World Ranking

[nigel-harps1954]

Sure even with Qualifiers they only updated once a month usually. Ah no matter. Roll on getting into a teen. I mean into the teens.

Careful now. Best not to get caught at that sort of behaviour.

[swinfordfc]

Beat the Czech and we could move up to 17th placed in March ones .......

[amaccann]

Are there any projections on how the upcoming Euros might change the rankings? I'm presuming being the strongest region in world football, it might cause a few seismic shifts in the placings...

[DannyInvincible]

We were 6th in the world in the first ever FIFA rankings. Kind of hard to comprehend that nowadays.

Out of interest, any idea how they calculated those initial rankings? Were our results at the time so impressive relative to other sides to warrant being ranked sixth-best in the world?

[French Toasht]

Jeez Group B really is the group of death. All four teams in the top ten in the World. After that it has to be our group with 3 teams in the top 9. The other two groups only have one team in the top 10. Those two groups are the groups that the hosts are in. I'm not suggesting there's a conspiracy or anything ...

[AlaskaFox]

Jeez Group B really is the group of death. All four teams in the top ten in the World. After that it has to be our group with 3 teams in the top 9. The other two groups only have one team in the top 10. Those two groups are the groups that the hosts are in. I'm not suggesting there's a conspiracy or anything ...

The two hosts were first seeds at the expense of top ten teams, so it's easily explainable that one. No great conspiracy theory. Now whether they should have been first seeds is a whole different kettle of fish.

[French Toasht]

The two hosts were first seeds at the expense of top ten teams, so it's easily explainable that one. No great conspiracy theory

Despite the fact that they are top seeds, there is still a disproportionate amount of top sides in the groups not containing Poland and Ukraine.

Top 10 sides in Groups B &C (not containing hosts) : 7 out of 8

Top 10 sides in Groups A & D( containing hosts) : 1 out of 8

Does seem a little bit odd. But then again who I am to question Footballs governing bodies? Its not like they have a questionable record in these matters. South Korea anyone? WC 2010 playoffs? Quatars WC bid? Yes these are FIFA but we all know just how cosy a relationship messrs Platini and Blatter have.

[AlaskaFox]

Despite the fact that they are top seeds, there is still a disproportionate amount of top sides in the groups not containing Poland and Ukraine.

Top 10 sides in Groups B &C (not containing hosts) : 7 out of 8

Top 10 sides in Groups A & D( containing hosts) : 1 out of 8

Does seem a little bit odd. But then again who I am to question Footballs governing bodies? Its not like they have a questionable record in these matters. South Korea anyone? WC 2010 playoffs? Quatars WC bid? Yes these are FIFA but we all know just how cosy a relationship messrs Platini and Blatter have.

A&D were guaranteed no top 10 countries from pot 1, B&C were guaranteed 2.
Pot 2 had 3 of the top 10 and Russia (then 12th). Poland were fortunate to get the one team not in the top 10.
Pot 3 backs up your conspiracy theory though, with Sweden (18) and Greece (14) being drawn with the hosts.
Pot 4 had no top 10 sides.

I definitely don't think it's a conspiracy despite Pot 3. There was a 50/50 chance there of getting a top 10 side.

[Closed Account]

Probable World Rankings


1
Spain
1561


2
Netherlands
1379


3
Germany
1332


4
Uruguay
1289


5
Brazil
1157


6
England
1121


7
Portugal
1106


8
Argentina
1102


9
Italy
1062


10
Croatia
1049


11
Denmark
1025


12
Russia
1003


13
Greece
953


14
Chile
950


15
Côte d'Ivoire
944


16
France
938


17
Sweden
927


18
Switzerland
891


19

Republic of Ireland
872


20
Australia
868


21
Bosnia-Herzegovina
850


22
Mexico
849


23
Ghana
820


24
Norway
797


25
Paraguay
791


26
Serbia
779


27
Slovenia
765


28
Korea Republic
751


29
Turkey
747


30
Japan
740

[Closed Account]

Up to 18th next month, (http://www.football-rankings.info/2012/03/fifa-ranking-april-2012-probable.html)Go on YBIG ;). Doesn't make us a better team but a better ranking means a better draw.
Up to 13th in Europe.


