IRELAND HAVE JUMPED up five places in the latest Fifa World Rankings that were released today, following a pair of opening wins for Mick McCarthy’s side in the Euro 2020 qualifiers.
The start of McCarthy’s second spell in charge at the end of last month witnessed a 1-0 win away to Gilbraltar thanks to a Jeff Hendrick strike and a 1-0 victory at home against Georgia after Conor Hourihane netted.
Ireland stand top of Group D after two games with full points ahead of their trip to face Denmark in June and a home game against Gibraltar three days later.
As a result they move up five spots to 29th alongside Serbia and Venezuela. That was a ranking they previously enjoyed last August in the first rankings released after the World Cup in Russia.
Elsewhere Belgium remain in top spot ahead of World Cup winners France in second and Brazil in third while England have moved ahead of Croatia into fourth place. Gareth Southgate’s side were in impressive form in their opening qualifiers in Group A as they thrashed Czech Republic 5-0 at home before cruising to a 5-1 victory away to Montenegro.
Northern Ireland rise three places to 33rd after they won their opening two games in Group D with Wales staying put in 19th and Scotland falling four places to 44th.
Check out the full list of rankings here.
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We are lucky to have such competent people in charge of the FAI. We have them to thank for this jump in rankings. All hail King John
Just waiting on John now to claim credit for this
@Thomas Ryan: he probably claims the dole aswell.
Just had a look at the rankings there some stange ones..the likes of Qatar and Jamacia ahead of Ivory Coast..saying that i dont know whats going on with those teams recently but Ivory Coast used to be a handy enough team
@Kieran Fogarty: it’s possible that the African sides are just inactive lately whereas Qatar had a good run in the recent Asian Chapionships. Think they reached the final.
@Kieran Fogarty: Hard to imagine why Hungary are so low. I remember they were brilliant before. And Yugoslavia are not even in the rankings? Obviously a mistake
@Clay Davis: You’ll have to look again Clay. Yugoslavia are there just below Czechoslovakia.
@Stephen Keane: they won it, beating Japan in the final. Qatar will also play as a guest at the copa america this year.
All of John Delaney’s great work behind the scene coming to fruition . #DELANEYIN