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Zambia break into top 50 in Fifa rankings

Zambia break into top 50

Posted: 2012-02-15 12:21

Fresh from their Africa Cup of Nations triumph, Zambia are now among the top 50 countries in world football, while Bafana Bafana drop again.

World soccer's controlling body Fifa confirmed on Wednesday that Chipolopolo are now ranked 43rd in the world – an improvement of 28 positions, following the release of the latest rankings, but for their neighbours South Africa the downward spiral continues.

Bafana Bafana have dropped two places from 56 last month to 58 this month.

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Côte d'Ivoire, who lost to Zambia in the Afcon Final, remain Africa's highest-positioned team, while Zambia are now fourth on the African continent.

The top 10 teams in Africa are; Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Algeria, Zambia, Mali, Gabon, Libya, Nigeria, Tunisia and South Africa.

Spain remain the top ranked side in world football, followed by the Netherlands and Uruguay in second and third respectively.

The results of 51 international matches were taken into account in compiling the current edition of the Fifa rankings, of which 32 took place at the Africa Cup of Nations and 19 were international friendlies.

The next Fifa rankings will be issued on March 7, 2012, one week earlier than originally planned.

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Dobson: 2012-02-15 12:31

What is Pitso's Bafana doing on the list of top 10 football nations of Africa?

People_Lie: 2012-02-15 12:33

I bet with my last rand Mzanzi will never drop again, it can only rise from now on. If you asking me why I say so will suggest you stop smoking pot.

Nebo: 2012-02-15 12:34

Gabon and Lybia behind Nigeria, Cameroon, Egypt and South Afirca even though they didn't qualify to ACN but still much better.

let us wait next fifa rankings as everyone will go were he belong.

5 SKIPAZ: 2012-02-15 12:38

Excuse my ignorance, isnt the recent outcome of the AFCON shud determine the standings in Arica just like they do with the world cup. i thot Zambia was automatically sitting on the first position,Ivory coast,Mali and Ghana. So what was Ghana and Mali position 3 was for?

Tshwane Derby: 2012-02-15 12:40

Ghana must be at no 4,

People_Lie: 2012-02-15 12:45

@brapat
I understand Ivory Coast and Ghana cases since they also collected points at the AFCON Finals but as for Algeria me dont know how, they did not even qualify for the competion the last world cup their best result was a draw or maybe they collected most of their points before 2010.

People_Lie: 2012-02-15 12:47

On the other side Pitso just got another excuse to talk about the rankings.

KaMashobana: 2012-02-15 13:00

Brapat

BEven with the world cup, it doest follow that if you win it, u are automatically no 1. Remember Spain had consistently done very in the qualifying rounds of the 2010 world cup, there-by collecting a lot of points and getting very close to the top. Now when Brazil were sent parking early Spain took advantage by going all the way to the top.

Another example is when France won the world cup in 1998.....they did not occupy the the first spot, leaving Brazil( who lost in the final) still at the top.

Remember you earn more points by winning against top ranked teams and lesser by drawing against top ranked teams. Not that if you beat no1 then you become no1.

anne : 2012-02-15 13:02

cn sum1 tel me wt is so special bout *algeria.*

Skepe Mketule: 2012-02-15 13:05

still nt convinced:

1. Zambia
2. IC
3. Mali
4. Ghana
5. Senegal
6. Guinea
7. Nigeria
8. Camroon
9. Algeria
10. SA

KaMashobana: 2012-02-15 13:10

@ People_lie:

What it means is that , in the last rankings Zambia were far behind Algeria, to an extent that points collected (in the Afcon) were not enough to overtake them.Not being in the Afcon does not mean Algeria looses points but 'might' be overtaken by some of the teams in the Afcon.

Teams that were shown the exit door early in the Afcon, like Botswana, who lost all their games are likely to have dropped points.Using the same logic i thought u will also question the logic behind BB dropping 2 pts yet they were not in the Afcon.

Dooba OPC: 2012-02-15 13:12

It shows that under safa's watch bafana were desperate for rankings that they bribed the referees just before the world cup to undo what their proigal bad decision called Santana was annihilating- how can you put inproving world raning as part of your performance objective ahead of performing per se? If your main objective is to perform, subsequently you will improve your ranking if that goal is achieved; but on the contrary if your objective is to improve the ranking, how do you suppose to do that in the absence of performance as the objective? Safa mara! well done the Zambia!!!

People_Lie: 2012-02-15 13:17

Sam

Remember even SA did not become no1 after beating Tunisia in 96 they only became number 1 after losing to Egypt in the final of 98 AFCON due to them being the most consistent team during that period. The same aplies to Zambia if they continue with the good work they are doing they will also break into the top 20 world rankings maybe even top 10 becoming the best in Africa in the process.

People_Lie: 2012-02-15 13:23

@ Kwamashobana

I understand its just that I did not track Algeria enough to make sense out of this. But then how do you explain Gabon being above Nigeria, Tunisia, SA, Senegal and Cameroon they did not play qualifiers only friendlies did not qualify for the 2010 world cup, 2010 AFCON they were not even a force in AFRICA before. Maybe is because of the first lady, women are magicians.

