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USMNT up to 24th in latest FIFA rankings

Despite not qualifying for the World Cup and only playing a low-stakes friendly against Portugal, the U.S. Men’s National Team is on the rise through the FIFA ranks once again,

The USMNT climbed three spots up to 24th in the world in the latest batch of FIFA Rankings released on Thursday. That has them second overall in the CONCACAF region, behind only Mexico at 16, where they also were last rankings period. Costa Rica fell behind them, down four places to 26th.

Jamaica is the next best CONCACAF nation all the way down int 54th, while World Cup qualified Panama is 56th.

Elsewhere in the world, the top five remain unchanged with Germany, Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, and Belgium making up the planet’s elite. Spain rose two spots to sixth, Poland fell a place to seventh, and Switzerland moves into the top ten climbing three spots to eighth place.

Here is the full top ten:

1. Germany
2. Brazil
3. Portugal
4. Argentina
5. Belgium
6. Spain
7. Poland
8. Switzerland
9. France
10. Chile

Comments

  1. this is what i’m talking about. they have been over rating the usa for years. but how to disguise it? brilliant idea: let’s eliminate friendlies between confeds (no direct comparisons)

    Reply
    • Your comment makes no sense. It’s a computer formula “so they’ve been over rating them for years” you mean Microsoft. UEFA came up with the new confederation league system so UEFA for some reason has been over rating the US and is now creating the system to hide it? Why again would they do this?

      Reply
      • i think the simple answer, “money”, would suffice. but to know their real reasons for (allegedly) doing this, we would have to ask them, of course, my fact dispensing friend.

      • Two cents: There will always be gaming of the system by teams to try to get higher rankings, but the rankings outside of how you rate against teams within your region are meaningless. Does it make a huge difference how the US, Mex, and CR are seeded in the GC or 1st Rnd of WC qualifying not really? If you recall in 2014 when the US was close to being seeded for the WC they simply changed the rules to include past WC performance so the US didn’t really have a chance even if they had finished in the top 16 which they didn’t anyway.

        Before the July 2006 changes to the formula, the US did have some questionable ratings like being 4th in April 2006. The US gets some advantage in that we generally win matches because generally, we play teams we should beat. The US was 10-7-2 (W-T-L) in 2017 which means it gained points in 17 out of 19 matches most of those being qualifiers or GC matches which count for more points (because in theory, teams are playing there best sides whereas friendlies it could be a B or C side). You also receive a 0 no matter who you lose to you are not punished for losing to lets say Trinidad. Costa Rica lost to Spain and Hungary last month the US tied Portugal, we scored points from the draw they got 0 we moved above them. The US will be one of the few national teams to play a match in January, if it beats Bosnia, we will likely move up more spots. When next Summer rolls around and teams are gaining points for WC matches the US will drop because it will only play friendlies. Its simple math, actually watching the matches you’ve seen the US and Costa Rica play five times in the last two years roughly and CR dominated three times and the US dominated twice so most people would say CR should be rated above the US, I’d agree with that. However, if you include people in the rating system it would be ripe for corruption and manipulation (think figure skating judging). Plus how do you rate Chile losing to Brazil on the road vs Portugal drawing the US at home or even harder Japan beating Thailand and Senegal beating Ethiopia. If you look at teams from 24 to 50 there isn’t a team that we wouldn’t likely split a home and away with they are all pretty flawed.

        The computer system isn’t perfect, as Wales, Poland, Peru, and Switzerland showed, but its better than a panel of FIFA people coming up with a ranking. Plus the points really don’t matter.

    • you are an asset to this blog, Johnny razor.

      so in April of 2006, the usa was ranked 4th in the world. (we probably should have been 150) so is this an “honest mistake” or deliberate tampering? imo it’s the latter. these people have an agenda to over rate the usa and as time passes perhaps we will learn more about the details and their reasons for doing so.

      Reply
      • Sometimes the simplest answer really is the answer. Prior to 2006 the formula included margin of victory and away wins. Including these seem to best African, Asian, and NAmerican teams and devalued European and SAmericans. Nigeria, Cameroon, Tunisia and Egypt were all in the Top 21 in May of 2006. When FIFA adjusted the formula it hurt the US, so your idea that rankings are adjusted to benefit the US that makes no sense. In the formula greater weight is given to European and SAmerican opponents if the formula was set to benefit the US it would put the most weight to beating Concacaf opponents or have no weighted system at all. Your money theory also falls short on account of no makes money depending on the US being higher rated because the general American public doesn’t care what the US is ranked.

  2. The FIFA rankings are based on a rolling average. As bad performances age they drop out of the equation giving the impression that a team is improving.
    The USMNT rankings won’t significantly be impacted until the 2014 WC games fall off the equation. WC games are weighted higher than any CONCACAF matches, so when our 2014 games fall out, than we’re going to drop like a stone.

    Reply
    • Awww. Poor Frenchie. You know…. I heard if enough internet commenters throw enough snarky little tantrums, Michael Bradley, Sunil Gulati, and Bruce Arena will all show up and personally kiss your feet and wash your car.

      Reply
      • I’m sorry, what…? I think you have me confused for someone else.

        But keep at it, your nonsensical attacks are top notch.

  3. Wow, who knew what losing to T&T and crashing outta the World Cup would do to our official FIFA ranking?

    ‘Course, I remember a couple years back the likes of Wales and Iceland were Top-10 as well. Which seemed absolutely legit.

    I’m still undecided if FIFA uses a dartboard or a Magic 8-ball.

    Reply

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