FIFA World Rankings: Latest Standings in First Release of 2015
Germany begin 2015 atop the FIFA World Rankings after a period of minimal change in the international football calendar.
The 2014 World Cup winners remain ahead of beaten finalists Argentina, Colombia, Belgium and the Netherlands inside the top five. Only 16 friendlies were played since the last update, allowing lesser-known sides to enjoy a burst up the table, noted by FIFA's official Twitter account:
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Here's a rundown of the top 25:
| 1 | Germany | 1725 | - |
| 2 | Argentina | 1538 | - |
| 3 | Colombia | 1450 | - |
| 4 | Belgium | 1417 | - |
| 5 | Netherlands | 1374 | - |
| 6 | Brazil | 1316 | - |
| 7 | Portugal | 1160 | - |
| 8 | France | 1160 | - |
| 9 | Spain | 1142 | - |
| 10 | Uruguay | 1135 | - |
| 11 | Italy | 1103 | - |
| 12 | Switzerland | 1091 | - |
| 13 | England | 1032 | - |
| 14 | Chile | 1022 | - |
| 15 | Romania | 1014 | - |
| 16 | Costa Rica | 997 | - |
| 17 | Czech Republic | 997 | - |
| 18 | Algeria | 948 | - |
| 19 | Croatia | 946 | - |
| 20 | Mexico | 913 | - |
| 21 | Slovakia | 891 | - |
| 22 | Tunisia | 867 | - |
| 23 | Austria | 863 | - |
| 24 | Greece | 856 | - |
| 25 | Ukraine | 854 | - |
How the Rankings are Calculated
For those who have forgotten, the points system remains as convoluted as ever. Points are awarded via the following formula: result x importance of match x strength of opposition x confederation strength = total points.
The conclusion of the 2014 World Cup saw a new weighting system introduced. Points earned against nations from each region are now multiplied on the following scale: CONMEBOL 1.00; UEFA 0.99; AFC, CAF, OFC and CONCACAF 0.85, per FIFA's official website. You can check an in-depth breakdown of the setup right here.
It's also fruitful to consider the "World Cup cycle" system, which means all results from the last four years are added together, but depreciate in value over time. This fact sheet should have you covered.
Biggest Movers and Shakers
With only a handful of international fixtures taking place since November's update, it's not a surprise to see the rankings remain largely untouched. A massive 146 of the 206 FIFA-registered nations equate to non-movers, reported by the governing body's official website.
In fact, you have to drop down to No. 46 in the table to see the first signs of movement. Slovenia, Northern Ireland, Turkey and Mali have all jumped one place to knock Zambia down four places to 50th.
The biggest movers are situated further down the table and come as a result of the aforementioned exhibition matches. Bahrain (110th) enjoyed the most progress by moving up 12 ranks after adding 43 points with wins over Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
Lebanon (122nd) and Vietnam move up four and three respectively, while Faroe Islands (103rd) deserve a special mention for reaching their highest rank since the system began 22 years ago. Panama (55th) Sudan (108th), Uzbekistan (71st), Malawi (88th), Qatar (92nd), Ethiopia (109th) and Equatorial Guinea (118th) are the only other sides to improve by two or more steps.
Jordan are the biggest droppers by rank, plummeting 12 places to 93rd. Iraq were dealt the largest points blow, however, losing 51 and dropping 11 places into 114th, per FIFA's website. One win in their last 10 matches sums up why such a dramatic fall has arrived, noted by Soccerway.
Major changes can be expected when the next rankings update is posted on Feb. 12. The African Cup of Nations and Asian Cup take place before this, meaning countries from the respective regions have the opportunity to climb the ladder.
European international ties don't begin until March. Germany will aim to defend their No. 1 spot after the next set of rankings are released, with the likes of Italy, England and Switzerland looking to break back into the top 10.
