All credit to Wales as they have broken into the top ten in the FIFA World Rankings for the first time in their history. They sit 10th in the new rankings and that is just one place behind England who climbed six places to occupy 9th. Wales were 22nd in the previous rankings so it has been a massive move up from Chris Coleman’s men.
That 22nd spot was the previous highest that the Welsh had ever found themselves, but Gareth Bale’s recent winner over Belgium in the Euro 2016 qualifiers saw Wales on the climb. After picking up four points from their two games against Belgium in Group B of Euro 2016 qualification, Wales are in the driving seat in the group, sitting three points clear of the Red Devils at the top of the pile with just four games left to play.
That has left the Welsh as 11/10 second favourite to actually top the group and 1/12 to qualify for next summer’s finals. It has been a successful campaign for them and they can look behind them in the new FIFA rankings and see that reigning European Champions Spain are three places behind them.
Despite their recent loss to Chile in the final of the Copa America 2015, Argentina are the new top-ranked side in the world, climbing up three places to replace Germany who drop to second. Belgium, who were sitting second in the previous rankings also drop one place down to third. Northern Ireland are up seven places to 37th in the world, while Scotland drop one place to 29th.
