Egypt s players celebrate after winning the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2021 semi-final football match between Cameroon and Egypt at Stade d Olembe in Yaounde on February 3, 2022. AFP
The Pharaohs jumped 11 places from 45th to 34th place in this month’s FIFA global rankings thanks to reaching the AFCON 2021 final game that took place in Cameroon from 6 January to 9 February 2022.
They jumped in 4th place among African countries, behind African champions Senegal at 18th place, Morocco at 24th and Nigeria 32nd, while Tunisia and Algeria who left the continental tournament from early stages placed in 36th and 43 respectively.
The Egyptian national team started its campaign in the AFCON with a 0-1 loss to Nigeria in the group stage before making a brilliant comeback by defeating both Guinea Bissau and Sudan 1-0, reaching the tournament’s round of 16 as the runners-up to Group D.
Egypt then defeated topflight Cote d’Ivoire 5-4 on penalties following a 0-0 draw in Stade Japoma stadium and then beat Morocco 2-1 in the quarterfinal, which led to the semi-final crunch showdown with Cameroon.
The Pharaohs defeated hosts Cameroon 3-1 on penalties following a 0-0 draw in Yaounde, booking themselves a spot in the AFCON’s final against Senegal but they lost the game on penalties.
Egypt – who previously made it into the world’s top ten teams after they won three consecutive African Cup of Nations trophies in 2006, 2008, and 2010 – placed second among Arab countries, after Morocco.
Belgium sits at the top of the world ranking, ahead of Brazil, France, and Argentina, respectively.
The best mover in the new ranking was Gambia, jumping 25 places to the 125th place, after reaching the AFCON 2021 quarterfinals.
The biggest drop in the FIFA monthly ranking belonged to Algeria, who fell 14 spots to 43rd place after they eliminated from the prestigious tournament after finishing the group stage in the tail of Group E with one point.
FIFA’s February World Rankings (December world rankings in parenthesis):
1. Belgium (1)
2. Brazil (2)
3. France (3)
4. Argentina (5)
5. England (4)
6. Italy (6)
7. Spain (7)
8. Portugal (8)
9. Denmark (9)
10. Netherlands (10)
Top ten African teams:
18. Senegal (20)
24. Morocco (28)
32. Nigeria (36)
34. Egypt (45)
36. Tunisia (30)
38. Cameroon (50)
43. Algeria (29)
48. Mali (53)
51. Cote d’Ivoire (56)
56. Burkina Faso (60)
61. Ghana (52)
Top five Arab teams:
24. Morocco (28)
34. Egypt (45)
36. Tunisia (30)
43. Algeria (29)
52. Qatar (48)
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