World Football: Top 10 International Teams on the Up

International football has long been the pinnacle of any player's career, and regardless of how impressive club football has become, international matches are still largely prioritized.

As of late, a number of nations have been making their mark on the international scene, especially during the qualification and finals of last year's FIFA World Cup.

With a number of international fixtures coming up at the end of the month as well, there is rarely a better opportunity to judge the merits of the international teams who could make a big impact in World football in the future.

So here is a list of 10 nations who look set to start making more of a name for themselves in World football soon.

Montenegro

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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 12: The Montenegro team line up during the UEFA EURO 2012 Group G Qualifying match between England and Montenegro at Wembley Stadium on October 12, 2010 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Confederation: UEFA

FIFA World Ranking: 25

Highest FIFA World Ranking: 25

Lowest FIFA World Ranking: 199

Reason: Topping their Euro 2012 group that also includes England and Switzerland, Montenegro are proving themselves a team to be contended with in Europe and by 2014 could well be on their way to their first ever World Cup.

Ghana

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JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - JULY 02: The Ghana team look on dejected during a penalty shoot out during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Quarter Final match between Uruguay and Ghana at the Soccer City stadium on July 2, 2010 in Johannesburg, South A

Confederation: CAF

FIFA World Ranking: 15

Highest FIFA World Ranking: 14

Lowest FIFA World Ranking: 89

Reason: Having been a fans' favorite at the 2010 World Cup, Ghana are now on their way to becoming regulars at World Cup knockout stages. With one of the youngest teams at the competition, Ghana could be pioneering a new era for African football.

Bosnia & Herzegovina

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ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 09: Fans of Bosnia-Herzegovina hold up a large flag during their anthem before facing Mexico during an international friendly match at Georgia Dome on February 9, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Confederation: UEFA

FIFA World Ranking: 56

Highest FIFA World Ranking: 25

Lowest FIFA World Ranking: 173

Reason: Just missing out on qualification for the 2010 World Cup losing in the playoffs to Portugal, this nation is now looking to the future and have placed themselves in a good position to qualify for the 2012 European Championships.

New Zealand

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AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 27: Ivan Vicelich (C) and Ben Sigmund (R) of the New Zealand All Whites greet the fans as they arrive home from the 2010 World Cup at the Auckland International Airport on June 27, 2010 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Phi

Confederation: OFC

FIFA World Ranking: 56

Highest FIFA World Ranking: 47

Lowest FIFA World Ranking: 156

Reason: New Zealand was given a hero's welcome when they returned home from the 2010 World Cup, and the impact that had on the nation cannot be underestimated. A boost in interest in football in the country combined with development and future expansion of the A-League means the future looks bright for New Zealand.

Burkina Faso

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ANGOLA, LUANDA - JANUARY 19: Mahamoudou Kere, Florent Rouamba of Burkina Faso challenge Matthew Amoah of Ghana during the Africa Cup of Nations match between Burkina Fuso and Ghana at the November 11 (Cidadela) Stadium on January 19, 2010 in Luanda, Ango

Confederation: CAF

FIFA World Ranking: 41

Highest FIFA World Ranking: 37

Lowest FIFA World Ranking: 127

Reason: While they seem to struggle to make an impact at the African Cup of Nations, recent results suggest that Burkina Faso are starting to progress, and with a very respectable world ranking of 41, they could well be starting an upwards curve in the nation's performance.

Slovenia

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PORT ELIZABETH, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 23: The Slovenia team line up for a group photo before the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group C match between Slovenia and England at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on June 23, 2010 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Confederation: UEFA

FIFA World Ranking: 17

Highest FIFA World Ranking: 15

Lowest FIFA World Ranking: 134

Reason: Having given a very good account of themselves at the 2010 World Cup, Slovenia are now looking on course to qualify for the 2012 European Championships. The nation, still relatively young, has a very developed football team and could prove a real force in European football in the future.

USA

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RUSTENBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 26: The USA team poses for a photograph during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Round of Sixteen match between USA and Ghana at Royal Bafokeng Stadium on June 26, 2010 in Rustenburg, South Africa. (Photo by Kevork Djan

Confederation: CONCACAF

FIFA World Ranking: 19

Highest FIFA World Ranking: 4

Lowest FIFA World Ranking: 35

Reason: While the USA has been a prominent football nation for a while, the recent development of the MLS has boosted progress for the national team. With a few more strong World Cup performances, USA could become a real force in world football.

Australia

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NELSPRUIT, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 23: Conditioning coach Darren Burgess with the Australia team during the warm up ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group D match between Australia and Serbia at Mbombela Stadium on June 23, 2010 in Nelspruit, So

Confederation: AFC (Formerly member of OFC)

FIFA World Ranking: 21

Highest FIFA World Ranking: 14

Lowest FIFA World Ranking: 92

Reason: With the development of the A-League continuing rapidly, Australia is gradually becoming more of a force in international football. With a promising youngster such as Tommy Oar coming through, they will be regulars at World Cups for a long time to come and could start to make a dent on the established order of World football.

Mexico

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JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 27: The Mexico team line up for their national anthem during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Round of Sixteen match between Argentina and Mexico at Soccer City Stadium on June 27, 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Confederation: CONCACAF

FIFA World Ranking: 27

Highest FIFA World Ranking: 4

Lowest FIFA World Ranking: 33

Reason: So they're close to the lowest FIFA ranking they've ever had, and they've also had better days in the past, but if the 2010 World Cup is anything to go by, Mexico has a very bright future. The nation has some exceptional young stars breaking through and they could well be ready to make a surprising run by the time the 2014 World Cup comes around.

South Africa

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JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 11: Siphiwe Tshabalala (C) of South Africa celebrates scoring the first goal with team mates during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group A match between South Africa and Mexico at Soccer City Stadium on June 11, 20

Confederation: CAF

FIFA World Ranking: 46

Highest FIFA World Ranking: 16

Lowest FIFA World Ranking: 124

Reason: Despite a number of poor performances before the 2010 World Cup, the nation still finished ahead of the disappointing France in the group stages. The importance of them being the first African hosts of a World Cup must not be underestimated as it has likely inspired a whole new generation of footballers in the country.