The Socceroos have reached their highest point in the FIFA world rankings in more than a decade, confirmed to finish the year at world No.27.
Australia was ranked 38th going into the World Cup, but successive 1-0 wins over Tunisia and Denmark to progress to the knockout stages saw it climb 111 places.
Graham Arnold’s side officially finished 11th in Qatar – equalling its highest ever position at the major tournament – having reached the last 16 where it gave eventual champions Argentina a giant fright.
It is the Socceroos’ highest ranking since March 2012 when they were 20th, and best position to end a calendar year since 2011 (23).
“It’s obviously a reflection of what we’ve recently done (at the FIFA World Cup) and I guess a testament to another achievement by the team,” captain Mat Ryan said.
“We can be extremely proud of what we achieved. I don’t think people in Australia quite grasp the scale of what we did in terms of the qualifying process (for the FIFA World Cup) and playing the opposition we did.”
Australia will remain the fourth-highest AFC nation behind Japan (20), Iran (24) and South Korea (25), but will be well clear of fifth-ranked Saudi Arabia (48).
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Winning the World Cup was not enough to lift Argentina to top spot with Brazil keeping the No.1 position.
The five-time champion was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Croatia but built enough rankings points from results over recent years that feed into FIFA’s calculation.
Either Argentina or France would have overtaken Brazil if it had won in regulation time, but the former’s penalty shootout victory did not garner enough points to displace the Selecao.
Argentina moved up one place to No.2 and beaten finalists France also rose one to No.3.
Belgium is fourth, a fall of two places, despite winning only one game in Qatar and failing to advance from the group stage.
England and the Netherlands, both beaten in the quarters, stay fifth and sixth respectively while Croatia climbed five places to No.7.
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European champion Italy is eighth despite failing to qualify for the World Cup.
Morocco is the best-placed African nation at No.11, up 11 places, after its historic run to the semi-finals.
The US at No.13 is the best of the CONCACAF region teams, rising three places after advancing to the round of 16.
Qatar dropped 10 places to No.60 after losing all three games as the home team at the World Cup.
FIFA men’s top rankings
- Brazil (1840.77 points)
- Argentina (1838.38)
- France (1823.39)
- Belgium (1781.30)
- England (1774.19)
- Netherlands (1740.92)
- Croatia (1727.62)
- Italy (1723.56)
- Portugal (1702.54)
- Spain (1692.71).
-with AP
