Few days after the just concluded 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast, Nigeria have soared highly to 28th position in the latest FIFA ranking.
The placement is certainly due to
Super Eagles performance at AFCON 2023.
Nigeria, moving under 30 for the first time in recent years, was to their brave performance at the AFCON which saw that lose just one match out of seven the tournament.
The 28th position saw them move 14 places from the previous ranking released last year.
The Nigerian team scored eight goals and conceded four goals in Ivory Coast, keeping four clean sheets in the process, but couldn’t find the cutting edge in the AFCON 2023 final under the tutelage of Portuguese tactician, Jose Peseiro.
Despite their loss, their display in the tournament has seen them shoot up in the ranking.
Previously ranked 42, Nigeria moved up fourteen places and are now 28, and third in Africa, just behind Morocco and Senegal who occupy 12th and 17th places respectively.
The 2013 AFCON champions are ranked 3rd in the Africa behind second placed Senegal (17) and 1st placed Morocco (12).
2023 AFCON winners, Ivory Coast are ranked 39th globally and 5th in Africa.
Senegal (17th, up 3), who suffered shoot-out heartbreak at the hands of the eventual winners Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup of Nations round of 16, break new ground.
Other impressive performers are Equatorial Guinea (79th, up 9), South Africa (58th, up 8), Cabo Verde (65th, up 8), Namibia (107th, up 8) and Mali (47th, up 4).
The next edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking will be published on 4 April.
