Dhaka, July 21 (BDNEWS) – Bangladesh remained its lowest 168 since February this year in the latest FIFA rankings.
India jumped to 131 from 135, Pakistan to 170 from 175 and Sri Lanka to 140 from 141, according to the rankings received by BDNEWS from Zurich Thursday.
World champions Brazil remained on top and the United States improved to No. 6 in FIFA's rankings, the Americans' best showing in the monthly ratings by soccer's governing body.
The Americans, who will play in this week's CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals, had never been ranked higher than seventh. They were 10th last month, but passed France, England, Portugal and Spain to move within one spot and three points of rival Mexico.
World Cup champion Brazil remained No. 1, and Argentina improved one spot to second. The Netherlands was third, and the Czech Republic dropped from second to fourth,
France fell two spots to seventh, and England, Spain and Portugal rounded out the top 10.
Germany moved from 21st to 11th, the biggest improvement of any nation in the top 20.
Germany (11th, up 10) are the biggest winners. A ten-place climb sees Jurgen Klinsmann's team secure their highest position in over a year thanks to impressive results in the FIFA Confederations Cup, where a German victory over Argentina or Brazil would have seen them make inroads into the top ten.
In the upper echelons, Japan (13th, up 5), Tunisia (32nd, up 6) and Gold Cup semi-finalists Honduras (39th, up 11) all make good progress, while Iran (15th, up 2) are another team celebrating a highest ever placing.
Outside the top 50, a number of teams climb five or more places, including China PR (56th, up 5), Zambia (62nd, up 11), Ghana (70th, up 6), Chile (72nd, up 5), Panama (a best ever 83rd, up 15) and Gabon (98th, up 5).
This month's most lucrative victories in terms of points gained prove to be Ghana's 2-0 World Cup qualifier win over South Africa and Brazil's 4-1 gala performance against Argentina in Frankfurt.
BDNEWS/1202 hrs
