FIFA rankings: U.S. climbs to No. 16
March 31, 2010
ESPN.com news services
ZURICH -- Spain retained top spot in soccer's latest world rankings released Wednesday, while Portugal and England both improved their positions in the top 10.
The United States moved up two places in the rankings to No. 16, one ahead of neighboring rival Mexico.
European champion Spain leads second-place Brazil and the third-place Netherlands, while Portugal is fourth after climbing two places in FIFA's monthly rankings table. World champion Italy dropped to fifth, Germany is sixth and England rises one spot to No. 7, trading places with France, which lost 2-0 against Spain in a March 3 friendly.
Egypt is the best African nation at No. 14. Australia is the top-ranked Asian side, up four spots to No. 19 after beating Indonesia in an Asian Cup qualifier.
Most team slides in the rankings came about because points earned from World Cup qualifiers played in March 2009 lost their value.
The top 20 teams, with points and change in points total:
1. Spain, 1602 (-40)
2. Brazil, 1589 (-5)
3. Netherlands, 1261 (-63)
4. Portugal, 1214 (+13)
5. Italy, 1183 (-43)
6. Germany, 1157 (-51)
7. England, 1120 (+11)
8. France, 1077 (-94)
9. Argentina, 1075 (-12)
10. *Croatia, 1051 (+1)
11. Greece, 1032 (-42)
12. *Russia, 1009 (-33)
13. Chile, 974 (+3)
14. *Egypt, 967 (0)
15. Serbia, 950 (-30)
16. United States, 948 (-6)
17. Mexico, 921 (-2)
18. Uruguay, 902 (-34)
19. Australia, 898 (+31)
20. Cameroon, 887 (-1)