The Netherlands rose again on Thursday in the FIFA ranking. Partly due to reaching the quarterfinals at the World Cup, the Orange is now sixth. Argentina rises one place after winning the world title and is second.
The Orange wins two places compared to the previous publication of the FIFA ranking in October. Sixth place is the best ranking for the Dutch national team since 2015.
The Netherlands was fifth seven years ago, after which a free fall in the world ranking began. The low point was the 36th place in 2017. Since then, the Orange has been on a steady rise.
That advance is now continuing thanks to the results at the World Cup in Qatar, where the Netherlands was the only country to remain undefeated (penalty series not included). In the quarterfinals, the team of national coach Louis van Gaal was eliminated by Argentina on penalties.
Argentina second, Croatia and Morocco are rising sharply
Argentina, which won the World Cup final against France on penalties, moved from third to second place. France also rises one place (from four to three). Both countries benefit from the early elimination of Belgium, which already had to go home after the group stage and lost two places.
Croatia and Morocco are the biggest climbers in the top of the ranking. The finalist from four years ago won bronze in Qatar and moved up five places. After the successful World Cup, Morocco rises no less than eleven places to eleven, the highest ranking this century.
Brazil, which dethroned Belgium in March this year after 3.5 years as leader of the ranking, retains the lead. The last time Brazil and Argentina shared the top two positions was in June 2017.
The FIFA rankings are based on the results of the national teams over the past four years. The number of points that FIFA awards to a country after a match depends, among other things, on the importance of the match and the strength of the opponent.
FIFA-ranglijst (tussen haakjes de vorige notering)
- 1. Brazilië (1)
- 2. Argentinië (3)
- 3. Frankrijk (4)
- 4. België (2)
- 5. Engeland (5)
- 6. Nederland (8)
- 7. Kroatië (12)
- 8. Italië (6)
- 9. Portugal (9)
- 10. Spanje (7)
