FIFA Rankings: Cup of Nations causes shake-up – Cameroon Slide to 20th
Cameroon were the big losers in the latest rankings, dropping nine places to 20th after a poor performance in Angola. Egypt have assumed the top spot in the CAF rankings followed by Nigeria, Cameroon and Ivory Coast.
The Africa Cup of Nations has had a major impact on the first FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking of the year. While Spain continue to occupy top spot ahead of Brazil and the Netherlands, Egypt managed to climb 14 places to tenth place after they successfully defended their title at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Angola.
This is not only Egypt’s highest-ever position in the ranking, but also the second-highest of any African team since the introduction of the ranking. They have only been bettered by Nigeria, who reached fifth place in April 1994. Other African teams also benefited from their performances in Angola. In the upper echelons of the ranking, semi-finalists Nigeria (15th, up 7) and finalists Ghana (27th, up 7) made considerable strides. Further down the ranking, Zambia (73rd, up 11) and Malawi (82nd, up 17) also made good progress.
Ahead of the FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa, an analysis of the strengths of each of the eight groups will doubtless prove interesting. In general, it is noteworthy that Group G is the only one to have two teams from the top ten (Brazil and Portugal), while Italy are the only representatives from the top 20 in Group F. Bearing in mind that only two teams from each group will go on to the round of 16, the “tightness” of the groups and the gap between the second and third team could prove particularly significant. With this in mind, two groups promise to be particularly exciting: there are very few points separating Mexico and Uruguay in Group A and Chile and Switzerland in Group H.
A total of 82 international “A” matches were taken into account for this edition of the ranking, 15 of which were played in 2009 (total of 849 “A” matches played in 2009). In addition to the 29 matches played in the Africa Cup of Nations, 11 continental qualifying matches and 42 friendlies were played.
FIFA World Rankings
1. Spain (1), 1,627 points
2. Brazil (2), 1,568
3. Netherlands (3), 1,288
4. Italy (4), 1,209
5. Portugal (5), 1,176
6. Germany (6) 1,173
7. France (7), 1,117
8. Argentina (8), 1,082
9. England (9), 1,076
10. Egypt (24), 1,069
11. Croatia (10), 1,053
12. Greece (13), 1,030
13. Russia (12), 1,026
14. United States (14), 963
15. Nigeria (22), 956
16. Chile (15), 955
17. Mexico (17), 947
18. Switzerland (18), 924
19. Serbia (19), 916
20. Cameroon (11) 914
21. Uruguay (20) 909
22. Ivory Coast (16), 865
23. Australia (21), 857
24. Ukraine (22), 848
25. Czech Republic (25), 828
FIFA
It’s very certain this development. Paul Le Guen met this team ranked in a position better that this. We can all see the results of a premature coach ripping from colonial benefits. If he does not leave us alone , we may find our selves at the 60th position after the world cup. When i was captain we were swinging from 15th to 10.
OK
Song Banana…you no even know how for spell ya name sef! You na how magnan
Go and learn how to spell your name first…
Banana how can u blame” Le grand Paul”?I think he is the best for this team,just re watch the last match and you will understand that this coach is great.We want him to stay and build a new cameroon team for the world cup.he has nothnig to do in our defeat..even if we go above the 60th he is the only person who can change this team,as he has started(with Song out)……….I beleive in this man and the Cameroon team..
please u should send away the old players from the national team and build up a young fresh team.please we beg u in the name of god.those who are there play but money not football
Please leave this Paul Le Guen alone! What’s all this non-objectivity? When we win, we want to praise only. When we lose, we also lose our minds and find places to point fingers. I remember the flowery comments about this man when he just came and gave us an array of victories. Now … what a people!
It is called flip-flopping.
i tlked about this guy when he came…he should be praised after a competition like this, not just after facing lighter opponents during the qualifications…..so what do we say now????
i dont condem him either, but i don’t think its right to send away all the old now, coz there will be nobody to guide the young……….so Mr. PLG du courage, c’est ne que le debut, et ce pas facile avec le camer……
It is always difficult to manage a team, with too many arm chair critics on the side lines. Fifa ranking has no bearing on future performances of a team. It is no guarantee to win or loss matches. The tournament in Angola is over. We have to look forward to the next tournament. I am sure the Cameroon coach, will be able to select a better team next time. He took us this far, we owe him a break. Some older players and some of the younger players do not belong to the team.
Being young is one thing, and to be a young skillful player is another thing. The young attackers who have been introduced to the team are not able to score goals. If we have to look back to the two matches against Gabon, both in Libreville and Yaounde, only the older players have been able to score goals. Same thing with the matches, against Morocco and Togo. Eto’o is not a young player. He has been in the National team for more then ten years, but he is very skillful and can score goals.
