New FIFA World Rankings

[K-9]

Top 20 rankings

1. (3) Italy

2. (2) Argentina

3. (1) Brazil

4. (5) Germany

5. (7) Netherlands

6. (4) France

7. (8) Spain

8. (10) Portugal

9. (12) England

10. (6) Croatia

11. (8) Czech Republic

12. (13) Romania

13. (11) Mexico

14. (23) Scotland

15. (14) Greece

16. (20) Poland

17. (15) Ukraine

18. (17) USA

19. (21) Uruguay

20. (19) Sweden

[Guest CAPSLOCK]

HOW CAN SWEDEN BE SO LOW DOWN ON THE LIST?

 

THEY QUALIFY FOR EVERY TOURNAMENT AND USUALLY PROGRESS FROM THE GROUP STAGES.

[The Hobbit]

HOW CAN SWEDEN BE SO LOW DOWN ON THE LIST?

 

THEY QUALIFY FOR EVERY TOURNAMENT AND USUALLY PROGRESS FROM THE GROUP STAGES.

 

I'd rank them #1 because of their girls.

[vanderark14]

HOW CAN SWEDEN BE SO LOW DOWN ON THE LIST?

 

THEY QUALIFY FOR EVERY TOURNAMENT AND USUALLY PROGRESS FROM THE GROUP STAGES.

 

 

the rankings mean jack sh*t anway, due to the fact that Scotland are the greatest international side in the world.

 

not only will we qualify but we will win Euro 2008

[Sonoftherock]

HOW CAN SWEDEN BE SO LOW DOWN ON THE LIST?

 

THEY QUALIFY FOR EVERY TOURNAMENT AND USUALLY PROGRESS FROM THE GROUP STAGES.

 

I think you make a huge amount of points by inflicting damage to the best teams in the world.... In recent years we've had results against France, Germany and Italy. Sweden usually qualify for tournaments because they're drawn in either pot 1 or pot 2, so beat the diddy teams and they're through.... they're also usually turfed out of major competitions as soon as they meet a decent team.

[woods stays nicholas score]

were not the 14th best team in the world

[K-9]

were not the 14th best team in the world

At the moment topping our group with the 2 world cup finalists and Ukraine in it we should probably be higher but rankings done over 5 years!!

[Guest TenementFunster]

were not the 14th best team in the world

 

I've got to say why the ***k not?

[Dandyjam]

the rankings mean jack sh*t anway, due to the fact that Scotland are the greatest international side in the world.

 

not only will we qualify but we will win Euro 2008

 

True but it's great to see us as the 14th best in the World!

[Slim]

And the good news is that the rankings are actually going to mean something for once as they'll be used to determine the qualifying groups for the 2010 World Cup, so in theory, if we win our last 3 games, we could end up in pot 1 in the seedings.

[simon]

scotland's achievement is remarkable -both ranking and hard results- if you consider the palpable mediocrity of the squad.

[stonefish100]

scotland's achievement is remarkable -both ranking and hard results- if you consider the palpable mediocrity of the squad.

 

Well said that man.

[Patty]

I'm hopinh for a breakage into the top 10 and overtaking England.

[Sonoftherock]

And the good news is that the rankings are actually going to mean something for once as they'll be used to determine the qualifying groups for the 2010 World Cup, so in theory, if we win our last 3 games, we could end up in pot 1 in the seedings.

 

Sauce?

 

If thats true then thats absolutely fantastic news! Also, are friendly matches taken into consideration when generating the rankings? If so that could mean the end of the so called "meaningless friendly".

[K-9]

Sauce?

 

If thats true then thats absolutely fantastic news! Also, are friendly matches taken into consideration when generating the rankings? If so that could mean the end of the so called "meaningless friendly".

Hadn't heard that one either but certainly would make sense or no point in having these rankings!!

[glasgow sheep]

Sauce?

 

If thats true then thats absolutely fantastic news! Also, are friendly matches taken into consideration when generating the rankings? If so that could mean the end of the so called "meaningless friendly".

according to wiki slim is talking bollocks, which I suspected given we were talking about coefficients all last week:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_FIFA_Wor...tion_%28UEFA%29

Seeding

 

As with other recent UEFA qualification tournaments (for both World Cup and European Championships), seeding will based on the UEFA qualifying coefficient, basically the number of points per game amassed by each nation in the previous four years (the groups stages of the previous World Cup and European Championship qualifying). As a result, seeding groups will almost certainly be unknown before the final round of qualification for Euro2008 in November 2007.