Salazani: 2012-02-15 13:35

@People -Lie, good explanation, however, the rankings to some of us dont make much sense. For example, Zambia reached the quarter finals in Angola by beating Gabon, drawing against Tunisia, narrowly losing to Cameroon and drawing with Nigeria. All these teams were ranked, higher than Zambia. But Zambia came out ranked lower. During the qualifiers for Afcon 2012, Zambia only lost once, and this was to a team that was still ranked higher than them, but Zambia's raknming kept going down, during 2011, it even reached its all time low of 99th. Behind, teams like Mozambiaque, Zimbabwe, Botwsana and the like. Zambia entered the Afcon raked 16th in Africa, only Sudan and Equatorial Guinea were ranked lower than Zambia. But this was a Zambia that had topped its qualifying group, dropping only 4 points in 6 games. Are these rankings really genuine? With all due rispect, South Africa did not even qualify for Angola 2010 and Afcon 2012, but they remained in the top 10 in Africa, are we missing something here?

BigJ_Okocha: 2012-02-15 13:47

What is it that BafanaX2 is doing in this top 10 list? Or is it the top 10 list of host countries? If so then I would agree. Otherwise I surely do not understand what they are doing in this list. Not unless it is the top 10 list of 'after match celebrations'.

Totalfootball : 2012-02-15 13:53

I don't believe in this FIFA rankings,whoever is behind them must be paid some money so that certain teams stay at the top at the expense of other teams despite their failures.

People_Lie: 2012-02-15 13:57

@Salazani

Good point you raising correct me If I am wrong my photographic memory lets me down this days, I think Zambia was ranked above Bafana just before 2010 world cup. But then bafana played a lot of international friendllies and won most of them against higher ranked teams. They also beat france in the world cup but SA's rankings only started rising for sure after they beat Egypt which was in the top 10 of world rankings. I remeber a question was asked as to how is it possible that bafana's increase is so slow even though they have been collecting points a formula was then issued, but I still say if you use that formula still Gabon being above Nigeria, SA and Tunisia won't be justified.

Another important point a case of Egypt still does not make sense if algeria is there. Anyway it depends how you look at it South Africa and Nigeria did not do that badly during qualifiers thay were just outclassed by Niger and Guinea respectively. The case of Guinea is also a sad one besides being robbed by the SA referee during the Ghana match I still say they should be above Libya.

Lastly I think the rankings the way they are done is not a true reflection of the strength of teams. The more you play games you have more chances of rising or dropping which does not make sense.

SisterP: 2012-02-15 14:27

how crazy that people never question ranking if our their teams have moved up rankings. When things are bad you start questioning. Nigeria, SA did not lose any games in the past month, but Botswana, Niger and Ghana lost games. Qualifying for AFCON can work for you or against you.

People_Lie: 2012-02-15 14:39

@SisterP
No one is quetioning the rankings we are just discussing them like adults. This topic is international its not about chiefs or pirats its even bigger than Pitso.

Just a question do you think rankings reflects the strength of teams? A wild guess from me I think you will say no.

I am south african I dont care who is at the top what I care about is to see my country at major tournaments, I think that is a resonable expectation from a soccer loving south african I wont insult you if maybe you were trying to tempt me.

You may never know but our discussion can go a long way into educating FIFA they cant be always right. One thing I learned about sport you can criticise the teams the players not the fans they just acting on impulse.

SisterP: 2012-02-15 16:36

People_Lie: 2012-02-15 14:39
im sure after writing that you thought you were clever. you can not ask why algeria is number 3 and question the logic that is used to do rankings. that is not ayoba. Rankings are system or computer base which is processing according to the very same settings that make you happy some time. So stop questioning stupid things and use idiotic arguments.

SisterP: 2012-02-15 16:44

People_Lie: 2012-02-15 14:39
im sure after writing that you thought you were clever. you can not ask why algeria is number 3 and question the logic that is used to do rankings. that is not ayoba. Rankings are system or computer base which is processing according to the very same settings that make you happy some time. So stop questioning stupid things and use idiotic arguments.

Isaac chang\'ombe : 2012-02-15 18:08

Dipsy Sololwane told Botswana nation that Zebra's r afeared team b4 afcon games. Look at the rankings, shame not even in cosafa top 5. Congrats to the african champions 4 bringing the cup down here and reducing de distance it could travell in 2013 to Southafrica

Salazani: 2012-02-15 18:28

This SisterP has some seriuos issues to deal with! I thought this was a logical discusion about the rankings. I for one have learnt something from some sensible contributions, I m supprised pipo can bring their rudeness out even to strangers they dont even know!!!!!Chill my sister, we all can insult but we dont need to.

meg7113: 2012-02-15 23:07

@Salazani, I have similar questions on this so called FIFA ranking. The corrupt association has adopted FAIR PLAY as a slogan but its far from reality.
1. In fair competition this ranking does not favour so called minor (intimidation)
2. Africa in spite of being bigger than most continents is given only five places for the world(discrimination). And the ranking plays a very important determinant on who should be seeded.
3. Refusing to use HI-tech in games (match-fixing)
If a team loses its clear not a point is collected. Teams share points in a draw and a winning team collects three points is the only fairness I have seen. As for ranking it is all silly. Besides some countries have a lot of friendlies and collect more points. That is not a fair reflection. The world cup can only be fair to put all countries together and make draws against the biased continental draws. To mitigate costs the qualifying could be organized the COSAFA way. Lastly, FIFA should not allow any journalist to call any team as underdogs. Its a racist remark to me.

mapayi: 2012-02-16 18:15

@Sam thanks 4 information, iwas still taken aback, why Zambia hdnt automatically casted 2 number1.