India national football team continues to make massive strides in world football and recently broke through the top 100 ceiling in May. Earlier today, they moved up to be ranked 96th in July’s FIFA ratings, a 21-year high.
A successful Asian Cup qualifying campaign until now has been backed up by strong individual performances to see India through to the top 100 in the world, with a possible World Cup place somewhere on the horizon. While progress over the years has been slow, the steady increase in ranks has been a welcome change in the Indian camp.
The coming of the Indian Super League (ISL) has brought in a new crop of talent as football in the country continues to grow. Keeping that in mind, here are the top records set by India after reaching 96 in the world rankings earlier today.
Second highest FIFA ranking ever
India’s highest ever FIFA ranking is 94, achieved back in the year 1996. However, they failed to capitalise on the dizzy heights that were attained two decades ago and the slump continued all the way down to the high 170s until new management and a proper system was installed, which saw the subcontinent giants make their way to the top 100 yet again.
The 2008 AFC Challenge Cup triumph brought through a crop of players who have solidified themselves as the nation’s top players and vow to lead the team to more glory in the future.
Third time India have spent three straight months in the top 100
India’s ranking is especially significant this time around as they continue their dominance in the top 100 bracket, making this the third straight month in the top 100.
India have now successfully jumped 77 positions, up to 96, in the world after winning 12 of their last 14 International matches. The last time India spent this much time inside the FIFA top 100 was way back in 1996. Only on one other occasion have the Blue Tigers repeated that feat: in 1993/94.
India continue to remain ahead of many World Cup playing nations
India’s ranking allows them to be ahead of countries such as New Zealand, Canada, Togo, Iraq, etc, who have all played World Cups before. The hopes of qualifying for a World Cup in the next five years are still very much on with the only defining factor being their form in the Asian qualifiers.
It will be intriguing to see if India can continue the good work. Much of the credit for the rise of Indian football has to go to coach Stephen Constantine who oversaw the team’s rise from 173rd in March 2015 to 96th in the world today. The Englishman aims to go even higher as India will not rest on their laurels anytime soon.
India’s leap in rankings among the best in the world
India’s growth recently has been rapid. An off and on run from the end of the 1990s saw India’s hope fading away. But Constantine has transformed the unit, and India now have the fastest rate of growth in the football world, having jumped to 96th place in a very short period of time.
In the last 12 months, India have jumped 67 places in the FIFA rankings, a rate of over five places per month, which is one of the top growths in rankings in the past year. As records continue to tumble, Indian football continues to rise and under the leadership of Constantine and captain Sunil Chhetri.
