The Super Eagles of Nigeria will end the year 2013 as the No. 37th ranked team in the World according to the latest FIFA ranking released today (Thursday). The world football’s governing body took into account the results of 30 international matches for the December edition.
For the sixth time in quick succession, World and European champions Spain earned the right to be called the ‘World Team of the Year’ as they finished top of the final ranking.
The top eighteen teams from the November edition remained unchanged as Ukraine claimed the title of highest climbers of 2013, thanks to nine wins, two draws and only one defeat.
Nigeria retained her fourth position in Africa as only one of the top ten teams from the Confederation of African (CAF) zone failed to make the top 50 in the world (Burkina Faso).
In total in 2013, the results of 918 matches have been taken into account, many of which were friendlies (415) and more than a third of which (347) were qualifying matches for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Caf Top Ten Teams for 2013 (World Ranking)
1. Cote d’Ivoire (17 unchanged)
2. Ghana (24 unchanged)
3. Algeria (26 unchanged)
4. Nigeria (37 down one place)
5. Cape Verde Island (39 unchanged)
6. Egypt (41 down three places)
7. Mali (45 down three places)
8. Tunisia (48 up a place)
9. Cameroon (50 up a place)
10. Burkina Faso