 

The use of the system, while consistently applied in recent years by UEFA, actually contradicts the FIFA World Cup regulations (which note that where teams are ranked on "performance" criteria, the FIFA World Rankings must be used). Only UEFA and the AFC are using rankings other than the FIFA World Rankings (although CONMEBOL does not require seeding). In addition, FIFA itself has used a system based on FIFA World Rankings and past World Cup Final tournament performance to seed in recent finals tournaments.

[Slim]

I read a PDF from the Fifa site earlier, I'll go see if I can find it...

[Slim]

Here we go:

 

http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament...ns_en_14123.pdf

 

Page 20 says 'Any seeding based on team performance for each continental preliminary compeition will be based on the FIFA/Coca-Cola world ranking. The decisions of the executive commitee are final.'

 

I guess the info on Wikipedia covers that, although the FIFA document doesn't seem to suggest that UEFA can do that.

[glasgow sheep]

Here we go:

 

http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament...ns_en_14123.pdf

 

Page 20 says 'Any seeding based on team performance for each continental preliminary compeition will be based on the FIFA/Coca-Cola world ranking. The decisions of the executive commitee are final.'

 

I guess the info on Wikipedia covers that, although the FIFA document doesn't seem to suggest that UEFA can do that.

but then I doubt FIFA would publish a rule and then say "These are the qualifying rules, expecpt our biggest member association, UEFA, chooses to totally ignore them"

[woods stays nicholas score]

im delightd the way weve turned it around and im a loyal foot soilder but we are not the 14th best football team in the world.

 

did u seen how poor we were vs lithuania?

[KennyS]

Andy Mitchell, the SFA Comms guy, was on the TAMB saying that yeah, the rankings definitely will matter for WC2010 qualifying a couple of a week ago.

[swaddon]

Sometimes being Scottish is depressing, we reach a high World ranking yet some of us aren't convinced we're any good. Savour this, lads, we're among the great nations in football and deservedly so.

[stonefish100]

Sometimes being Scottish is depressing, we reach a high World ranking yet some of us aren't convinced we're any good. Savour this, lads, we're among the great nations in football and deservedly so.

 

Self loathing attitude that has held us back for so long Swaddon. Depresses me ina

[WorthALook]

Andy Mitchell, the SFA Comms guy, was on the TAMB saying that yeah, the rankings definitely will matter for WC2010 qualifying a couple of a week ago.

 

I read today, we will definitely be in the second group of seeds. Very very good news.

[JimmyJimmy]

The biggest joke of all is that until recently the games of up to ten years ago could affect your position in the rankings! How could the results of a completely different team from a decade ago, affect that of a team today - it shouldn't.

 

The new rankings which takes into account more recent results is fairer IMO.

 

You're only as good as your last game.

[E-P-K]

The biggest joke of all is that until recently the games of up to ten years ago could affect your position in the rankings! How could the results of a completely different team from a decade ago, affect that of a team today - it shouldn't.

 

The new rankings which takes into account more recent results is fairer IMO.

 

You're only as good as your last game.

 

Hardly the last decade, But its based on the teams performance over the last 4 years.

[Ajja]

I read today, we will definitely be in the second group of seeds. Very very good news.

 

The decision gets made today apparently. So winning our next three games will not make any difference although our ranking of 14th will be taken into account. We are 11th in the European rankings I think so its looking very good for pot 2 but not a def.

 

Qualification will be tough as only group winners get direct qualification (9 teams) and then 8 best runners up go into a playoff for 4 places. Pot 2 gives us a fighting chance.

[The Hobbit]

The draw for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers takes place in Durban, South Africa, November 25,

 

Based on current world ranking (14) Scotland would be second seeded group.

[Red Dragon]

Kinda confirms what's been said - potentially Pot 2 seeding for the WC qualifying, not assured yet.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/i...als/7016379.stm

[johnstrac]

Surely if we go up into pot 2 then someone else drops out ?

You could still get the same group as the Euro one but from different pots ?