Bangladesh jumped eight places up to be placed 157th in the latest FIFA rankings, thanks to their 1-0 Bangabandhu Cup win over Sri Lanka last week. Apart from this match, the Bangabandhu Cup had no impact in FIFA rankings though the Bangladesh Football Federation had earlier branded it as a grade one tournament. The ranking of Malaysia, whose Under-23 team became unbeaten champions in the tournament, remained unchanged.
Bangladesh gained 26 points from the only match against Sri Lanka, which was recognised as a FIFA international, according to the latest rankings published on Thursday.
Meanwhile, world champions Germany remained top of the FIFA rankings for January as France dropped one spot to eighth without having played.
The top three remain unchanged with Lionel Messi’s beaten World Cup finalists Argentina second and Colombia in third.
Belgium are fourth ahead of their northern neighbours the Netherlands while humiliated World Cup hosts Brazil are sixth ahead of World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal who take seventh spot from Euro 2016 hosts France.
-With New Age input
