Portugal Hits 6th in FIFA Rankings as Argentina Leads
Portugal has climbed to sixth place in the latest FIFA world rankings released Thursday, overtaking Belgium following a successful conclusion to their Nations League group stage campaign.
The Global Top 10
Since the last update in late October, the Portuguese national team secured their rise in the standings with a dominant 5-1 home victory over Poland and a 1-1 draw away against Croatia. This upward move saw Portugal swap places with Belgium, which slumped from sixth to eighth after also being surpassed by the Netherlands.
At the summit of the rankings, world champions Argentina maintain their narrow lead over second-placed France. European champions Spain remain steady in third, followed by England in fourth and Brazil in fifth.
One of the most notable shifts in the elite bracket saw Germany fight their way back into the top 10. The German squad climbed to 10th place, displacing Colombia, which fell two spots to 12th.
Performance Across Portuguese-Speaking Nations
While Brazil remains the highest-ranked Portuguese-speaking nation in 5th place, results were mixed across other Lusophone countries. Mozambique celebrated a modest rise to 96th, and São Tomé and Príncipe edged up to 189th.
Conversely, Angola, led by Pedro Gonçalves, slipped three spots to 85th, and Guinea-Bissau, managed by Luís Boa Morte, fell to 120th. Cape Verde (72nd), Macau (193rd), and Timor-Leste (196th) all maintained their previous positions.
Portuguese Managers Abroad
Portuguese coaches working with international sides also saw movement this month. Under the leadership of Paulo Bento, the United Arab Emirates jumped three places to 63rd. Meanwhile, Fernando Santos saw his Azerbaijan side move up one spot to 117th.
FIFA is scheduled to release the final rankings update of the year on December 12.
FIFA Top 10 Men’s Rankings (Nov 28, 2024):
- Argentina (1,867.25 points)
- France (1,859.78)
- Spain (1,853.27)
- England (1,813.81)
- Brazil (1,775.85)
- Portugal (1,756.12)
- Netherlands (1,747.55)
- Belgium (1,740.62)
- Italy (1,731.51)
- Germany (1,703.79)
Image: Pexels – Patricia Bozan
