MINSK, 6 April (BelTA) – The Belarusian national football team went down six spots to the 78th position in the April rankings of the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), BelTA has learned.
In the previous month Belarusian footballers suffered two defeats: 0-4 to Sweden in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier and 0-3 to Macedonia. The team, under new coach Igor Kriushenko, has lost 44 points and keeps 428 points now.
The Belarusians next play a friendly against Switzerland (9th in the FIFA rankings) on 1 June. Then, the team will hold two home games against Bulgaria (55th; 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier) on 9 June, and New Zealand (112th; a friendly) on 12 June.
Belarus' other rivals in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier keep the following world positions: France – 6th, the Netherlands – 32nd, Sweden – 34th, and Luxemburg - 146th.
The FIFA top ten in April:
1. Brazil – 1.661 points
2. Argentina – 1.603
3. Germany – 1.464
4. Chile – 1.403
5. Colombia – 1.348
6. France – 1.294
7. Belgium – 1.281
8. Portugal – 1.259
9. Switzerland – 1.212
10. Spain – 1.204.
According to the FIFA rankings, Ukraine goes 37th, Uzbekistan is 60th, Russia – 61st, Armenia – 67th, Azerbaijan – 87th, Lithuania – 102nd, Estonia – 104th, Kazakhstan – 105th, Georgia – 122nd, Latvia – 124th, Kyrgyzstan – 128th, Tajikistan – 138th, Turkmenistan – 140th, and Moldova – 158th.
The next FIFA rankings will be published on 4 May.
