The latest FIFA Rankings are out. But they do not bring any joy to the Malawi national football team, the Flames and its fans.
The team has not improved its ranking in the August release as it remains stagnant in position 123.
The Flames are dangerously in love with this position, having held it four times already this year – March, June and July – which due to the World Cup did not have new rankings.
The latest rankings reveal that Malawi have moved just one step since the turn of the year 2018.
The team was ranked 125 in December 2017, but climbed a step up a month later to 124.
It maintained that rank in February before jumping into position 123 in March.
The next two months came with a wind of fortune as RVG’s charges moved four places up (120 in April, 119 in May).
But the worrying trend returned in June as the team tumbled four places to fall back into position 123, which it will hold atleast until September 20 when the world soccer mother body comes up with the new release.
Malawi’s next assignment is the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier against Morocco who have dropped 5 places in the latest rankings to position 46.
Cameroon, whom the Flames face in October in the same competition, have moved two places up to position 47, while Comoros, also in the same group are ranked 26 places below Malawi (149).
South Africa’s Bafana Bafana are the highest ranked team in the COSAFA region on 74 while Zambia follow on 76.
Despite falling three places down, Tunisia remain top on the continent, a position jointly held by fellow World Cup ambassadors Senegal.
DR Congo, Ghana and Morocco complete the top five.
World Cup champions France(+6), have been rewarded for last month’s heroics in Russia , by leading the global chart at the expense of deposed champions Germany, who have plummeted 16 places down.
Runners-up Croatia are fourth on the ladder, moving up 16 steps.
Russia 2018 losing semifinalists, Belgium(+1) and England(+6) come second and sixth respectively.
Brazil lie third as Uruguay are fifth
