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Reigning champions Germany 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.<\/p>\nReigning champions Germany 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.<\/p>\n
With little movement in the upper echelons from the last time FIFA published its rankings, Joachim Low’s side – bidding to become the first back-to-back winners in 56 years – remain ahead of Brazil at the top.<\/p>\n
Belgium, Portugal and Argentina complete the top five while the only change in the top 10 sees Poland up two places to eighth in a straight swap with Spain.<\/p>\n
France, the Republic of Ireland’s conquerors in last week’s friendly, stay in seventh, one place behind Switzerland.<\/p>\n
Chile, in ninth, are the highest-ranked team not involved in Russia this summer.<\/p>\n
There is no change for Martin O’Neill’s Republic of Ireland at 31, but Michael O’Neill’s Northern Ireland fall two places to 29 after their recent 3-0 defeat to Costa Rica.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
England, previously ranked 13th, go into the tournament officially joint-12th alongside Denmark, while Wales rise three places to 18th and Scotland slump eight places to 42nd.<\/p>\n