Izuchukwu OkosiNigeria’s Super Eagles on Thursday morning were ranked the third-best men’s national team in the continent after their silver-winning feat at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, reports Prime Business Africa.
The team beaten 2-1 by hosts Cote d’Ivoire in the final of the 34th edition of the African mundial on Sunday were previously 5th in Africa and 42nd in the world.
Morocco remains Africa’s top-ranked side, gaining one spot from 13th to 12th place in the world.
Africa and Asian confederations, CAF and AFC nations, are the main movers and shakers with Angola, beaten by Nigeria in the quarterfinals, and Qatar, the Asian Cup winners, making the biggest strides in the ranking table.
According to FIFA on Angola’s improved ranking: “Beaten finalists Nigeria (28th, up 14) make significant strides but are no match for the Angola side they ousted in the last eight (93rd, up 24), who are the biggest climbers in the latest installment of the global ranking.”
There were no changes in the top ten in the overall world ranking as Argentina, France, England, Belgium, Brazil, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Croatia make up the top 10.
On the African continent, host and winners of the 2023 AFCON, Cote d’Ivoire are 5th in Africa, taking up Nigeria’s former continental spot and now 39th in the world with 10 places gained.
The Top 14 FIFA Rankings (CAF Zone) after AFCON 2023:
1. Morocco – 12 (+1)
2. Senegal – 17 (+3)
3. Nigeria – 28 (+14)
4. Egypt – 36 (-4)
5. Ivory Coast – 39 (+10)
6. Tunisia – 41 (-13)
7. Algeria – 43 (-13)
8. Mali – 47 (+4)
9. Cameroon – 51 (-5)
10. South Africa – 59 (+7)
11. Burkina Faso – 61 (-4)
12. DR Congo – 63 (+4)
13. Cape Verde – 66
14. Ghana – 67
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
