Zurich – Being knocked out on penalties by world champions Germany in the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 halted the rise up in the FIFA rankings of the Azzurri that, thanks to the good European disputed in France, climbed two places and now sit 10th, just one point behind Brazil in 9th and only ten points behind Spain in 8th who were the Azzurri’s vanquished opponents in the round of 16. Despite their penalty-shootout defeat in the final of the Copa America, Argentina remain the number-one ranked team in the world ahead of Belgium and Colombia. European champions Portugal move up two positions to 6th and sit one place ahead of fellow Euro 2016 finalists France, who climb ten places.
Special mentions must also go to Croatia and Iceland who each climbed 12 places and are now 15th and 22nd respectively. (9Colonne)
