Ghana Moves A Step Up In Ranking

Ghana has improved a step up on the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola World ranking table. The Black Stars have moved to the 35th position from the 36st place in the new rankings released Wednesday. Several teams have added to their points tally in recent weeks having played lots of games and the devaluation of matches at UEFA EURO 2008 are the main reasons for the many changes in position in this edition of the ranking. The Black Stars still keeps a strong place among the top five sides in Africa. Ghana with 772 points after adding 22 points from the previous month are placed fifth on the continental ranking table. Ivory Coast have leapfrogged Cameroon to the summit as Africa's top-rated national side with Gabon occupying the third place and Nigeria following up in fourth. Reigning European champions Spain also surrendered the top spot of the table. Brazil now sit at the top with Spain following up and the Netherlands dropping third. Fifa says the last four weeks has witnessed a total of 119 senior international matches being played: 16 FIFA Confederations Cup matches, 67 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches and 36 friendlies. And that has certainly led to the movement in the ranking.