World champions Italy have made the most notable improvement in the new FIFA world rankings. The Azzurri's 5-3 penalty victory over France in the World Cup final last Sunday has seen the Italians move up 11 places to second, only behind the five-times world champions, Brazil.

The Brazilians keep their top spot despite being knocked out in the quarter finals to finalists France, who move up four places to fourth. Argentina also move up the rankings to third place, having previously sat in ninth. England make up the top five teams, having made a considerable improvement, moving up five places to fifth.

Besides minimal changes to the top 10 rankings, host nation Germany were the other big movers, up 10 places to ninth, after their performances in front of their home fans guided them to third place in this year's tournament. Other improvements in rankings came for Switzerland (13th having moved up 22 places), Ukraine (15th, up 30) and Ghana (25th, up 23).

The new rankings have seen numerous improvements for African football, with teams such as Cameroon and Nigeria finding themselves just outside of the top 10, despite not qualifying for this year's World Cup. The changes have also seen Mexico, USA, Iran, Japan and South Korea all slip down the table after disappointing tournaments.

A new method of calculation for the rankings has been used this year. The most important change to the calculation is that it will no longer take into account the last eight years of results but only the last four (48 months). All of the other factors previously taken into account (result, importance of match, strength of opponents, regional strength, number of matches considered) have also been revised. Two of the factors, goals scored and home advantage, will no longer have any impact on the ranking.

The next FIFA world rankings will be announced on 16 August this year.


Top Ten
01..Brazil (0)
02..Italy (+11)
03..Argentina (+6)
04..France (+4)
05..England (+5)
06..Netherlands (-3)
07..Spain (-2)
08..Portugal (-1)
09..Germany (+10)
10..Czech Republic (-

Other World Cup Teams
13..Switzerland (+22)
15..Ukraine (+30)
16..USA (-11)
18..Mexico (-14)
19..Paraguay (+14)
20..Ivory Coast (+12)
22..Sweden (-6)
23..Croatia (0)
25..Ghana (+23)
28..Ecuador (+11)
30..Poland (-1)
31..Tunisia (-10)
33..Australia (+9)
36..Serbia & Montenegro (+
45..Costa Rica (-19)
47..Iran (-24)
48..Togo (+13)
49..Japan (-31)
55..Angola (+2)
56..South Korea (-27)
64..Trinidad & Tobago (-17)
81..Saudi Arabia (-47)

Home Nations
39..Republic of Ireland (-
41..Scotland (+1
58..Wales (+16)
75..Northern Ireland (+21)

Very surpised we only went up to #33 but its still great.

How the hell can Uruguay who didnt make the cup go up about 20 places to 14th?

What a drop for the Saudi's

Some major movers in there, maily due to fifa's repointing system

Its alot more accurate now. Good to see USA, Mexico and Czech rep drop down, no way should they have been that high.
What happened to Ireand though, a few months ago we were 12th and weve only played 2 games since then, beating Sweden 3-0 and losing 1-0 to Chile.

Something I dont get though, how can Engand go up 5 places yet Portugal drop a place? Tjhat makes no sence

Portugal was the host of the Euro 2004, and made only friendly games for 2 years and many of them against "poor" teams, but (-1)!?

Italy should be toppppp!!!

its good seeing mexico and usa in 14 and 15 not 4th and 5th, which they didnt deserve also good seeing czech republic got to 10th not 2nd

It cant be right Uruguay 14th and didnt even make the finals Australia to the last 16 and ranked 33 sounds bit weird hope its not too do with money!!!

As I said mate, its due to a new pointing system that FIFA have adopted

New rankings out today??? No games have been played since the last ones so whats the point???

Those rankings were after the world cup bruv

I know thats what I said. What's the point in new rankings so soon after the World Cup, with only one friendly being played since? BRUV?

Australia -4 to 37 after a 2-0 win over kuwait overnight, who calculates the rankings wat are they smoking????

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!

We went down 4 ?!?!?!?!?!?!

Who the fark decides this

How can they judge us anyway? We had no starters from the team they played in the WC

Correct me if im wrong but they dont count friendlys well atleast they used to not count them which makes secne coz you could just arrange friendlys with poor teams like San Marino or Scotland.

HAHAH coming from a Sheffield fan, what would you know about good quality fan?

Youll never see Sheffield or England win anything in your lifetime how depressing...

Im proud to be a wednesday fan and iv already seen them win things Im happy tht iv not looked for glory and gone to Man United or sum1 like tht.

erm and thats coming from a celtic fan whose only real competition in their entire league are Rangers and yet they still struggle against teams like Inverness Caledonian Thistle!

And thats coming from a Charloton fan what was the last thing they won a relegation battle ?

And when the hell did Australia play Scotland. And Australia beat England a few years ago in England.

You don't understand my point, it was about competition not achievements

What england has done to deserve a +5?
IMO, Spain is better than england let alone portugal.

I don't mind a list of Coca-Cola

Well the last time we played spain i believe it was in spain and we won 3-0 amidst racist chantings

I also remember Portugal only beating us on penatlies!!

On this evidence I dont see how you can say both teams are better than England mate

You have such a bad memory

We beat you 1-0 in the Bernabeu and your dumbass idol, Rooney, should have been sent off for pushing Casillas.