The 185 matches played in the past month have certainly left their
mark on the current edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. In
the top ten, only Spain's ranking remains unchanged, and the world and
European champions have managed to further extend their lead at the
summit, where they have reigned since September 2011. However, there
has been a big shake-up just below pole position, where Argentina have
ousted Germany out of second place after successfully qualifying for
the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™. Uruguay (7th, up 5) are also among
this month's climbers, making it back into the top ten at the expense
of Portugal (11th, down 4). There are currently four South American
teams in the top ten. Belgium continue to rise up the global ladder.
The Red Devils are unbeaten in their Brazil 2014 qualifying campaign
and, with their current ranking of sixth, have once more reached their
best-ever position. There have been many changes, not just in the
upper echelons of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, which have mainly
been caused by the 86 FIFA World Cup qualifiers played in all of the
confederations except the OFC over the past month. Of the 820 total
preliminary matches leading to Brazil 2014, 747 have unfolded, and
nine teams – Japan, Australia, Iran, Korea Republic, Italy, the
Netherlands, Costa Rica, USA and Argentina – have secured places at
the tournament alongside the host nation. All matches played up to and
including 10 September have been taken into account for the current
edition of the FIFA/ Coca-Cola World Ranking. The current edition of
has taken the FIFA Disciplinary Committee's decision of 12 September
2013 on the Tunisia-Cape Verde Islands match into account. The next
instalment will be published on 17 October 2013.
