Germany top Fifa rankings as Russia slide to World Cup low

Reigningchampionsgermany go into the World Cup as the number one team in the world, while hosts Russia will be the lowest-ranked team in the tournament.

With little movement in the upper echelons from the last time Fifa published its rankings, Joachim Low’s side – bidding to become the first backto-back winners in 56 years – remain ahead of Brazil at the top. Belgium, Portugal and Argentina complete the top five while the only change in the top ten sees Poland up two places to eighth in a straight swap with Spain.

England, previously ranked 13th, have climbed from 1,040 ranking points to 1,051 to go into the tournament officially joint-12th alongside Denmark.

That is with the totals rounded to the nearest full point, though Gareth Southgate’s side remain narrowly behind on 1,050.84 to Denmark’s 1,051.44 in the detailed figures.

Russia’s slide will be partly due to not playing competitive matches during the qualifying process and they are down four places since the last update, dropping them below 67th-ranked Saudi Arabia and down to 70th.

Australia and South Korea have climbed four places each and Uruguay three for a pretournament boost, but Tunisia drop seven places to 21st.

Chile, in ninth, are the highest-ranked team not involved in Russia this summer.

For Scotland, the defeats by Peru and Mexico have seen them fall from 34th to 42nd. They may be far from their high of 13 in October 2007, but are ahead of seven nations who will be at the World Cup.

Meanwhile, Germany have announced that Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil will miss this evening’s friendly meeting with Saudi Arabia at the Bayarena in Leverkusen because of a knee injury.

Ozil, 29, picked up the problem during Saturday’s 2-1 defeat against Austria, and has been reported to be doubtful for Germany’s opening match of the World Cup against Mexico in Moscow on 17 June.