FIFA World Rankings, July 2009: Brazil Back on Top of the World

Fresh from their third Confederations Cup success in South Africa at the weekend Brazil have now regained the top spot in the FIFA World Rankings for the first time since August 2007.

Dunga’s side knock Spain from the top position which they occupied for just over a year after first topping the rankings in June last year after their triumph at Euro 2008.

Confederations Cup finalists USA rise two places on the back of their impressive run and now stand in twelfth place, their highest position for just over three years.

Bob Bradley’s side gained huge points for their wins over Egypt and especially Spain but also lost four games in the month, three in South Africa as well as a World Cup Qualifying defeat to Costa Rica.

Egypt and South Africa also rose two places each, to 38^th and 70^th respectively, on the back of their results at the Confederations Cup.  Italy remain in fourth despite a poor showing whereas Iraq and New Zealand both slide further down the rankings.

Three new teams enter the top 20, with Cote d’Ivoire making the highest leap moving up 20 places to eighteenth. Denmark are finally rewarded for their impressive results in World Cup Qualifying with a rise of nine places to fifteenth. Australia are a place below, their highest ever ranking, climbing 13 places after securing their place at the World Cup next year.

Paraguay fall nine places to 22^nd after back-to-back World Cup Qualifying defeats to Chile and Brazil. Czech Republic and Turkey also drop out of the top 20, as they didn’t play competitively in June and also because of devaluation in points earned from games at Euro 2008.

Elsewhere, notable mentions go to Chile (up ten places to 27^th) and to Gabon (up 18 to 30^th) and Algeria (up 19 to 47^th) who are all rewarded after impressive victories in World Cup Qualifying.

It’s mainly bad news for the home nations as England fall one place to seventh after picking up few points for winning against lowly ranked opposition. Scotland are down two places to 24^th, Northern Ireland fall five places to 32^nd while the Republic or Ireland drop three to 37^th. Wales, however, rise seven places to 67^th.

FIFA World Rankings. Top 20, July 2009

(movements from June rankings in parenthesis)

1.  Brazil (+4)

2.  Spain (-1)

3.  Netherlands (-1)

4.  Italy (-)

5.  Germany (-2)

6.  Russia (+3)

7.  England (-1)

8.  Argentina (-1)

9.  France (+1)

10. Croatia (-2)

11. Greece (+6)

12. USA (+2)

13. Switzerland (+3)

14. Serbia (+6)

15. Denmark (+9)

16. Australia (+13)

17. Portugal (-6)

18. Cote d’Ivoire (+20)

19. Ukraine (-0)

20. Uruguay (-3)