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Bafana slide in rankings

Cape Town - Following on from an unsuccessful AFCON 2015 campaign, Bafana Bafana have slipped to 56th in the latest FIFA rankings.

Shakes Mashaba's side were dumped out the continental showpiece in Equatorial Guinea in January at the group stage after failing to hold onto any of their leads during their three group stage matches in the "Group of Death".

South Africa finished last in Group C with just one point to their name after losing to Algeria (1-3), drawing with Senegal (1-1) and then losing to eventual runners-up, Ghana (1-2), in their last group fixture.

Bafana Bafana had been making steady progress up FIFA rankings, owed largely to a brilliant AFCON qualifying campaign under new coach Shakes Mashaba, but a poor showing at AFCON 2015 means the side have slipped four places as FIFA released the updated rankings on Thursday.

South Africa are now ranked as the 14th best side in Africa.

Winners of AFCON 2015, Ivory Coast have moved up to 20th place in the global rankings (2nd in Africa) while Ghana's Black Stars are now ranked 25th in the world (3rd in Africa). 

Hosts of AFCON, Equatorial Guinea, were the big winners in the latest rankings as they moved up to 49th in the world (12th in Africa).

Algeria remain Africa's best ranked side - 18th in the world, just two places above Ivory Coast.

FIFA World Rankings:

1. Germany    

2. Argentina  

3. Colombia    

4. Belgium        

5. Netherlands             

6. Brazil                            

7. Portugal     

8. France (-1) 

9. Uruguay (+1)                           

10. Spain (-1)     

CAF Rankings:

1. Algeria

2. Ivory Coast

3. Ghana

4. Tunisia

5. Cape Verde

6. Senegal

7. Nigeria

8. Guinea

9. Cameroon

10. Congo DR

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