Nigeria ends 2024 as FIFA’s 44th best footballing nation

The Super Eagles retained their number 44th position in the latest FIFA ranking released yesterday. This is their lowest rating since 2018. In the ranking released on FIFA’s official website, the Eagles maintained their fifth position in Africa behind Morocco, Senegal, Egypt and Algeria.

Nigeria was ranked 36th in the world before November’s ranking, which pushed the Eagles down eight places to 44th spot. Nigeria’s steep drop was caused by the country’s struggles in the World Cup qualifying series, where they drew with South Africa and lost to Benin Republic.

Just as they did in 2023, Argentina (1st) sign off for the year in top spot, with France (2nd) and Spain (3rd) joining them on the podium. As for those in the chasing pack, England (4th), Brazil (5th), Portugal (6th), the Netherlands (7th), Belgium (8th), Italy (9th) and Germany (10th) all retain their places in the upper echelons of the ranking.

Indeed, that lack of movement is mirrored throughout the top 100, where there is not even the slightest bit of jostling for position.The prize for the biggest climbers in the latest installment of the ranking goes to Vietnam (114th, up two steps). Elsewhere, Hong Kong, China (155th, up 1) have amassed the most points (4.18) in climbing up one place.

However, the pair aren’t the only sides to close out the year on a high, with another 10 of the 211 ranked teams also making some limited headway, rising one place to their present position: The Gambia (125th), India (126th), Solomon Islands (147th), Lesotho (149th), Singapore (160th), Cuba (163rd), St Lucia (167th), Malta (168th), American Samoa (187th) and Gibraltar (196th).

Having contested more matches than anyone else in the ranking in 2024, Angola – who lined up no fewer than 21 times – have registered the biggest climb over the past 12 months, progressing a jaw-dropping 32 places to their current perch of 85th. The Palancas Negras, who have clearly taken inspiration from the sprightly antelopes to whom they owe their nickname, are pursued most closely by Jordan (64th, up 23) and Fiji (148th, up 20) by this measure.