1

Spain
1442
0
-119


2
Germany
1345
1
13


3
Uruguay
1309
1
20


4
Netherlands
1207
-2
-172



5
Portugal
1190
2
84


6
Brazil
1165
-1
8


7
England
1132
-1
11


8

Croatia
1114
2
65


9
Denmark
1069
2
44


10
Argentina
1066
-2
-36


11
Russia
1049
1
46


12

Italy
1041
-3
-21


13
Chile
967
1
17


14
Greece
961
-1
8


15
Côte d'Ivoire
951
0
7


16
France
938
0
0


17
Sweden
931
0
5


18

Republic of Ireland
891
1
19


18
Switzerland
891
0
0


20
Mexico
868
2
19

[tricky_colour]

What is Ireland highest ranking ever?
How good a run woudl we need to beat it?
I guess even if we had a bad cup we would not drop too far due to playing high ranked teams, then again it won't be easy getting a higher
ranking for the same reason.

[DannyInvincible]

Our highest ever ranking was 6th in August of 1993. I believe that was the first occasion FIFA members were ever ranked. Very simple calculations were used. According to Wikipedia, teams received three points for a win and one point for a draw, irrespective, it appears, of whether or not the game was a competitive fixture. To get there, again, I imagine we'd need to go far this summer. Very far.

[French Toasht]

Interestingly, there's no team in the world that we haven't been ahead of at some point. Of the five teams that started ahead of us in the first ever rankings in August 1993 (Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden and Argentina), we have been ahead of them all at some point in the last 19 years.

Out of interest does anyone know does Steve Stauntons legacy as Ireland manager still play a part in the calculation of our rankings or will we have to wait till May 2012, four years on from Traps first match, to say the rankings are exclusively based on Traps results?

[Irish_Praha]

Our highest ever ranking was 6th in August of 1993. I believe that was the first occasion FIFA members were ever ranked. Very simple calculations were used. According to Wikipedia, teams received three points for a win and one point for a draw, irrespective, it appears, of whether or not the game was a competitive fixture. To get there, again, I imagine we'd need to go far this summer. Very far.

Probably asking too much for us to climb so high as a result of the EC but if we make a move into the top 15 I think we will have had some relative success there. A few draws would probably achieve that, which is not out of our reach.

[DannyInvincible]

Probably asking too much for us to climb so high as a result of the EC but if we make a move into the top 15 I think we will have had some relative success there. A few draws would probably achieve that, which is not out of our reach.


Don't be so pessimistic. It's possible to win this thing with six 0-0 draws.

[DannyInvincible]

The Elo rankings have us in 20th, so top 20 is probably a very fair indication of our current level.

[Yard of Pace]

That goal.com article ranking us as the best team on current form is a curse. I just had a Polish friend ask me about it and wondering whether Ireland will really win the tournament.
Anyway, good to see us up the rankings. If we're genuinely the 19th best team in the world I'd eat my shoe but it's grand for seeding all the same.

As an aside, wouldn't it be a good thing to help develop national leagues if the ranking of a country was of benefit to the co-effecient, or whatever the system in use is, of its league? As in, Ireland would be rewarded for having a good team of football players so the domestic teams would start at a higher level in European cup competition, earning them more money, allowing them to attract better players and improve? A real way to reward a good football nation.

[DannyInvincible]

Which Goal article is this? You have a link?

Why shouldn't we be in the top 20s? We don't lose games very often and are well able to compete with teams in the top 20.

On your last point, it sounds great, but it looks a tad like piggybacking to me. What is a good football nation anyway? The FAI have historically relied upon clubs in England to develop Irish players. There is little to no direct link between the LOI and senior national team, unfortunately. The only links are indirect ones via players who've departed the league and "made it" in England. There's a lot of room for improvement in Irish football. It's something we have to work on ourselves. Sham rankings won't be coming to aid our cause any time soon, nor should they.

[French Toasht]

Anyway, good to see us up the rankings. If we're genuinely the 19th best team in the world I'd eat my shoe but it's grand for seeding all the same.

Disagree. I think that is a fair reflection of our standing in world football. Of the teams ranked below us the only team that I think are actually better than us is Paraguay.

[Yard of Pace]

On your last point, it sounds great, but it looks a tad like piggybacking to me. What is a good football nation anyway? The FAI have historically relied upon clubs in England to develop Irish players. There is little to no direct link between the LOI and senior national team, unfortunately. The only links are indirect ones via players who've departed the league and "made it" in England. There's a lot of room for improvement in Irish football. It's something we have to work on ourselves. Sham rankings won't be coming to aid our cause any time soon, nor should they.

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3284/euro-2012/2012/03/01/2938917/ireland-the-strongest-england-the-weakest-the-state-of-health-of-

What is wrong with piggybacking? My point is that if Irish clubs were rewarded for the national teams performance it'd be easier to develop the league here. Which, I think, makes sense. If a nation can produce a football team that can take on just about anyone then every advantage should be awarded to their national league.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Disagree. I think that is a fair reflection of our standing in world football. Of the teams ranked below us the only team that I think are actually better than us is Paraguay.
Well, unless we play them in a WCF we'll never prove it...

