New Delhi: The Indian football team has retained its 124th spot while Lionel Messi’s Argentina consolidated the top position in the latest FIFA rankings issued on Thursday. Argentina’s unbeaten run to the continental title glory strengthened their hold at the top spot.
India heaved a sigh of relief as it didn’t drop any place in the rankings after descending three spots in the previous rankings updated in June after a failed 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.
India’s performance has been declining since December last year. It had ranked 99 at its highest point when it first entered the top 100 last year, but it has since been falling.
In Asia, India are placed in the 22nd spot, behind the likes of Syria, Palestine, and Vietnam.
France maintained their second spot in the rankings after making it to the semifinals of Euro 2024.
European champions Spain gained five places to finish third while finalist England moved up one place to fourth ahead of Brazil, which dropped to fifth. Belgium fell three places to sixth, now outside the top five, followed by the Netherlands in seventh, and Portugal, which dropped two places to eighth.
Colombia, despite a narrow loss to Argentina in the Copa America final, moved up three places to ninth, marking its return to the top 10.
–IANS
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