MINSK, 9 February (BelTA) – The Belarusian national football team went 2 spots up to place 72nd, with 470 points, in the February rankings of the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), BelTA has learned.
On 13 November Belarus lost its 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Bulgaria (89th in the FIFA rankings) 0-1. Belarus scored only two out of 12 points at the start of its 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, which spelled the end for Alexander Khatskevich as head coach of the team. The next 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier for Belarus is scheduled for 25 March against Sweden (44th). Belarus' other rivals in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier keep the following world positions: France – 6th, the Netherlands – 21st, Bulgaria – 71st, and Luxemburg - 134th.
The FIFA top ten in February:
1. Argentina – 1.635 points
2. Brazil – 1.529
3. Germany – 1.433
4. Chile – 1.386
5. Belgium – 1.371
6. France – 1.313
7. Colombia – 1.304
8. Portugal – 1.240
9. Uruguay – 1.195
10. Spain – 1.168.
According to the FIFA rankings, Ukraine goes 30th, Russia – 61st, Uzbekistan is 63rd, Armenia – 82nd, Azerbaijan – 89th, Kazakhstan – 96th, Lithuania – 109th, Latvia – 113th, Estonia – 119th, Kyrgyzstan – 124th, Georgia – 125th, Tajikistan – 133rd, Turkmenistan – 144th, and Moldova – 163rd.
The next FIFA rankings will be published on 9 March.
