CNNSI.com - Soccer - Brazil back at No. 1 in FIFA rankings

Brazil back at No. 1 in FIFA rankings

Posted: Wednesday July 03, 2002 9:24 AM

ZURICH (Reuters) -- Brazil is top of the FIFA rankings after its World Cup victory while runner-up Germany has climbed six places to fifth.

FIFA World Rankings

Pos. Country Points

1 Brazil 852

2 Argentina 784

= France 784

4 Spain 774

5 Germany 765

6 Mexico 739

7 Portugal 731

8 England 728

9 Colombia 725

10 Italy 720

11 United States 712

12 Turkey 707

13 Denmark 704

14 Ireland 699

15 Netherlands 697

16 Yugoslavia 689

17 Cameroon 680

18 Paraguay 679

19 Belgium 678

20 Sweden 674

Brazil is now in front of joint-second Argentina and France while World Cup quarterfinalists Spain moved up four places to fourth, according to the monthly rankings released Wednesday.

England also climbed four places to eighth after reaching the quarterfinals before going out to Brazil in the Korea/Japan finals that ended Sunday.

Also moving up was surprise semifinalist Turkey, 10 places from 22nd to 12th. Mexico are up one place to sixth and Portugal up two to seventh.

Going in the other direction was Italy, which has dropped four places to 10th after its controversial elimination against co-host South Korea in the second round.

The places from fourth to 10th are, however, bunched with only 54 points between them, whereas Brazil, which won all seven of its World Cup matches, is 68 points ahead of Argentina and France.

France was top before its poor defense of the World Cup in which it failed to win a match or score a goal. It had held the top spot since May 2001 when it ended Brazil's seven-year domination of the rankings.

Argentina remains joint second after its shock first round elimination.

Copa America holder Colombia, which did not qualify for the World Cup finals, dropped from fourth to ninth.

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