India equal worst ever in FIFA rankings

India had a disastrous AFC Challenge Cup campaign last month in Nepal where they lost all their league matches and that saw the country lose 10 points from previous month's 132 points.

Baichung Bhutia.

The earlier all-time low after India appeared in the FIFA charts in August 1993 was the 165th from March to May 2007 when Englishman Bob Houghton was the coach.

India's best ever rankings in FIFA charts - which currently has 204 members - was the 94th in February 1996.

India now occupy 32nd spot among 46 Asian countries. It's now below Nepal (149th), Bangladesh (152nd) and Maldives (164th) among South Asian countries.

Germany moved up to second in the latest FIFA world rankings published on Wednesday, with world champions Spain still in top spot and Uruguay moving up to third and their highest-ever position.

Germany and Uruguay's movement came at the expense of defeated World Cup finalists the Netherlands, who dropped to fourth and out of the top three for the first time since June 2010.

Portugal jumped two places to fifth, leapfrogging 2014 World Cup hosts Brazil who dropped one place, while Denmark's ninth place is their highest position since August 1997.

Italy (12th) and Argentina (10th) dropped three and two places respectively.

FIFA world rankings as of April 11:

1. Spain --

2. Germany +1

3. Uruguay +1

4. Netherlands -2

5. Portugal +2

6. Brazil -1

7. England -1

8. Croatia +2

9. Denmark +2

10. Argentina -2

11. Russia +1

12. Italy -3

13. Chile +1

14. Greece -1

15. Ivory Coast --

16. France --

17. Sweden --

18= Republic of Ireland +1

Switzerland --

20. Mexico +2