The Africa Cup of Nations has left its mark on the latest edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, with Zambia, who won first continental title in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, climbing to 43rd.
This is the first time since February 2001 that the side, coached by Herve Renard, have made it into the top 50.
The Chipolopolo are now ranked 4th on the continent behind Ivory Coast,Ghana and Algeria.
The rankings were released today by FIFA.
Despite losing on penalties in the decider, Cote d’Ivoire 15th, remain Africa”s highest-positioned team. Aside from the two finalists, third-placed Mali 44th, up 25 places as well as host nations Gabon 45th, up 46 places and Equatorial Guinea 110th, up 41 places have made considerable ground.
Changes are also to be seen in the top ten, with Germany 2nd, up 1 place bumping the Netherlands out of second place to take up position behind Spain, and Portugal 6th, and Italy 8th also making headway. Denmark have moved into the top ten (10th, up 1), pushing Argentina down to 11th.
All of these changes in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Ranking are due to the devaluation of matches from previous years, as no top-ten team has played a match in the last month.
QFM
Great! Now it will be easier for our footballers to get work permits in UK.
This is wrong, the minimum we deserve to be is number 3 in Africa after Ivory Coast and Ghana, where has Algeria come from??? They didn’t even make it to AFCON!!!!
I think they take an average over the last three years. Remeber Algeria went to the World cup and we have never
ALGERIA !!!!!!!!!! HOW?????????
Well done boys, and we should continue winning and winning until we break into top 10 world wide!
Surely the boys can now play in the Premier League, go Zambia Go.
UNFAIR UNFAIR UNFAR. WHAT HAS GONE WRONG. WE BEAT CIV AND GANA FOR CRYING OUT LOUD.
how do these guys do the ranking anyway……we should be top on the african chart…we are the champions of africa mwalaba shani?…can someone tell me how it is done please……?
Zambia must be 1st In Africa same like Spain after winning the world cup they are ranked 1st. Why not Zambia 1st in Africa?????
Hope their scouts will work hard to place them in Premier League clubs, even if it is not top 4 Clubs. Can take advantage of recent exposure.
we are number one in africa in boxsen when we you beat the champion then you are the champion ………………….please help me if i am long …………go chipolopolo
we r No 1 and not 4.. where has Algeria Come from
Next game against Egypt: Egypt Underdog – Zambia UPDOG!!!! Hahaha nice And also against Nigeria: Nigeria userdog – Chipolopolo UPDOG!!!!!!! weeeeeeleeeeee!!!!!!!!
Let them rank us anywhere they want but we shall prove to them that we are far much better than their rankings. As the president said, this should only be the beginning of many more glorious achievements to come.
How can you place the African Champions at rank number 4 behind miserable losers: Ivory Coast, Ghana and the non-cup contenders Algeria eh? Somebody got to explain why. *fyola*
Ivory Coast aren’t miserable. They only lost one game at the tournament and didn’t lose any during the year. Ghana too have been consistent. Algeria’s position I dont understand well enough cos they didn’t win many games in 2011 and lost all their games at the World Cup
Why???? Algeria!!! How!!!!
Why???? Algeria!!! How???
zambia is number 1,we re now the african champions..
Propaganda even in football. Countries like Wales, Armania, Israel, na Serbia Mwebandu bakwalesa…
Propaganda even in football. Countries like Wales, Armania, Israel, na Serbia Mwebandu bakwalesa…are above Zambia….they can not even make the Euros
What ever rules applies here, it does not make sense. We prayed and worn both Ghana and IC, how do they rank us behind them. Well, we shall prove it to them that we are the champions when we play Ghana in June (or is it July) at LPM stadium
I have no problem with Ivory coast and Ghana, but NOT ALGERIA????? why???????? fifa please stop insulting the champions. Other wise there is no need to have afcon competition. That is enought test to use..Am upset that ALGERIA of all teams is above us
Lets not go to sleep but instead pile up friendlies with top teams to get a better ranking.In the early 90’s we had reached 16th in the world.We need more wins now that we have exorcised the ghost of Gabon.Good luck mighty Zambia.You are a great team.GOD BLESS ZAMBIA.
Play the game :) Congratulations Zed.
The only sports rankings that make sense are the mens’ tennis rankings. The world No.1 always beats those behind him. Roger was unbeatble at No. 1 and so is Djokovic. The moment he starts losing even the No. 1 status is lost. These FIFA rankings are therefore just pure trash
Which part of champion doesnt FIFA understand? champion means best or number one fullstop.
I should add even those ranked higher are now worried about 4 and 43. Designing my new cap and t-shirt. Anyone want one :)
The rankings go with points which are dependant on yo current position like the way it is done with Tennis.
next we will be told that Bafana bafana is ahead of us in rankings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!why Algeria????????thats the problem with african things. Napashili fya corruption…
Imwe bantu its complicated. They give points according to your performance the past 4 years.
