Northern Ireland and Scotland fall in Fifa rankings
 

Northern Ireland have dropped 25 places in the latest Fifa world rankings from 40th to 65th, with Scotland falling 16 places from 50th to 66th.

Having lost to Serbia and drawn with Slovenia in Euro 2012 qualifying in March, Northern Ireland have suffered the largest slip of any nation.

England remain in sixth and the Republic of Ireland 34th, while Wales are up one place to 115th.

World and European champions Spain stay in top spot ahead of the Netherlands.

As well as Northern Ireland, Scotland have suffered a disappointing slump on the list following their 2-0 friendly defeat by Brazil.

That result has proved costly, with Craig Levein's side losing their place among the third tier of European seeds.

And the Scots have just two fixtures left before July's 2014 World Cup qualifying draw, adding extra significance to the Carling Nations Cup matches with Wales and the Republic of Ireland.

England were boosted by their Euro 2012 qualifying victory over Wales on 26 March but then drew 1-1 with Ghana in a friendly.

The Welsh have risen despite that defeat and the Republic of Ireland keep sixth after a 2-1 win over Macedonia and 3-2 defeat by Uruguay.

World Cup winners Spain and runners-up Netherlands hold a respectable lead courtesy of back-to-back Euro 2012 qualifying victories.

Spain beat the Czech Republic 2-1 at home and Lithuania 3-1 away, with the Dutch winning 4-0 in Hungary before beating the same opposition 5-3 at the Amsterdam ArenA.

There is, however, significant movement just below them as Brazil climb two places to third following their friendly win against Scotland.

Germany thrashed Kazakhstan 4-0 but their 2-1 friendly defeat by Australia sees them drop one spot to fourth while Argentina are down to fifth after drawing 1-1 with USA.

Italy, meanwhile, rise two places to ninth thanks to a 1-0 qualifying win in Slovenia and friendly victory against Ukraine.

The 2006 World Cup winners are back in the top 10 after an absence of seven months and their progress comes at the expense of Greece, who have slipped back from 10th to 12th after drawing 0-0 with Poland.

The most significant upward movers in the rankings are Israel - up 25 places to 33rd - and Belgium - also up 25 to 37th.

Montenegro (24th), Albania (50th), Libya (58th) and Antigua and Barbuda (100th) are up to their highest positions since the list was first published in 1993.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13059264.stm

We should have an All-Ireland Irish team imo like with the Rugby team, northern Ireland is too small to get a decent team of players.

Scotland are 66th? Out of how many?

-hopes the answer isn't 66!-

Haven't got a clue how many there are, but Scotland are usually around 45th-55th I think.

:laugh2:

There's 6 teams tied for last place which is 202nd, you're some way off yet :laugh:

Yay @ us!

:laugh:

If they didnt tie it would be out of 207 placings.

http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/ranking/index.html
http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/ra...ion=0&rank=203

Montenegro 24th? :o

Northern Ireland aren't a bad team, Almost beat Serbia the other week.

It is all thanks to this man - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevan_Jovetić

Don't be silly.

It's this man

http://www.zerozero.pt/img/jogadores...n_vukcevic.jpg

well, even more reason why one team for Ireland could be a good idea, we could be really good, are Serbia even good though?

They're ranked at #16, got some decent players

I highly doubt the supporters of either team would want them to Join together anyway

I don't know, people seemed fine with having 1 Irish Rugby team though

Even then you still get controversy over the flags and Anthems, God Save the Queen has to be sung at Belfast and Amhrán na bhFiann has to be sung at Dublin

a little bit but not alot really and we do have Irelands Call as a joint anthem as well. I think only hard line loyalist types would have an issue with it tbh

well IMO it's easier if they are two seperate teams to avoid the trouble.. gives other players a chance that way if their was 1 team their would be limited chances for players to make the team.

maybe so but it would still be a better team with more of choice of players

Don't think it would make much of a difference.. some players that play for Northern Ireland and some that play for Ireland wouldn't play for an All Ireland football team for a start.

I think you're wrong actually. I don't know anyone here who had an issue with there being 1 rugby team (bar a couple who had a minor issue with the anthem but I stress minor ) I don't see why you think people would be so against it. We're all Irish after all.

it's two separate country's... it would make no sense being 1 team in the first place.. it's almost like saying Scotland and England should be 1 team.. people who are born in Northern Ireland are proud to play for Northern Ireland and people who are born in ROI are proud to play for ROI.. I am pretty sure they wouldn't want to represent another country... the team Chemistry would be pretty ****ed up as well considering you'd have a load of players that hate each other playing for the same team, Kyle Lafferty & McGeady in the same team... that would be fun.

No it wouldn't be like Scotland and England playing as one team at all at all:nono: We were one country in case you forgot, we are all Irish and again it wasn't a problem for anyone to have 1 rugby team.

More people care about football than rugby