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The FIFA Rankings were introduced to provide a decisive idea about the rankings of all the footballing nations in the world, based on their current form. Before August 2018, FIFA World Ranking was decided by averaging the points received during a defined period of time. However, since August 2018, FIFA has moved over to a new ranking system where a lot of points are considered when ranking a team.
For starters, after a win, points are added to the previous points tally, whereas after a defeat, expected points are subtracted from the same. During each encounter, the weightage of the participating teams are taking into account, based on their FIFA rankings.
Most often, the FIFA Rankings give a clear idea about the strength of the team and their consistency in the past. It is, as such, clear that only the best teams in the world in current form make up the top ten list. These are the teams that do not just boast of phenomenal individuals, but are equally strong as a team. In this article, we present the top ten Footballing Nations in the world as per the latest FIFA Rankings.
#10 Denmark
Points: 1589
The Danish Dynamites are currently at the 10th place, but were hovering very close to the 50th position at one point, as recent as 2017. However, Denmark showed amazing resilience and have now edged their way back into the top ten ranking, by virtue of a stellar 2018. Most importantly, they are the team keeping the mighty Argentinians away from the top 10 rankings at the start of the year.
Denmark had a decent 2018 World Cup, where they made the runners-up Croatia sweat in the Round of 16 tie. The Croatians needed a tie-breaker to progress into the quarters, but Denmark had won all the hearts on the night.
The European nation ended the year with 6 wins, 7 draws and 1 loss from 14 games played. Since 2017, Denmark has played 23 games and lost just one. Their average ranking since the start of the FIFA Ranking system is 20.
Also see : women's world cup, womens world cup bracket, US Womens Soccer Team
#9 Spain
Points: 1591
Coming in at 9th, just 2 points above Denmark, are the mighty Spaniards. They had been consistently among the top 5 nations in the world from 2008 to 2013, however, their fall started from 2014, when they exited the FIFA World Cup from the group stages. Since then, La Furia Roja have struggled to break into the top 5.
Last year, their rankings failed to improve after their dismal performance in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Spain struggled in the FIFA World Cup, managing just 1 win in the tournament and eventually went out in the Round of 16 at the hands of hosts Russia.
Of the 14 games played in 2018, Spain won 7, drew 5 and lost 2. This was a stark contrast from their performance in 2017, where they had won 8 of the 10 games, drawing the other 2.
Spain's average rankings since the start of the FIFA rankings system is 5, but at the start of 2019, they are ranked 9th.
#8 Switzerland
Points: 1599
Switzerland might look like the surprise inclusion in this list, but they have been in fabulous form of late. This has given them an opportunity to ride among the big boys and keep many a stellar name at bay -- they are 8 points ahead of Spain in 8th at the start of 2019.
In 2018, the Rossocrociati, as they are also called, won 7 of their 14 games played, drew 3 and lost 4. In the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the European nation drew against Brazil and Costa Rica in the group stages, and defeated Serbia. They eventually went out of the tournament in the Round of 16, at the hands of Sweden in a closely-contested tie, but by then, they had forced the whole world to sit up and take notice.
Most recently, Switzerland defeated Belgium 5-2 in the UEFA Nations League in November 2018. They have reached the semi-finals of the tournament, where they will meet Portugal in June of this year.
Switzerland are scheduled to face Georgia and then Denmark in the UEFA Euro Qualifiers in the next few days.
#7 Uruguay
Points: 1609
The South American nation is one of only two teams from the continent to make it to the top ten in the rankings. Uruguay had a mixed 2018, where they won 8 of their 13 games and lost 5.
La Celeste had a good start to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, defeating Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Russia in the group stages, before knocking out Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal in the Round of 16. However, they could not overcome eventual champions France in the Quarter final and had to bow out of the tournament.
Since then, the Uruguay Football team has defeated Mexico, but lost to South Korea, Japan, Brazil and France. As such, with 1609 points, they are 7th in the rankings. They face Uzbekistan in the Semi Finals of the China Cup on Friday.
Since the creation of the FIFA Rankings, the average position of the Latin American country has been 22nd.
#6 Portugal
Points: 1614
Uruguay might have knocked Portugal out of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, but the European nation is ranked ahead of them in the current FIFA Rankings. Portugal has 5 points more than their rivals and as such, is 6th in the rankings at the start of the year.
Portugal won 6 of their 15 games in 2018, losing just 2 and drawing the other 7. They drew with Spain and Iran and defeated Morocco to reach the Round of 16 of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Unfortunately, they were defeated by Uruguay there and had to leave the tournament. Since then, "The Navigators" have defeated Italy and Poland in the Nations League. Apart from Uruguay, Netherlands are the only other team to have defeated them in the whole of last year.
