U.S. is No. 7 in FIFA rankings
Associated Press
Posted: 1 hour ago  Â
ZURICH, Switzerland (AP) - The U.S. national soccer team advanced one place to No. 7 Wednesday in FIFA's rankings for January.
FIFA WORLD RANKING
Top 20 January 2006Â
Rank Country Points +/-Â
1 Brazil 839 -1Â
2 Czech Rep. 796 -Â
3 Netherlands 790 -1Â
4 Argentina 772 -Â
5 France 768 -Â
5 Spain 768 -Â
7 Mexico 767 -1Â
7Â USAÂ 767Â -
9 England 757 -Â
10 Portugal 753 -1Â
11 Turkey 748 -Â
12 Italy 741 -Â
13 Denmark 733 -Â
14 Sweden 731 -1Â
15 Japan 714 -1Â
16 Greece 708 -Â
17 Germany 707 -1Â
18 Uruguay 705 -1Â
19 Iran 703 -Â
20 Croatia 701 -Â
Ranking criteriaÂ
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Brazil maintained the top spot it has held since July 2002, a month after it won its record fifth World Cup. The next three teams also were unchanged - Czech Republic, Netherlands and Argentina. France shared fifth with Spain.
Mexico, which was tied for fifth last month, dropped into a tie for seventh with the U.S. England remained ninth, ahead of Portugal.
The next 10 places were almost the same: Turkey was No. 11, followed by Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Japan, Greece, Germany, Uruguay, Iran and Croatia. Only Germany changed places, dropping to 17th from a tie for 16th.
Among teams in the top 20, only Turkey, Denmark, European champion Greece and Uruguay failed to qualify for the 32-nation World Cup, which begins in June 9 in Germany.
(Trinidad still at 50)