NJ Sports Talk

Spain is now the # 1 ranked national team in the world following their triumph at the European Championship.  Their 22-game unbeaten streak including the 1-0 victory over Germany in the Euro Cup final this past Sunday, was more than enough to grant them this honor.  This is Spain’s first time at the top spot and makes them only the sixth team, along with France, Germany, Brazil, Italy, and Argentina, to claim this position since the rankings began 15 years ago.

Teams are ranked monthly based on points awarded for performances in matches during the last 4 years.  Factors that are taken into account are the result of the match, importance of the match, and the strength of the opponent, among others.  Here is a link for the entire explanation of the procedure. http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/ranking/procedure/men.html

FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking- Top 10

1.  Spain-  1,557 points

2.  Italy-  1,404

3.  Germany-  1,364

4.  Brazil-  1,344

5.  Netherlands-  1,299

6.  Argentina-  1,298

7.  Croatia-  1,282

8.  Czech Republic-  1,146

9.  Portugal-  1,104

10.  France-  1,053

Mach