They add the average number of points gained from matches during the past 12 months;
and the average number of points gained from matches older than 12 months.
In one match the number of points a team can win depends on 1 whether the match was won or drawn 2 How important was the match; a friendly is lowest and a FIFA World Cup match the highest. 3 The ranking of the team you are playing against. When you beat a higher ranked team you gain more points than when you beat a lower ranked team.
Thanks for this explanation
You’re welcome my brother!
Please people do we just comment for the sake. Why can’t we try and understand how points are awarded please. you can get that information on the following websites http://www.fifa.com and http://www.cafonline.com.
The more quality games you play and win, the higher you go up the ladder. Remember Zambia was at 16 in Africa and was it 86th in the World? For our players to qualify for work permit in Euorpe, Zambia needs to be ranked 60 or better in the World. So they now qualify!!
Zambia is number 1 in Africa that is the right place they are second to no one in the continent what else do cocacola need they are the best team as of now jailous down
this rating is trick now. what should zambia do to be #1 if being african champs cant put us on top?its insulting to be a champ yet the teams u walloped are rated ahead of us.
good move up..just keep winning and no friendlies with lowly placed teams.Faz should now start to seek a friendly match with the welsh team.. the next victims..ha hah…now the wife will kill me as she is welsh.
pipo, there is nothing trash about these ratings. This is a very good begining for our team and our boys. Everyone must know that Egypt is the immediate past champion for 4years but cote’ de voir has been africa’s # 1 for at least 2yrs, why?
ALGERIA??? HOW???? NO we should be 3RD, ANYHOW BETTER THAN NOTHING THANK YOU BOYS?? BA FIFA It’s when you know known how Good Zambia is?? WE ARE A SPECIAL COPPER BULLET. POWER????
Ba FIFA mwabe TTTTT! That does not make sense
No we need to be on number one. we are the champions
Congats boys, continue wiring them chaps and we will climb to number 1 very soon
Fifa ranking method is explained via this link http://www.fifa.com/worldranking/procedureandschedule/menprocedure/index.html
In order to maintain this position or even move up, FAZ must make sure that we utilise ALL the FIFA scheduled days for International friendlies and these must be against highly ranked opponents. That how some countries keep accumulating points.
It a weighted average over time. Well done we should be number one anyway.
These rankings are simply propaganda. Anyway, why didn’t super-sport show the prize giving ceremony? I was very disappointed.
Bloggers, Mushota suffers from inferiority complex and is here to seek attention when we respond to her posts. In the interest of Lusaka Times and our nation, I am launching a campaign to avoid responses from this useless and pathetic individual. If ignore we ignore her comments, she will disappear in oblivion. But if we respond, we reward her stupidity by giving her a platform. Please join the campaign to ignore Mushota now!
good one, count me in.
True
Count me in too. I have always ignored her/him and never ever respond to what he says
The three teams above us are buoyed up by the previous World Cup Finals and participation. And the silver lining for us in this ranking? …Motivation to qualify for next World Cup Finals. And to go to Brazil and win some matches. Period.
Damn! FIFA is in denial. They were rooting for Goliath but to their dismay, David sling-shot him down. We, the intrepid, just like dynamite come in small packs but our tenacity flattens humongous mountains. FIFA should stop living in dream land and come to terms with reality. The fact is that WE ARE THE “SUPERNOVA” and deserve the top most spot on the African soccer microcosm rankings irrespective. RESPECT!
Sorry, bloggars! I meant “World Cup Finals qualification and participation.”
This promotion has come from none other than God. Chipolopolo boys continue to seek God and lead upright lives. Don’t forget about him remember how fervently you prayed on the pitch and hey, look at the dollars going into your pockets. Praise God!
you people are suprised at algeria? its because they are non black, they cant include only all black african country without a single all white country!
Imwe ba FIFA, we beat both Ivory Coast and Ghana within the last one week remember? And Algeria was conveniently nowhere near enough to be beaten by Chipolopolo too!
For you to be posting on this blog then your obviously have internet access. Even with that you can’t take a few minutes to google the Fifa rankings and read for yourself how they are calculated? What sort of ignorance is this!!!
let the boys aim for brail 2014, perform wonders and.. voila! you will be no.1. efyo iya bola.
Bona Monde. Zambia is now no4 in África from No16.From No.71 to No.43. We are coming up. Dont Kubeba.
@ bb. The FIFA formula on the internet is for world rankings. There is no reason why we should not be # 1 continentally.
Ths just dont make sense.What does wining AFCON mean if we stil b ranked 4th.To hell with there rankings.At th moment all i know is we are number 1!!
Guys Alg went to the world cup of nations we dint so why shud we be on top of Alg.
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Can someone justify about Algeria holding 3rd position in Africa.I personally feel Zambia should be 3rd in Africa.