World Football Rankings 1998 - Mark's Football World Rankings

Current Rankings

Pos. Country Total Points
1998 Points gained
1998 Move
1998

1    France 31.86 -2.87 1
2    Brazil 31.77 -16.02 -1
3    Netherlands 28.59 -2.27 1
4    Argentina 28.54 2.39 7
5    Italy 28.51 0.97 4
6    Spain 27.62 -1.29 -1
7    Croatia 27.16 1.7 8
8    Yugoslavia 26.15 -5.17 -5
9    Morocco 26.13 2.87 21
10    Poland 25.95 4.21 27
11    Paraguay 25.72 1.33 12
12    Germany 25.64 0.25 4
13    Romania 25.42 -1.72 -3
14    England 25.39 -3.34 -8
15    Austria 25.35 0.73 6
16    Sweden 25.33 6.46 60
17    Czech Rep 25.3 1.16 8
18    Rep Ireland 25.21 2.86 15
19    Mexico 25 1.36 7
20    Portugal 24.47 3.09 23
21    Israel 24.43 1.7 11
22    Peru 24.32 -0.15 0
23    Greece 24.12 -1.15 -6
24    Belgium 23.95 -0.37 0
25    Norway 23.84 -1.31 -6
26    Egypt 23.47 2.93 30
27    Finland 23.43 3.4 35
28    Chile 23.2 -4.85 -20
29    Denmark 23.16 -4.97 -22
30    Wales 23.1 1.93 17
31    Iran 22.86 2.26 23
32    Uruguay 22.84 -0.54 -3
33    Ukraine 22.62 0.46 2
34    Russia 22.6 -3.23 -21
35    Colombia 22.41 -3.47 -23
36    Tunisia 22.38 1.73 16
37    Guatemala 22.28 0.96 8
38    Hungary 21.85 3.83 47
39    Iceland 21.74 3.81 48
40    Turkey 21.64 -3.19 -20
41    Switzerland 21.59 0.72 8
42    Scotland 21.58 -1.93 -14
43    Ecuador 21.58 -1.23 -12
44    Albania 21.51 0.22 2
45    Latvia 21.5 1.81 24
46    South Africa 21.34 -0.34 -8
47    Macedonia 21.26 1.55 20
48    USA 21.13 -4.02 -30
49    Nigeria 21.12 1.59 22
50    Georgia 21.08 -2.55 -23
51    China 20.93 3.06 38
52    Belarus 20.91 2.53 28
53    Slovenia 20.82 0.88 11
54    Ivory Coast 20.57 2.84 38
55    Bulgaria 20.54 -5.14 -41
56    DR Congo 20.18 2.34 35
57    Jamaica 20.14 -1.6 -21
58    Costa Rica 20.09 -1.39 -18
59    Saudi Arabia 20 1.02 15
60    Honduras 19.94 -0.18 -1
61    Kuwait 19.85 -0.27 -3
62    N.Ireland 19.74 -0.82 -7
63    Bolivia 19.64 -2 -24
64    Cameroon 19.62 -0.1 1
65    Moldova 19.47 1.97 30
66    South Korea 19.41 -0.55 -3
67    Ghana 19.38 0.14 6
68    Slovakia 19.32 -1.44 -18
69    Cyprus 18.98 -1.07 -8
70    El Salvador 18.9 -1.84 -19
71    Faroe Islands 18.65 -2.33 -23
72    Japan 18.42 -2.19 -19
73    Gabon 18.4 -1.22 -3
74    Togo 18.4 1.25 23
75    Zambia 18.18 -0.74 0
76    Zimbabwe 18.08 0.15 12
77    Kazakhstan 17.98 2.27 31
78    Bosnia-Herzegovina 17.94 -3.51 -37
79    Burkina Faso 17.93 0.59 17
80    Canada 17.93 -1.38 -8
81    Armenia 17.8 -0.55 0
82    Congo 17.71 -3.68 -40
83    Angola 17.58 -2.78 -26
84    Lithuania 17.25 -4.11 -40
85    Qatar 17.19 -0.32 9
86    Guinea 16.97 -2.75 -20
87    Kenya 16.5 -3.19 -19
88    Australia 16.5 -3.62 -28
89    Syria 16.46 -1.76 -7
90    Estonia 16.4 -0.63 8
91    UAE 16.22 -2.25 -13
92    Algeria 16.16 -6.18 -58
93    Venezuela 16.12 -2 -10
94    Luxembourg 16.11 -1.95 -10
