India slips one place to 162nd in FIFA rankings

New Delhi, July 18 (UNI) After making a creditable three-place jump last month, India slipped one place to 162nd in the latest FIFA rankings issued today.

India, which is hosting ONGC international invitational Cup next month with an aim to move up higher in rankings, are one place above Sierra Leone in the chart which saw Copa America winners Brazil regaining top spot after six months.

For the first time since March, India moved up four places to 161st in last month's rankings but failed to hold on to it this month but rather lost two points with 72 points to its kitty now.

India is ahead of Bangladesh (172nd), Pakistan (176th) and Nepal (183rd) but below Maldives (157th) and Sri Lanka (160th), according to information received here Brazil climbed up from third place to numero uno again after beating Argentina 3-0 in the Copa final in Venezuela.

Argentina are themselves up to second place, with World Cup champions Italy slipping from top place to third.

Brazil were knocked off top spot in January, having previously led the rankings for an uninterrupted run of more than four years.

Copa third-place finisher Mexico leaped 16 places to 10th while France dropped two places to fourth. Germany, Netherlands, Croatia, Portugal and Spain occupy fifth to ninth positions.

Among the Asians, Japan (36th) are leading the pack ahead of Iran (46th), Australia (49th), Uzbekistan (54th) and South Korea (58th).

UNI