Australia Jumps Four Spots In World Rankings

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The Socceroos have jumped four places to number 44 in the latest FIFA World Rankings released overnight.

Australia-s 3-1 win away in Bahrain in the opening Asian Cup qualifying match earned them 12 points (the highest of any team in the top 50) in the complicated points system and saw them overtake Jamaica, Israel, Finland and fellow World Cup finalist Serbia & Montenegro.

Australia is the 5th ranked team in the Asian Confederation behind Japan (18), Iran (19), Korea Republic (31) and Saudi Arabia (34), while Bahrain remains 6th, but slipped two places in the rankings to 54.

Meanwhile one of Australia-s opponents at the FIFA World Cup Germany™ Croatia, also moved up four places in the rankings, entering the top 20 at number 19, just one place behind another group opponent Japan in 18th. Brazil, the favourite in Australia-s group at the World Cup, is still ranked number 1 with a big gap to 2nd ranked Czech Republic.

Amazingly the top 11 teams in the world all recorded a loss of points for the March rankings, with former World Champions France the biggest casualty, dropping three places to number 8, with the USA moving into the top five for the first time in their history.

World Cup hosts Germany have dropped out of the top 20 to number 22, following its disastrous 4-1 friendly loss to Italy.