Brazil will go to the World Cup as the top team after extending the lead over the second placed team Belgium in the latest FIFA rankings published on Thursday.
They are the only country to have competed in every World Cup final and will enter the tournament next month in Qatar in search of a record-long sixth crowning.
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Brazil won two warm-ups in September – against Ghana and Tunisia – while Belgium lost Netherlands in one of their two UEFA Nations League matches.
Argentina 3rd place and 2018 World Cup champion France Still in 4th place.
The World Cup in Qatar begins on November 20.
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Qatar will be the 50th place team, just behind the 51st place Saudi Arabia. Ghana will be the lowest ranked 61st team.
Group B at the World Cup is strongest by ranking with all 4 teams in the top 20: 5th EnglandNo. 16 USANumber 19 Wales and the number 20 Iran.
Italy rose one place to 6th and were the highest ranked team to fail to qualify for the World Cup, missing out on consecutive tournaments. Spain dropped one place to 7th, with the Netherlands, Portugal and Denmark unchanged to finish the top 10.
Germany2014 world champion, ranked 11th, just ahead of the 2018 finalists Croatia.
Also, Russia rose two places to 33rd despite not playing a recognized match in 2022 as the national team was suspended following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
