New Delhi: The Indian men’s football team achieved a significant milestone as they entered the sub-100 FIFA ranking for the first time since 2018. Following their triumph in the SAFF Championship, India moved up one spot to secure the 99th position in the latest FIFA chart issued on Thursday.
The SAFF Championship victory proved to be a turning point for India, as they showcased their mettle by defeating strong teams like Lebanon and Kuwait in the semifinal and final, respectively. Both victories were achieved through penalty shootouts, adding to India’s growing reputation as a competitive force in the footballing arena.
Lebanon, one of the invited West Asian countries in the SAFF Championship, also witnessed an improvement in their ranking, climbing two places to be placed just below India at the 100th spot. Meanwhile, Kuwait, another participant from West Asia, ascended four spots to reach the 137th position.
India’s current FIFA ranking stands at 99th, with a total of 1208.69 points. While this achievement marks a significant milestone for Indian football, it is worth noting that the country’s best FIFA ranking was 94th, achieved in 1996. Previously, India had also reached the 99th spot in 1993 and the 96th position in both 2017 and 2018.
Argentina continues to hold the top position, followed by France, Brazil, England, and Belgium. In Asia, Japan leads the chart at the 20th spot, with Iran (22), Australia (27), Korea (28), and Saudi Arabia (54) occupying the top five positions.
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