Fifa Rankings: Burkina Faso overtake Nigeria

However, with South Africa dropping nine places, Nigeria's position on the continent remained safe at 5th. That was no consolation, as Burkina Faso jumped seven places to overtake Nigeria and move to 4th.

Ivory Coast ascended the top of the African ladder, leaping 7 places to displace Ghana at the top of the continental rankings.

The Black Stars drop down to second after plummeting a massive 18 places.

Two of Nigeria's African Nations Cup group rivals also lost rankings places. Guinea dropped 4 places to 66th in the world and and one place down in the continental rankings, while Ethiopia dropped 8 places in the world rankings to 136 but only one place down in Africa to 37.

Madagascar remained unmoved in both world and continental rankings. 

Africa's Top 20

14    1    Ivory Coast  33    2    Ghana  34    3    Egypt  37    4    Burkina Faso  41    5    Nigeria  43    6    Senegal  47    7    South Africa  48    8    Cameroon  51    9    Algeria  57    10    Tunisia  60    11    Gabon  63    12    Morocco  63    13    Libya 66    14    Guinea  71    15    Malawi  72    16    Zambia  74    17    Botswana  77    18    Uganda  78    19    Mali 

81    20    Cape Verde Islands