In the latest FIFA men’s rankings for June, Nigeria experienced a slight drop in their position despite a convincing victory in their last game during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, which also happened to be their only match since the previous FIFA world rankings were released in June. According to Findwhosabi Sport Extra, Nigeria moved from their 39th position in the June rankings to the 40th spot.
The Super Eagles demonstrated their prowess by defeating Sao Tome and Principe with an impressive 6-0 scoreline in their last AFCON qualifiers game. However, this victory did not contribute positively to their standing in the rankings.
Under the leadership of Jose Peseiro, Nigeria’s national team topped Group A in the AFCON qualifiers, accumulating a total of 15 points and securing their place in the upcoming AFCON tournament in Ivory Coast. This achievement is a significant one for the team.
On the African continent, Nigeria remains within the top six, which is advantageous as it ensures they will be considered top seeds when the AFCON draw takes place later in 2023.
In the same rankings, Morocco maintains its position as Africa’s number one nation, sitting comfortably in 13th place globally. Senegal, on the other hand, dropped two places in the world rankings but retained their second position in Africa.
Tunisia is the sole African country among the top six on the continent to have moved up in the global rankings. They previously held the 31st spot but have now climbed to the 29th position in the world. Algeria (34th) and Egypt (35th) complete the top five in Africa.
Globally, Argentina, the reigning World Cup champions, continue to hold the number one ranking, followed by France, Brazil, England, and Belgium in the top five.