The Indian men’s team fell four places to 121st in the latest FIFA rankings after losing 2-1 to Afghanistan in the second round of 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Guwahati last month. The worst result. The team coached by Igor Stimac broke into the top 100 last year, winning the Intercontinental Cup, Tri-Nation Championship and SAFF Championship, but suffered a heavy defeat at home to lower-ranked Afghanistan on March 26 to continue promotion. . The recent performance has been poor.
Although the team defeated Kuwait in the World Cup qualifiers, their first away victory in more than two decades, they lost all their games and failed to win at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar. A goal that made the team forgettable. After the continental championship, it dropped 15 places to 117th.
India had a meaningless and scoreless Asian Cup campaign in January after losing to Australia (0-2), Uzbekistan (0-3) and Syria (0-1). It ended up finishing last among the four teams in Group B.
The Blue Tigers suffered a goalless draw with Afghanistan in the first leg of the second round of World Cup qualifying in Abha, Saudi Arabia, before suffering a home defeat last month, sparking anger and calls for Stimac to be sacked.
However, India ranks worst at 173rd.
India was ranked 102nd in the FIFA rankings released on December 21, 2023, before falling 15 spots to 117th in March.
Reigning world champions Argentina remain at the top of the list, followed by 2022 World Cup runners-up France, England, Belgium and Brazil.
The Netherlands ranks sixth, followed by Portugal, Spain and Italy, with Croatia completing the top ten.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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