England drop to 20th in Fifa rankings

adamhigginsuk
Jul 17, 2014
2 min read

Disappointment: England had high hopes of making an impact at the 2014 World Cup but crashed out with just a solitary point from their group (Picture from Sky Sports)

ENGLAND have slumped to 20th in the latest Fifa rankings after their disappointing World Cup campaign.

The Three Lions, who were tenth before the tournament, failed to win a match and exited at the group stage in Brazil.

It means they are now below the likes of Colombia, Chile, Greece, the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina having dropped to their lowest position since May 1966.

World Cup winners Germany are now the number one team in the world for the first time in two decades, while Spain drop from first to eighth after failing to reach the knockout stages.

Host nation Brazil are down four places to seventh following their 7-1 semi-final thrashing by Germany and third place play-off defeat to Holland, who jumped 12 positions to third behind runners-up Argentina.

Jose Pekerman's Colombia, who lost to Brazil in the last eight but impressed in the group phase and last 16, are now up four places into fourth.

Belgium rise to fifth and France are back in the top 10 but fellow European sides Portugal and Italy have dropped to 11th and 14th respectively after failing to make it out of their groups.

Quarter-finalists Costa Rica, who beat Italy and Uruguay before drawing with England in Group D, have also moved above Roy Hodgson's side into 16th place.

England are now ranked just seven places above Scotland while Wales and Republic of Ireland remain 44th and 70th respectively, with Northern Ireland are up one spot to 89th.

The Three Lions, who were as high as third in August 2012, have not been so low in the rankings since before the European Championships in 1996 when they sat 24th.

Hodgson will look to rebuild again in their Euro 2016 qualification campaign which starts against Switzerland in Berne on September 7.

The group also includes Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania and San Marino.

THE WORLD'S NEW TOP TEN:

1) Germany

2) Argentina

3) Netherlands

4) Colombia

5) Belgium

6) Uruguay

7) Brazil

8) Spain

9) Switzerland