Senegal ends 2017 as Africa's best team on FIFA ranking

World Cup bound Senegal ended 2017 as Africa’s best side according to the recent FIFA – Coca Cola ranking. The Teranga Lions, however, ranked 23rd on the global ladder.

Tunisia (World ranking / WR = 27), Egypt (31), the Democratic Republic of Congo (39) and Morocco (40) respectively completed the top five African countries.

The only World Cup representative that failed to make the top five was Nigeria (51) even though the Super Eagles were the first African side to qualify for the tournament which takes place next year in Russia.

Ranking ahead of Nigeria were Burkina Faso (44), Cameroon (45) and Ghana (50) in that order. Completing the top 10 for Africa was Algeria (58).

AFRICA’S REPRESENTATIVES AND THEIR WC ‘RECORD’

1. EGYPT – The Pharaohs are making their first world finals appearance since Italy 1990
2. MOROCCO – The Atlas Lions topped African zone Group C in qualification
3. NIGERIA – The Super Eagles have only missed one tournament since their debut at USA 1994
4. SENEGAL – In their debut at Korea/Japan 2002, the Lions of Teranga reached the quarter-finals
5. TUNISIA – At Argentina 1978, the Carthage Eagles became the first African team to win a World Cup match

??Germany are the #FIFARanking’s latest ‘Team of the Year’, having ended 2017 atop the global ladder ?
More ? https://t.co/Yfb7qexnMz pic.twitter.com/qFr8pLENfz

— FIFA.com (@FIFAcom) December 21, 2017

GROUPS INVOLVING AFRICAN TEAMS

GROUP A

Russia – Saudi Arabia – Egypt – Uruguay ### GROUP B

Portugal – Spain – Morocco – Iran ### GROUP D

Argentina – Iceland – Croatia – Nigeria ### GROUP G

Belgium – Panama – Tunisia – England ### GROUP H

Poland – Senegal – Colombia – Japan