FIFA World Rankings Defy Logic

We have long believed that the FIFA World Rankings are about as useful or accurate as a Shaun Wright-Phillips cross. And now we have the ultimate proof.

The latest FIFA World Rankings were released earlier this week and boy do they give out a false representation of what’s actually happening in the world of international football.

The top five football nations on the planet more or less pick themselves. Spain leapfrog Brazil into top spot following their historic World Cup triumph. Losing finalists the Netherlands jump to second place. Brazil fall two spots from the May 2010 FIFA Rankings, from 1st to 3rd. Germany sit pretty in 4th with their impressive performances in South Africa. And on the back of some scintillating displays Maradona‘s Argentina squeeze into 5th place.

Beyond the top five however, the FIFA World Rankings paint a puzzling picture. World Cup underachievers England move up to 7th position. You’re joking? World Cup absentees Egypt and Croatia sit in 9th and 15th place respectively. Seriously? Even Greece, who were eliminated at the Group stage, jump a place to 12th.

So what does it all mean? Absolutely nothing. Let’s take England for example. Fabio Capello‘s side played four matches at the World Cup, winning one, tying two and losing one. They scored two goals and conceded five, displaying some of most disjointed, dispassionate football of all the 32 nations involved. Despite their shambolic showing they still managed to jump from 8th spot to 7th. Portugal were the only team in the top 10, other than Brazil, to move down the ladder but even their descent from 3rd to 8th makes little sense as they were head and shoulders above the Three Lions. If FIFA can explain that equation then we’ll run through the streets of Buenos Aires naked.

Pages: 1 2