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Cote D’Ivoire Rise To 18th Spot In FIFA Rankings

Cote D’Ivoire Rise To 18th Spot In FIFA Rankings

Cote D’Ivoire have climbed the FIFA Rankings for February following their 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title victory last week, rising into the top 20 globally to place in 20th spot.

The rankings are released with updates once per month, based on a points system which rewards teams for the results they have achieved.

The Elephants defeated Ghana in an eventful penalty shootout in the final of the Nations Cup, following a goalless draw in normal time, allowing Gervinho and co to bring the AFCON title back to Abidjan and earn their rise of eight spots in the FIFA Rankings.

Cote D’Ivoire knocked out the best placed African national team, Algeria, in the quarter-final of the Nations Cup, but the North Africans remain at the top of the continent in terms of the ranking, as the 18th highest ranked side in the world.

The Black Stars of Ghana, who ended the tournament as the beaten finalists moved up 12 places to 25th position, following an excellent run which saw them come very close to securing the continental title in the ultimate match, before penalties decided the match.

Host nation Equatorial Guinea came fourth in the tournament, and that helped them to reach their best ever level in the FIFA Rankings, at position 49. The country that beat Equatorial Guinea in the consolation final to take third place at the competition, DR Congo, moved up 11 places to 46th position.

Former AFCON champions Nigeria also moved up one place in the rankings, despite the fact that they did not qualify for the just concluded Nations Cup. The Super Eagles are now ranked 42nd in the world.