We’re #1! We’re #1!
By: Martha | February 14th, 2007
It’s been almost 15 years in coming but, thanks to Portugal’s kicking of Brazil’s ass and the postponement of the Azzurri friendly against Romania, Italy are finally back at the top of the FIFA World Rankings! Woo hoo! (I don’t know about you guys, but I’m working on my thank you note to Big Phil right now.) I know the rankings mean next to nothing, but still — it’s nice to be first in anything, particularly when you get there because Brazil lost. As Nelson Muntz would say, “Ha-ha.”
Of course, the last time the Azzurri were ranked first — back in 1993 — they managed to stay there for only a month (Something about the US, a shootout, and Baggio. I don’t like to think about it.), so we shouldn’t get too settled just yet. Hopefully the team has recovered from those troubling post-World Cup displays — like, say, a certain France game — and can move into the Euros with a bit of confidence. And competence. Competence would be nice.
For those of you interested in the full list, it’s after the jump. To sum up, the rest of the rankings stayed the same, which means England are still a reason-defying sixth. Has anyone at FIFA seen them play in the last two years?
1 Italy
2 Brazil
3 Argentina
4 France
5 Germany
6 England
7 Netherlands
8 Portugal
9 Czech Republic
10 Spain
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Comments
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Congrats Martha. I still don’t understand how Portugal is still only in 8th with Holland and England at 6 and 7. At current form, England shouldn’t even be in the top 10. It must be FIFA’s famous fuzzy math.
Posted from
United States
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I agree, this will give them more confidence in the Euro games.
Posted from
United States -
Viva Italia!!!!!!
Posted from
Canada -
–”Something about the US, a shootout, and Baggio. I don’t like to think about it.”– urrgh, The Miss(es). No such thing ever happened according to what my therapist wants me to believe (it actually did, on my b-day of all days). Let’s Never mention these events again.
But we are # 1 now! I love the fact that Italy beat 3 of the current top 10’s on the way to winning the World Cup!
Posted from
United States -
Finally. Never made a great deal of sense to me that reigning world champions weren’t number one in the first place. It is about time. And I think the Azzurri should sit there for awhile, as I feel they will cruise through the rest of Euro qualifying.
Congratulations to the Azzuri! And i suppose congratulations are in order for England. They have found a way to rig the system and stay perpetually in the same position no matter how much they blow.
Posted from
United States -
Here is the Ranking Procedure:
http://www.fifa.com/en/mens/statistics/rank/procedures/0,2540,3,00.html
They take into account the last 4 years worth of matches played and apply points to each match played based on a variety of categories. It used to be even more screwed up, they went back 8 years.
Posted from
United States -
Thanks for the link, Paolo — I love how often they just throw up their hands and use the word “complex” in describing the old system.
Even the revised version is madness, though since, as Luis says, it’s got England above Portugal, a team that has beaten them TWICE IN MAJOR TOURNAMENTS OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS. Ahem.
Posted from
United States -
is it weird to anyone else that of all teams to help italia be #1 its portugal? there has been a rivalry between them since forever…or is that just here, where im from…
Posted from
Canada
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