[Charlie Darwin]

Up another spot to 18th, our highest ranking in 7 years. Trap out!

http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/soccer/2012/0411/1224314621951.html

[swinfordfc]

And on May 9th ... we will still be 18th

[Stuttgart88]

We're going nowhere under this man.

[swinfordfc]

Think we will still be 18th on the 6th of June .......

[DannyInvincible]

No matter what happens against Hungary?

Switzerland, with whom we're even, will surely have done well out of beating Germany 5-3.

[Closed Account]

No matter what happens against Hungary?

Switzerland, with whom we're even, will surely have done well out of beating Germany 5-3.

Depends Danny. Are you out? I'll do the calls later but ill probably score. Footballrankings.info

[ArdeeBhoy]

http://www.football-rankings.info/

[BonnieShels]

It's just shocking to look at where Norway are now considering where they were ranked for the WC draw. Bullplop!

[French Toasht]

It's just shocking to look at where Norway are now considering where they were ranked for the WC draw. Bullplop!

Thats precisely my gripe with how the WC draw was made. Norway's 1st seeding for the World Cup was purely down to the fact that they started the campaign well, but failed to take into account the qualification campaign as a whole. If UEFA had not broke from tradition and carried out the WC qualification draw when they normally do after the previous campaign ends then we wouldn't have ended up with the nightmare group we now face for Brazil.

[BonnieShels]

Exactly. But wasn't there a reason for that? Something to do with other Confederations needing to start earlier for one reason or another.
It was all FIFA nothing to do with UEFA.

[swinfordfc]

No matter what happens against Hungary?

Switzerland, with whom we're even, will surely have done well out of beating Germany 5-3.

True Danny .... but France i think are losing to Iceland (1-2 but not over)....so Switzerland go above us and France below us ...... still 18th?

[DannyInvincible]

France are just after equalising there.

Edit: And have just gone 3-2 ahead two minutes later.

[swinfordfc]

France are just after equalising there.

Edit: And have just gone 3-2 ahead two minutes later.

19th so .....

[swinfordfc]

June 6th ..... we still be 18th placed but we are up 907pts ..... first time in a while we broke 900 points

[Serb]

4th July — we've dropped 8 places to 26th in the world. Even more surprisingly, England have climbed to 4th in the world. Their strong showing in the group stages of Euro 2012 must have earned them all those points.

[Stuttgart88]

Spain 1, Italy 6 and Croatia 9. Now, that'd give some consolation except that England's no. 4 shows just how off the mark these rankings can be!

[SwanVsDalton]

Bit of a harsh drop that, considering who beat us and how we crawled into that position, but guess that what happens when we don't take any scalps.

[DannyInvincible]

Elo ratings have us in 31st: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Football_Elo_Ratings#Top_60_ranking

[tetsujin1979]

puts us behind Turkey, Switzerland and Norway, none of whom qualified for the finals.

[Stuttgart88]

Who said we were better off not qualifying? :)

[tricky_colour]

Seems harsh for croatia to drop a place when they only lost 1-0 to spain.

[Serb]

Seems harsh for croatia to drop a place when they only lost 1-0 to spain.

The score is not factored into ranking points.

Number of ranking points awarded to Croatia after their 1-0 loss to Spain: 0.
Number of ranking points awarded to Ireland after their 4-0 loss to Spain: 0.

They dropped a place because the Netherlands climbed 4 places, ending up one place above Croatia.

[BonnieShels]

The Netherlands, who lost all 3 games.

[Murfinator]

In retrospect it would have been better for many reasons had we drawn a difficult team in the playoffs and not qualified. This tournament has done us a lot of damage that will not soon be repaired.

[tetsujin1979]

In retrospect it would have been better for many reasons had we drawn a difficult team in the playoffs and not qualified. This tournament has done us a lot of damage that will not soon be repaired.That's basically what happened in the World Cup playoffs.

[Charlie Darwin]

What damage? Exposing our limitations and showing us exactly what we need to work on?

[Stuttgart88]

This tournament has done us a lot of damage that will not soon be repaired.I've heard one's liver can regenerate if left to recover for a bit.

[John83]

I've heard one's liver can regenerate if left to recover for a bit.
The liver is surprisingly tough (I guess it has to be, given we only have one, and die within hours if it stops), but as far as I know it can't undo cirrhosis.

[Charlie Darwin]

Strictly speaking, the liver doesn't regenerate. The healthy part of the liver is, with some growth, able to compensate for lost function.