Bafana hold firm in latest FIFA rankings

Cape Town - South Africa remain unchanged in 72nd spot in the latest FIFA world rankings released on Thursday.

Bafana Bafana also remained 15th in Africa.

Just seven international 'A' matches, all friendlies, took place in the past month and as a result there are few movers in the latest rankings.

Most of the top 50 is unchanged, with Germany, Brazil and Belgium at one through three in the same top 10 as last month.

Stuart Baxter's Bafana side recently beat hosts Zambia to win the Four-Nations tournament in March.

The Four Nations win though comes as little compensation for Baxter's men since failing dismally to qualify for the 2018 Soccer World Cup in Russia, with the rankings calculated over a rolling four-year period.

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.

Four of the top five African ranked teams have qualified for Russia 2018 with Tunisia retaining their top spot, followed by Senegal, DR Congo, Morocco and Egypt.

DR Congo, ranked third in Africa and 38th in the world, will not be in Russia. Nigeria, currently sixth in Africa and 47th in the world, are the fifth and final African team to have qualified for the June/July spectacle.

The Top 5 in the rankings remain largely the same with Belgium having recently moved up two places into third position. World Cup holders Germany remain in top spot, followed by Brazil, Belgium, Portugal and Argentina.

The next FIFA world rankings will be published on June 7, 2018.

Top 20 in the latest FIFA rankings:

1. Germany

2. Brazil

3. Belgium

4. Portugal

5. Argentina

6. Switzerland

7. France

8. Spain

9. Chile

10. Poland