FIFA World Cup 2022: Brazil Head To Qatar As Top-Ranked Side For First Time After 12 Years

New Delhi: Five-time world champions Brazil will enter the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar as the top-ranked team in the world. They have widened the gap between themselves and their nearest challengers Belgium (2nd) in the latest FIFA Rankings released on Thursday.

Brazil defeated Ghana and Tunisia in their two friendlies last week, on the other hand, Brazil lost to the Netherlands (8th, -) in the Nations League. Lionel Messi’s Argentina is currently in the third position.

Just behind lie reigning world champions France (4th), followed by England (5th). The only change in the top 10 saw Italy (6th) leapfrog Spain (7th) who drop down a place.

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It’s the fifth time that Brazil is going into the tournament as the number-one side in the world. The last time they went into FIFA World Cup as the top team was in 2010 in South Africa. Before that, they played in the tournament as number one in 2006, 1998 and 1994.

A total of 53 UEFA Nations League matches and 119 friendlies were played in the last international break before the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, which begins on 20 November. As well as giving the 32 qualifiers for the upcoming world finals one last dress rehearsal, the matches also had an impact on the latest FIFA World Ranking.

There is more movement further down the Ranking. Croatia (12th) rose three places, while Iran (20th) moved into the top 20, followed closely by Serbia (21st), who gained four places.

The biggest movers were teams who failed to qualify for Qatar 2022, namely Scotland (40th) and Azerbaijan (123rd), both five places higher.

Honourable mentions should also go to Algeria (37th, plus 4), Georgia (78th, plus 4), Mauritania (103rd, plus 4) and Suriname (139th, plus 4), all of whom ascended four places.

(With inputs from FIFA)