Australia NewsSocceroos Dodge FIFA Bullet |
AUSTRALIA managed to dodge another bullet in FIFA's World Rankings and actually went up a place in the latest list.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL LISTDespite a poor showing at the Asian Cup - where the Socceroos won just one game out of four - FIFA has pushed Australia up to 48th place from 49th.
Meanwhile Asian Cup champs Iraq have dropped a place, down to 65th. New Zealand also lost out, plummeting seven places to just 156th place out of 200.
Japan are the top-ranked Asian nation (34th), and Fiji come out on top in the Oceania zone after climbing 51 places to 119th.
At the other end, world champions Italy top the rankings after jumping two places following the recent Euro 2008 qualifiers.
A win over Ukraine and a draw with France sees Roberto Donadoni's side replace Brazil at the summit, with the South American side falling to third behind fellow Copa America finalists Argentina.
Germany move up one place to fourth, Holland are fifth, a rise of two places, while France's recent home defeat to Scotland drops them two places to sixth.
Iberian rivals Spain and Portugal are seventh and eighth respectively.
England were rewarded for positive results in the recent Euro 2008 qualifiers with a return to the top 10.
Wins over Israel and Russia saw England up to ninth, putting them back in the top 10 for the first time since June.
They also edge ahead of Group E rivals Croatia, who have dropped four places to 10th despite topping their qualifying table.
Scotland, meanwhile, were rewarded for their famous victory over France in Paris - as well as a more regulation win against Lithuania - with a nine-place surge to 14th.
Nigeria replace Cameroon as the top nation in Africa in 23rd place overall, while Mexico, 13th overall, lead the way in the CONCACAF zone.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL LIST
Copyright (c) 2009 Press Association
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