Germany lands back atop FIFA rankings

Brazil and Argentina fall to Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, as Canada rises nine places to No. 100

ZURICH — Germany leads the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA rankings again after the 2014 World Cup winner added the Confederations Cup title on Sunday.

Victory by a second-string squad lifted Germany up two places, and Brazil and Argentina fell to Nos. 2 and 3, respectively.

Since Germany last led the rankings exactly two years ago, Brazil, Argentina and Belgium have held the top spot.

Portugal used its third-place finish in Russia to rise four places to No. 4, higher than after it won the 2016 European Championship.

Switzerland climbed to No. 5 by beating the Faeroe Islands to extend its perfect record in World Cup qualifying. Poland, which was also unbeaten in World Cup qualifying, rose to No. 6.

Confederations Cup runner-up Chile fell three places to No. 7. Colombia, France and Belgium completed the Top 10 though all fell three places.

Other teams falling due to Confederations Cup results in Russia were Cameroon dropping four to No. 36 and New Zealand down 27 to No. 122.

Host team Russia rose one to No. 62 and Australia climbed three to No. 45.

Mexico, fourth-placed at the Confederations Cup, leads CONCACAF teams at No. 16. Canada rises nine places to No. 100 and The United States falls 12 to No. 35.

Iran leads Asia at No. 23, one ahead of Africa’s best, Egypt.

The FIFA rankings, weighing team’s results over a four-year cycle, will have an impact later this year.

FIFA typically uses the rankings to decide seeding for World Cup playoffs and the finals tournament draw, which is made on Dec. 1 in Moscow.