95    Uzbekistan 15.95 -1.98 -9
96    Sierra Leone 15.9 -1.94 -6
97    Benin 15.75 -1.82 -4
98    Mali 15.47 -3.12 -21
99    Senegal 15.04 -1.21 4
100    Oman 14.92 0.32 11
101    Trinidad & Tobago 14.85 -3.6 -22
102    Namibia 14.72 -1.47 2
103    Liberia 14.47 -1.99 -1
104    Uganda 14.44 0.77 15
105    New Zealand 13.98 2.5 26
106    Ethiopia 13.82 -2 0
107    Malta 13.77 0.34 14
108    Indonesia 13.69 -0.51 7
109    Myanmar 13.59 -0.77 5
110    Cuba 13.45 -2.6 -5
111    Jordan 13.24 -1.3 1
112    Kyrgyzstan 13.22 -2 -3
113    Iraq 13.02 -0.99 3
114    Sudan 13.01 -1.41 -1
115    Haiti 12.98 1 14
116    Thailand 12.72 -4 -15
117    Singapore 12.69 1.07 13
118    Tajikistan 12.64 -4.27 -19
119    Malawi 12.44 -2.59 -9
120    Andorra 12.28 3.25 16
121    St Vincent/Grenadines 12.19 -0.05 5
122    Azerbaijan 12.16 -1.74 -5
123    Mozambique 12.09 -4.65 -23
124    Mauritania 11.2 -2 -2
125    Turkmenistan 11.13 3.16 18
126    Gambia 11.12 -1.04 2
127    Lebanon 10.97 -1.96 -3
128    Niger 10.92 1.43 9
129    Martinique 10.56 -3.3 -19
130    Panama 10.2 -2 -3
131    Grenada 10.13 -2.97 -8
132    Tanzania 10.08 -5.65 -25
133    Barbados 9.94 -3.81 -15
134    Bahrain 9.79 0.73 4
135    Antigua 9.12 4.4 24
136    Burundi 9.08 1.77 8
137    Hong Kong 8.97 -3.78 -12
138    Guinea Bissau 8.76 -2 -6
139    St Kitts & Nevis 8.64 -1.21 -3
140    Madagascar 8.43 2.14 6
141    North Korea 8.32 2.44 10
142    Mauritius 7.91 -5.6 -22
143    Yemen 7.89 -2 -8
144    Cape Verde Islands 7.72 1.73 5
145    Malaysia 7.5 -2.56 -11
146    St Lucia 7.26 -0.74 -4
147    San Marino 7.05 -1.1 -6
148    Cayman Islands 6.78 2.29 13
149    India 6.74 -3.98 -16
150    Dominican Rep 6.43 -2.2 -10
151    Fiji 6.13 3.14 17
152    Vietnam 5.97 0.31 0
153    Botswana 5.65 0.83 5
154    Liechtenstein 5.34 1.43 12
155    Surinam 5.12 -3.72 -16
156    Libya 4.79 0.81 9
157    Lesotho 4.78 -0.05 0
158    Bangladesh 4.66 -2 -13
159    Laos 4.56 -1.33 -9
160    Dominica 4.37 -1.89 -13
161    Sri Lanka 4.16 -2 -13
162    Neth.Antilles 4.01 -1.38 -7
163    Swaziland 3.82 -0.46 1
164    Chad 3.67 3.46 12
165    Rwanda 3.49 -0.85 -2
166    Guyana 2.75 0.33 5
167    Taiwan 2.54 -3 -14
168    Nicaragua 2.43 -2 -6
169    Puerto Rico 2.21 -2.46 -9
170    Nepal 1.98 -1.67 -3
171    Tahiti 1.98 -3.48 -17
172    Solomon Islands 1.51 -3.55 -16
173    Philippines 1.41 1.02 0
174    Bermuda 0.87 -1.75 -4
175    Macao 0.79 -2 -6
176    Aruba -0.29 -0.35 2
177    Seychelles -0.31 -0.63 -2
178    Cambodia -0.64 -0.49 1
179    Belize -1.2 -3 -7
180    Brunei -1.57 -0.66 2
181    Vanuatu -2.31 -2.49 -4
182    Djibouti -2.51 -1.92 -2
183    Somalia -2.62 -3 -9
184    Papua New Guinea -3.01 -0.56 0
185    Guam -3.75 -3 -4
186    Pakistan -3.97 -2 -3
187    Virgin Islands -7.42 0 0
188    Maldives Rep -10.48 -0.82 -3
189    Cook Islands -25.63 0 0
190    Tonga -25.79 0 0

