Internet Desk: The speculations were there, after India defeated Cambodia and Myanmar in the last two consecutive international matches in March. Today, The FIFA has announced their official ranking for the month of April and India gets its best ever FIFA ranking in the last 21 years and jumps 31 places to be at the 101st position and even surpasses mighty Asian nations like Bahrain, Thailand, Jordan, DPR Korea, Oman and Iraq.
As per the prognosis tool offered in the FIFA website, India, who was on 233 points in March, has shot up to 331 ranking points on the back of two away victories. The Blue Tigers are now tied on points with Nicaragua, Lithuania and Estonia. This will be India’s best ranking since February 1996, when the team was 94th.
Brazil has conquered the no.1 position in the FIFA rankings after becoming the first team to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup with a 3-0 victory over Paraguay. This has been the first time Brazil has gone back to the top of the rankings since April 2010. Argentina has dropped a place to be at second in the list even after the defeat to Bolivia, while Germany, Chile and Colombia are in the top five.
National Coach Stephen Constantine said: “It has been a difficult road. Bringing in new blood and creating competition for places in the Team has been a process, and I’m pleased we are moving in the right direction.”
“It’s been a total Team effort. Unless Mr. Patel (AIFF President Mr. Praful Patel) and Mr. Das (AIFF General Secretary Mr. Kushal Das) allowed me to do the things and the manner I wanted it to be done, this won’t have been possible ever,” he stressed. “I also need to thank the support staff for their commitment for the team.”
The Indian National Football Team, governed by the All India Football Federation were ranked 171 when Constantine took over as National Coach for the second time in February 2015 and slipped further to 173 in March 2015 in the FIFA ladder even before Constantine could have his first game in-charge against Nepal, which India eventually won 2-0 on aggregate.
Speaking on the achievement AIFF President Mr. Praful Patel said: “This is a great achievement and a fruitful reward for the hard work displayed by the team and the support staff on a regular basis. We at AIFF look forward to support the team and the coach in their endeavors to ensure sustained growth of Indian Football.”
Mr. Kushal Das, General Secretary AIFF, congratulated the team saying: “The AIFF is committed to provide the best of exposure and facilities for the National Team in the form of arranging International Friendlies and preparatory Camps. We are delighted to achieve this milestone and hope to display the same character in our coming matches.”