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USMNT drops two spots in latest FIFA rankings

Photo by Geoff Burke/USA Today Sports
Photo by Geoff Burke/USA Today Sports

The U.S. Men’s National Team took a small drop in the latest FIFA rankings as the Hexagonal phase of World Cup qualifying looms next month.

Following friendlies against Cuba and New Zealand, the USMNT was bumped down two spots to No. 24 in the latest FIFA world rankings. However, the U.S. is still ranked third in CONCACAF behind Mexico (17th) and Costa Rica (18th).

Argentina still occupies the top spot despite tying Peru and losing to Paraguay in their most recent World Cup qualifiers. Germany moved up to second and Brazil is now third thanks to its brilliant form. Belgium and Colombia were knocked down to fourth and fifth, respectively, while Copa America winners Chile are still in sixth. Wales made way for Spain, who cracked the top 10.

The biggest mover was Montenegro as it shot up 49 spots to 56th. Cyprus took the biggest drop, falling 52 places to 139th.

Comments

  1. So my only issue with their weighting is that Chile beat Argentina twice in the past 2 years in Major competitions and is both ranked behind them… and not even in the top group at all. In this, I think the weighting needs to change… how can you be second place in 3 tournaments in three years and still be ahead of BOTH of the teams that beat you?

    As for the US, we are somewhere between 16-32… until we get past the round of 16 in a world cup (recently people, I am aware of 2002) we can’t claim any better (and same for Mexico, and CR, by the way).

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    • Unfortunately for Chile and its ranking they only receive credit for draws in each Copa final because they went to PKs, I believe any extra time is considered a draw. Add to that they lost to Argentina at home in qualifying and their record since the Copa is 1-2-1 with a win over Peru and a 0-0 tie at home to Bolivia and 6th place doesn’t seem so bad. If the WC qualifying ended today Chile wouldn’t even be in. Of course #1 Argentina would be in a playoff with New Zealand.

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  2. The US dropped two spots because Peru and Iceland were playing qualifiers. Peru’s draw with Argentina minus Messi and its loss to Chile were still worth more points than the US win and draw in friendlies to low ranked opponents. Mexico also dropped two spots because Poland and Switzerland were winning qualifiers instead of friendlies. Costa Rica held because its friendly was against Russia who is worth more points as UEFA member and are higher rated than Panama, Cuba, or New Zealand.

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    • That may be true, but they do have an excellent keeper that keeps them in games….and it will still be a challenge to get points off them next month in Costa Rica.

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    • I’m not so sure we’re going to beat them when we head down there to play for the Hex. At home it’s a different story – we should beat everyone in the Hex for our home games.

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      • My recollection is that we have never beaten them in CR and we didn’t exactly blow them away in the last Hex at home (famous Colorado snow game). But, CR did not do very well either in the Gold Cup or Copa Cehtenario, so they do seem to be a bit down over the last year. They are never easy, however, so we will do well to draw when we play there during the next round.

      • @Gary Page

        keep in mind that they did not have navas for the copa.

        but i agree that, while they’re not an easy opponent, they’ve been on a bit of a downward trend (which was probably inevitable given their last world cup performance).

    • Bryan, no team is ever overrated in the Fifa Rankings as it follows a simple points formula. Don’t confuse it with a power rankings or eye-test type of ranking.

      If you are saying that in a power ranking Costa Rica shouldn’t be ahead of USA right now, then I don’t think I agree with that either. But luckily we will get some answers soon enough as the Hex starts.

      Lost in Space, it’s not just Navas, but players like Ruiz and Campbell match up well with any U.S. player, and Costa Rica has some other good players as well.

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      • The formula does a poor job of creating rankings that reflect reality. So teams can be over or under rated. I actually think 24 sounds reasonable for the USMNT at the moment but there have been times they’ve been in the 30s or in the top ten and I didn’t those rankings were correct.

      • @Brett

        that was before the current formula was created (no idea how they decided back then), but i agree with you (and slowleftarm) that, just because there’s a “formula”, it doesn’t mean that the rankings are always accurate.

    • They got a lot of points from beating the Colombian reserves in the Copa America, and they went 3-0-1 in qualifiers this year and are 6-2-2. Also, remember margin of victory is not figured into FIFA rankings. The US is 12-4-1, but 3-1-0 in qualifying. The US would gain some for winning 3 Copa matches to CR’s one, but that one was against the #3 ranked team as opposed to the 12th or 14th whatever Ecuador was at the time.

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