Cameroon is blessed with good players, both abroad and in the local league in Cameroon. Paul Le Guen, should scout around, and select the best players, who can do the job. Cameroonian fans, should also be ready to take the shock of lossing matches sometimes. We cannot win all the time. Going to the next world cup is a good thing. But one thing is certain. We are going there to participate, but cannot win the world cup..period. The goal keeping coach for Cameroon. Mr. Thomas Nkono, should be questioned why a goal keeper he is coaching took in so many goals in Angola. His goolie could not stop a cheap baby shot from 34 meters.
Folks take a look at this picture in ranking closer again:
Egypt beat Cameroon and win the African Cup of Nation and moves from 24th to 10th position and Cameroon is knochout by Egypt in the quater finals (losing overall 2 matches, drawing one and winning only 1 match) loses 9 positions sleeping dowm from 20th position from 11th position in December.
Ivory Coast loses in the quater finals (overall wining 1 match, drwing 1 and) and is moved friom 16th to 22nd. I understand the simple math that escapes logic in poerception here. Ghana, the finalist is not even rewarded in the top movement. I think you get the picture. .
If you assess that table closely you will notice that there was indeed little movement overall by most top teams between 1-25. That is for reason. These teams did not play or few played making the ranking process ambigous. So in the end those who played were morelikely to lost FIFA ranking points if they suffered defeats. But this does explain Ghana ’s low ranking or none improvement.
One moral of the story might be that it pays to a regional Champion since you are rewarded handsomely in ranking, even if you play poorly in confederation cup or can’t qualify for important challenges such as the World cup tourney There are perhaps many more but what is going on here???
This is pure shame Cameroon needs its own Obama please click on refresh let the old people retire or be replaced if not its gonna be crazy
Please song no offense but u have to go
I had thought someone was gonna blame FIFA just like they do with CAF. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but it was evident all along that the inconsistent performance would lead to a downgrading on the FIFA ranking. And this is only the beginning … because the World Cup is just around the corner and a few tired legs would hold a nation of 20 million people hostage. While politicians love exploiting football victories for personal gains, they’re now stuck with a situation where players also act like politicians by refusing to quit when they cannot deliver. Next month, the (In)domitable Lions face Italy in a friendly and we face the prospect of a further slide in the FIFA ranking in case of a defeat.
Crying over spilled milk and making excuses for Cameroons below the average performance is pretty much a no brainer. FIFA was right to move Egypt up in the rankings because they accomplished the impossible (winning the African Nations’ Cup three consecutive times!!). The Egyptians have made history, Hassan Shehata is without compare and is the BEST coach in Africa. As for my dear country man Samuel Eto’ O , I can’t fathom why Eto is making excuses for the loss by blaming match official(s). Where was he throughout the entire 90 minutes? I suspect right now Eto is going through a difficult time adjusting to playing for Jose Mourinho in Inter Milan. My prediction is, Eto might be leaving Inter Milan soon to head back to Spain! The national team coach PG has to allow young players groomed in Cameroon to have a chance to play for their country. It’s a fallacy to believe that you can rely on foreign based professional players who clearly have little interest in playing for their country except showing up just for the sake of it because being called back home to represent one’s country make’s players look indispensable and still of clout. As for Mr. Nkono , It is totally incomprehensible and baffling to even the insane in trying to understand why you sold out your own country the way you did by sticking to Kameni who is clearly not even a first choice goal keeper in Spain. Kameni is pretty much a spent force and useless. You Mr. Nkono should with immediate effect leave the national team and let someone else take over the job of training a future goal keeper. That is how a true contracted professional should respond to the bone headed decision’s you made by sticking with Kamein after knowing the fact that Kameni is NOT CAPABLE OF EVEN CATCHING THE SHOT OF A ONE YEAR OLD KID! Mr. Nkono, as a “been there and done that” experienced professional you know the expectation’s period! If you are serving as a pro-bono national team goal keeping coach then please do the country a favor, move on Mr. Nkono, move on and thank you for your years of service’s to Cameroon.
Dear Brothers and Sisters
I m sure this Cameroon team will kill all our old age relatives,because their Heart will stop.the direct cause will be the type of Football Cameroon will develop at the World Cup.
Remember ,experience has shown that only young people survive at that period because they have a Strong heart.
Please those who are weak should not watch the world cup, I do not expect a miracle.
Le Chacal
Believe if we concentrate and train well before world cup we will make it back to our original forst position.