THE Super Eagles have kept their place in the FIFA ranking for December.
The end-of-the-year ranking was released by FIFA today, with the Nigerian team in the 36th position as they were in November.
The Super Eagles thus retain their fifth spot in Africa, thereby guaranteeing they will be seeded for the Qatar 2022 World Cup playoffs.
Meanwhile, despite reaching the final of the FIFA Arab Cup in December, Nigeria’s group opponents at the Africa Cup of Nations in January, Egypt, remain in the 45th position worldwide, sixth in Africa.
Egypt will be one of the five unseeded teams for the World Cup playoffs and could draw Nigeria again.
The other teams in Nigeria and Egypt’s AFCON group are ranked much lower, with Guinea Bissau 106th in the world (24th in Africa) and Sudan 125th globally (33rd in Africa).
Senegal, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia remain Africa’s top four teams.Belgium are the top-ranked team in the world at the end of 2021, making it the fourth year in a row, with Brazil, France, England and Argentina completing the top five.
FIFA says a record-breaking 1116 international matches were played in 2021 as Canada are named the year’s ‘Most Improved Side’ having picked up no fewer than 130.32 points over the last 12 months.
The next FIFA world ranking will be published on 10 February, 2022.
