All Whites drop 27 places in FIFA rankings, Germany back atop after Confederations Cup win
A dejected Ryan Thomas looks on after New Zealand's 4-0 defeat to Portugal.
New Zealand have slipped 27 places to 122nd in the latest FIFA rankings after finishing the Confederations Cup with three defeats in as many games.
Ranked 95th in the world heading into the tournament, the All Whites were beaten 2-0 by hosts Russia, before a spirited 2-1 defeat at the hands of Mexico and a forgettable 4-0 loss to Portugal. New Zealand also succumbed to 1-0 defeats against both Northern Ireland and Belarus as part of their preparations for the tournament.
The All Whites now find themselves wedged between Burundi (121) and Bahrain (123) in the official rankings. New Zealand's next matches will be the two-legged Oceania final against the Solomon Islands in late August and early September as part of the next stage of World Cup qualifying.
Germany reclaimed top spot in the FIFA rankings after beating Chile in the Confederations Cup final.
Germany again leads the FIFA rankings after the 2014 World Cup winner claimed the the Confederations Cup title.
Victory by a second-string squad lifted Germany up two places, and Brazil and Argentina fell to No 2 and 3, respectively.
Portugal rises four to No 4 after its third-place finish in Russia.
Switzerland climbs to No 5 by beating the Faeroe Islands to extend its perfect record in World Cup qualifying, while Poland rises to No 6, above Confederations Cup runner-up Chile.
Colombia, France and Belgium complete the top 10 though all fell three places.
- Stuff