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Bafana up 1 spot in latest FIFA rankings

Cape Town - South Africa moved up one spot to 73rd position in the latest FIFA world rankings released on Thursday..

Bafana Bafana though remain 15th in Africa.

For the first time ever in the table's 25-year history - top spot is shared between Belgium and World Cup winners France in the FIFA world rankings.

After the most recent international break where South Africa were held to a goalless draw by minnows Libya, Stuart Baxter's Bafana side still managed to move up a single spot.

It's a far cry from the glory days when Bafana cracked the top 20 in the rankings (at 19th) after winning the 1996 African Cup of Nations.

The biggest leap in terms of points is in Africa, with Kenya (107th, up 5) clinching 22 points – 17.9 of which thanks to a 1-0 win over Ghana (51st, down 6) in CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifying. As a result of that defeat to Kenya, the Black Stars join Slovenia (61st, down 6), as the biggest fallers of the month.

Due to their disappointing defeat Ghana also move out of the top-five ranked teams on the continent.

Tunisia retain the top spot, followed by Senegal, DR Congo, Morocco and Nigeria.

A pair of wins for the Red Devils (1st, up 1), including their first in the UEFA Nations League over Iceland (36th, down 4), has brought them level with Les Bleus (1st, unchanged) on 1,729 points. The only other change in the top ten sees Denmark (10th, down 1) slip below Spain (9th, unchanged).

Outside of the top ten, two Nations League wins for Ukraine (29th, up 6) over Czech Republic (47th, down 3) and Slovakia (26th, unchanged) means that they are the month’s biggest movers, while Germany (12th, up 3) have started to edge back toward the upper reaches.

The next FIFA world rankings will be published on October 25, 2018.

Top 20 in the latest FIFA rankings:

T1. Belgium

T1. France

3. Brazil

4. Croatia

5. Uruguay

6. England

7. Portugal

8. Switzerland

9. Spain

10. Denmark

11. Argentina

12. Chile

12. Germany

14. Colombia

15. Sweden

16. Mexico

17. Netherlands

18. Poland

19. Wales

20. Italy

Also:

73. South Africa

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