Portugal have reached the semi finals of the UEFA Nations League, where they will come face-to-face with Switzerland in June. The European nation has an average rank of 11 since the beginning of the FIFA Rankings. They next face Ukraine and Serbia in the UEFA Euro Qualifiers in this international break.
#5 England
Points: 1631
There was a lot of hype before the 2018 FIFA World Cup regarding the English National Team. Their young squad was full of potential and there was just the right mix of experience to make them one of the hot favourites.
The Three Lions reached the Semi Finals of the tournament after seeing off Colombia and Sweden, but they were defeated by Croatia. They also lost the third place play-offs against Belgium and it was a disappointing end to the World Cup for Gareth Southgate and his wards.
Since then, England did avenge their defeat by winning against Croatia in the Nations Cup last year. They have reached the semi finals of the tournament as well, where they will lock horns against a stellar Netherlands side in June of this year. Southgate’s team won 10 of their 17 games in 2018, drawing 3 and losing the other 4. Spain, Croatia and Belgium (twice) are the only teams that beat them.
England will face Czech Republic and Montenegro in the UEFA Euro Qualifiers in the next few days and a win could help them strengthen their ranking, especially since they are just 3 points behind the team at 4th.
#4 Croatia
Points: 1634
Croatia have edged England to secure the 4th place at the start of the year. The runners-up of the 2018 FIFA World Cup won 8 of their 17 games last year, losing 5 and drawing the other 4.
The Blazers had a fantastic run in the World Cup, where they defeated Nigeria, Argentina, and Iceland in the group stages, before getting the better of Denmark, Russia and England in the knockouts. However, they were second best to the French team in the final and had to settle for silver.
Since then, Croatia have been defeated by England, and Spain and are currently on 1634 points. They are a long way away from the team at third in this list, but could lose their place to England if they fare poorly in the next few games.
The Croatians face Azerbaijan and Hungary in the next couple of days in the UEFA Euro Qualifiers. Since the inception of the ranking system, the average rank of the Croatia National Team has been 21.
#3 Brazil
Points: 1676
The South American nation is only the second team from the continent in a list dominated by Europe. Brazil played 15 games in 2018, won 13, drew 1 and lost just 1. As such, they are 3rd in the rankings right now, 42 points ahead of the nearest competitors. However, they are also 50 points behind the team in second and as such, the Latin American dominance in the world of football is under threat from their European counterparts.
The Seleção reached the Quarter finals of the 2018 FIFA World cup, but were defeated by a resolute Belgian team, who progressed into the semis. For a team that is always the favourites to win the tournament, it was a disappointing end to their World Cup.
Brazil next face Panama on Saturday and Czech Republic on Wednesday. They are currently third in the FIFA men's rankings and incidentally, it is also their average ranking since the start of the FIFA Ranking system.
#2 France
Points: 1726
The reigning FIFA World Champions are ranked second in the FIFA Rankings and only by a tiny margin. The France National Team was exceptional in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. They saw off challenges from Argentina, Uruguay and Belgium to reach the final, where they demolished a strong Croatian side to lift the title.
Les Bleus were defeated just twice in the whole of 2018 and won 12 of the 18 games played, drawing the other 4. They had a decent performance in the UEFA Nations League as well, but Netherlands topped the group by virtue of a better goal difference and as such, the world champions could not progress to the semi final of the tournament.
Since the World Cup, France has defeated Germany and Netherlands in the UEFA Nations League and Uruguay in a friendly. However they are unlucky to be just a point behind the team at the top of the pile. They next face Moldova on Friday and Iceland on Monday in the UEFA Euro Qualifiers.
#1 Belgium
Points: 1727
Belgium are the No. 1 football team in the world at the start of 2019, according to the FIFA Men's World Rankings. The Red Devils, as they are also called, have been tremendous in recent years. The country has produced some phenomenal footballing talents in the past few years and this has seen Belgium rise as a force to reckon with.
As such, it was only natural that they went into the 2018 FIFA World Cup as one of the favourites. Unfortunately, they were knocked out of the semi finals by eventual champions France. They ended the tournament as third, defeating England in the play offs.
Since the World Cup, Belgium had been in stellar form, until November when they were convincingly defeated in the UEFA Nations League by eventual semi finalists Switzerland. The Red Devils won 13 of the 17 games played in 2018, losing just 2 games in the whole year.
Belgium next face Russia and Cyprus in the UEFA Euro Qualifiers during this international break.
