The FIFA rankings won’t be officially updated until after the World Cup but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun and figure out who currently is the best team in the world (according to FIFA). The rankings are still flawed and I still don’t know how Greece is still ranked 13th in the world but that’s FIFA. I only compared the current top 30 and will list the top 25 because most countries outside the top 30 either aren’t in the World Cup or they weren’t that good in the World Cup to move up through the rankings. Nigeria is the only team to make it to the knockout stage who is outside the top 30 in FIFA rankings and they barely got into the top 30. I’ll update the list after each round to see what changes in the rankings.
1) Colombia – 1449 points currently – 1137 points before World Cup – 8th before WC
2) Argentina – 1442 points currently – 1175 points before World Cup – 5th before WC
3) Germany – 1407 points currently – 1300 points before World Cup – 2nd before WC
4) Uruguay – 1393 points currently – 1147 points before World Cup – 7th before WC
5) Belgium – 1369 points currently – 1074 points before World Cup – 11th before WC
6) Netherlands – 1310 points currently – 981 points before World Cup – 15th before WC
7) Switzerland – 1278 points currently – 1149 points before World Cup – 6th before WC
8) Spain – 1229 points currently – 1485 points before World Cup – 1st before WC
9) France – 1188 points currently – 913 points before World Cup – 17th before WC
10) Brazil – 1174 points currently – 1242 points before World Cup – 3rd before WC
11) Portugal – 1148 points currently – 1189 points before World Cup – 4th before WC
12) Chile – 1090 points currently – 1026 points before World Cup – 14th before WC
13) Greece – 1085 points currently – 1064 points before World Cup – 12th before WC
14) Italy – 1056 points currently – 1104 points before World Cup – 9th before WC
15) United States – 1018 points currently – 1035 points before World Cup – 13th before WC
16) Mexico – 956 points currently – 882 points before World Cup – 20th before WC
17) Croatia – 955 points currently – 903 points before World Cup – 18th before WC
18) Costa Rica – 927 points currently – 762 points before World Cup – 28th before WC
19) Algeria – 924 points currently – 858 points before World Cup – 22nd before WC
20) Bosnia and Herzegovina – 917 points currently – 873 points before World Cup – 21st before WC
21) England – 911 points currently – 1090 points before World Cup – 10th before WC
22) Ecuador – 901 points currently – 791 points before World Cup – 26th before WC
23) Ukraine – 898 points currently – 915 points before World Cup – 16th before WC
24) Russia – 897 points currently – 893 points before World Cup – 19th before WC
25) Ivory Coast – 850 points currently – 809 points before World Cup – 23rd before WC
A few notes:
– South America now dominates with three teams in the top five but Brazil ironically falls to 10th.
– Costa Rica (10) gains the most spots out of any country while their group mate England (-11) loses the most spots out of any country.
– Because of their poor showing in this World Cup and their 2010 World Cup win now doesn’t apply to FIFA rankings anymore, Spain falls from 1st to 8th.