FIFA ranking!
FIFA releases ranking of its member-states in the first week of every month. According to the latest ranking released on last Thursday, two times World Champions Argentina and three times continent Champions Iran are the best football nations in the world and Asia respectively although none of them had any success in last 23 years at least.
Argentina became the South America champions latest in 1993, while Iran won the continental cup last time in 1978 though both of them represented their continents in the World Cup Football on several occasions. Reigning World Champions Germany are fifth in the world ranking and record five times World Champions Brazil are seventh.
In contrast, Belgium, which could not even enter the final of any major international tournament in their football history, are surprisingly second.
In Asia, current Champions Australia are in second position with record four times Asia Champions Japan in 4th position and three times Asia Champions Saudi Arabia are fifth. Watching the past performances, observers call the FIFA ranking a farce.
Khurshida Haque
Dhaka
