February 15, (THEWILL) – Despite ultimately finishing as silver medalists, Nigeria’s strong performance at the recently concluded Africa Cup of Nations has seen the national squad dramatically rise within the updated men’s FIFA world rankings. The Super Eagles climbed 14 spots, reaching 28th globally – now the third-ranked African team behind Morocco (12th) and Senegal (17th).
The 2-1 loss to Ivory Coast in the final could not prevent Nigeria’s highest FIFA ranking since August 2019. Their inspired run to the championship match earned high praise and raised the country’s expectations for future tournaments.
The tournament hosts and reigning AFCON champions Ivory Coast also benefited from a successful title campaign, moving up 10 ranks to 39th overall. However, other competing nations endured ranking drops after lacklustre displays. Both Tunisia and Algeria exited unexpectedly early in the group stages, seeing both sides fall 13 positions.
One surprise package was quarter-final underdogs Angola, whose spirited showing catapulted them up 24 spots to reach 93rd in FIFA’s global list and overtake more established African teams like Ghana and Cameroon.
While the continent’s landscape changed post-tournament, the top 10 remained steady with 2022 World Cup winners Argentina leading ahead of France and England. All eyes now turn to upcoming 2024 AFCON qualifiers, where Nigeria aims to build on the promise shown in the Ivory Coast.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
