July 18 – World champions Germany as expected top the latest FIFA world rankings but England have slumped to their lowest position – 20th – for 18 years.
The latest rankings take into account matches played during the World Cup as well as 46 friendlies.
Argentina, runners-up in Brazil, have risen to second and semi-finalists Holland have climbed from 15th to third.
England are the biggest fallers after Roy Hodgson’s side were eliminated in the group stage following defeats to Italy and Uruguay, plummeting from 10th to 20th.
Brazil are down four places to seventh after their disastrous World Cup on home soil while Spain, 2010 World champions, slipped to eighth after their group phase elimination.
Quarterfinalists Costa Rica matched the Netherlands by climbing 12 places to No. 16 – four ahead of England. But the United States surprisingly dropped two placings despite a battling performance in Brazil where they lost to Belgium in the round of 16 in perhaps the best game of the tournament.
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