosting the 2014 world finals and thus have no potential points-earning qualifiers, managed to stay 13th thanks to two runaway wins in friendlies against Iraq (97th, down 17) and Japan (24th, down 1).

Six teams have reached their highest-ever position since the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking was launched in 1993: Algeria (19th, up 5), Haiti (57th, up 3), Dominican Republic (92nd, up 10), St Kitts and Nevis (106th, up 16), Philippines (143rd, up 4) and Timor-Leste (187th, up 19).

The results of 146 'A' internationals have been taken into account on the current edition of the FIFA/World Ranking, of which more than half (77) were qualifiers for the next FIFA World Cup. 25 were CONCACAF/AFC continental qualifiers and 44 were friendlies.

November 2012 Ranking - statistics

Leader

Spain (unchanged)

Moves into top ten

Russia (9th, up 3)

Croatia (10th, up 1)

Moves out of top ten

Uruguay (11th, down 4)

Greece (12th, down 2)

Matches played in total

146

Most matches played

Laos (6 matches)

Biggest move by points

Hungary (up 160 points)

Biggest move by ranks

St Lucia (up 38 ranks)

Biggest drop by points

Slovenia (down 101 points)

Biggest drop by ranks

Congo (down 21 ranks)