Big Movers of 1998

France lifted the 1998 World Cup on home soil and overtook Brazil at the top of the rankings after beating them 3-0 in the final. The French who had not impressed in friendly matches leading up to the finals continued in the same vein drawing 1-1 in their opening Euro 2000 qualifier away to Iceland, but Brazil drew against Jamaica and Guatemala, and lost 1-0 to the USA in the Gold Cup, and 1-0 to Norway in the World Cup finishing the year in second place in the rankings.
Sweden who had been sinking in the rankings turned the table midway through the year with back to back wins against Denmark, Italy, Russia, England and Bulgaria to move up a staggering 60 places and claim a more realistic position.
A draw against the newly crowned world champions France and a 1-0 win against Russia in the European qualifiers helped Iceland move up in the rankings.
Hungary had a good year thanks to wins in Austria, Iran and Azerbaijan, and a home draw against a strong Romanian side in the Euro qualifiers.
Ivory Coast moved in the right direction after a respectable African Cup of Nations and 1-0 wins in a friendly against Cameroon and a continental qualifier in Mali.
China defeated hosts Thailand to finish 3rd in the Asian Games and also enjoyed a 2-0 win over Japan and a 1-1 draw with South Korea in friendly away matches.
DR Congo (formerly known as Zaire) beat Togo, Ghana, Cameroon and hosts Burkina Faso on their way to finishing 3rd in Africa and moving up the rankings.
Finland earned away draws in Scotland and Slovakia, and a home draw against Germany in friendly matches before conquering the Turks 3-1 in a qualifier in Istanbul.
Algeria slipped rapidly down the rankings as they exited the African Cup of Nations with no points and suffered a 2-1 loss in a qualifier away to Uganda.
Bulgaria's 6-1 thrashing at the hands of Spain in the World Cup continued with an embarrassing 3-0 home defeat to Poland in a European qualifier and another setback in Europe losing 1-0 at home to Sweden before losing 4-1 in a friendly in Morocco.
Congo moved down the rankings after sharing points with Chad home and away in their continental qualifiers.
Lithuania moved down after losing 3-0 and 5-0 in friendly matches away to Belarus and 2-1 to Azerbaijan in Estonia before being held to a 0-0 draw away to the Faroe Islands in a Euro qualifier.
Bosnia & Herzegovina also found themselves moving down the table after receiving a friendly 5-0 thumping in Argentina and only managing a 1-0 win and a 1-1 draw at home to the Faroe Islands and Estonia respectively, before losing 3-1 to the Czechs and ending the year with a 4-2 home defeat to Lithuania in the Euro qualifiers.
Some of the more unexpected results of the year were Antigua & Barbuda's 5-1 win over Martinique and Latvia's 3-1 Euro qualifier victory in Norway. In other noteworthy matches Ghana triumphed 3-1 in Cameroon, and Oman celebrated a 4-2 success over Iran in Bangkok.
The highest score of the year was Australia's 16-0 spanking of the Cook Islands on home soil in the Oceania Cup.
Five countries joined the rankings in 1998 . Andorra moved straight into the 120th slot having beaten Azerbaijan 2-0 and lost by the relatively narrow margins of 3-0 and 2-0 to Brazil and France respectively. Martinique occupied 129th spot on the strength of their 4-1 shock win over Barbados, 5-0 demolition of Dominica and 2-1 win in St Lucia. British Virgin Islands, Cook Islands and Tonga moved in at the bottom of the table.

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Copyright © 1998 by Mark. All rights reserved.

World Football Ranking 1998

Big Movers of 1998

Copyright © 1998 by Mark. All rights reserved.

World Football Ranking
1998