Despite getting a 31st position placement on the latest monthly global ranking by world soccer governing body, FIFA, Nigeria has a better standing in terms of total points accumulated overall by all listed countries throughout the year 2019, as the Super Eagles’ efforts have earned their country seventh place on the ratio.
However, megasportsarena.com further gathered that, while the Eagles remain Africa’s third best team on the monthly log, they rank behind Algeria in terms of total points accumulated, with The Dessert Foxes’ conquest of the Africa Cup of Nations earning them top spot overall in ratings gained from 12 logs released by FIFA in 2019.
While Nigeria are seventh overall, and one of the African nations that fall among the top ten points winners overall on FIFA’s world rankings for 2019, Algeria are top from the continent, having gained 135 points during the year, just three behind Asian Cup champions Qatar, who earned the most by any country across the globe over the last 12 months.
Dramatically, though, despite the gains Algeria acquired in terms of points’ haul, they are only the fourth-ranked team in Africa and 35th globally, while Nigeria, who won the bronze medal at the Nations Cup, are seventh on the points’ list, third on the continent and 31st globally.
The team that beat Nigeria in their last group match at AFCON 2019, Madagascar, are tenth globally, when it comes to points won in 2019, but end the year at number 21 in Africa and 91st overall, following their quarter-final appearance on their debut at the Nations Cup in Egypt.
Nations Cup runners-up Senegal remain the top-ranked side in Africa ahead of Tunisia in second spot, respectively 20th and 27th globally, while Belgium are FIFA’s Team of the Year for the second successive time ahead of France, with Brazil third.
In summary, Nigeria’s Eagles remain unmoved in December’s ranking, after Gernot Rohr’s side garnered a total of 1,493 points to stay as the third-best team in Africa behind Senegal (with 1,555 points) and Tunisia (1506 points).
