New Delhi: The Indian men’s national football team has remained static at the disappointing 124th position in the latest FIFA rankings released on Thursday.
This stagnation occurs despite Argentina, the reigning champions, strengthening their lead after their Copa America triumph.
India’s ranking has shown a persistent decline since December 2023. Having achieved a historic peak at 99th place last year, the team has since been in a slump, missing out on the critical third round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) rankings present even more disheartening news for India, with the team placed 22nd, behind countries such as Lebanon, Palestine, and Vietnam.
In contrast, Argentina (1st) has further solidified its top position in the FIFA rankings by successfully defending its Copa America title. France (2nd) continues to hold the second spot after a robust performance in the EURO 2024 semifinals.
Spain (3rd) has seen the most significant rise, becoming the new European champions and climbing five places into the top three, which has nudged England (4th) down despite their commendable journey to the EURO 2024 final. Brazil (5th) has dropped one spot due to these changes.
Belgium (6th) is outside the top five for the first time in a while, followed by the Netherlands (7th) and Portugal (8th). Colombia (9th) has climbed three places, offering hope for South American teams, even after losing the Copa America final to Argentina. Italy completes the top ten, sitting in 10th place.
