World Cup champion France tops FIFA rankings; Germany 15th

FILE – In this Sunday, July 15, 2018 file photo, France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris lifts the trophy after France won 4-2 during the final match between France and Croatia at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia. World Cup winner France reclaims the No. 1 spot in the FIFA rankings for the first time in 16 years after defeating Croatia 4-2 for its second World Cup title and jumped up six places. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)

ZURICH — World Cup champion France is at the top of the FIFA rankings for the first time in 16 years.

France beat Croatia 4-2 last month for its second World Cup title, and jumped six places to reclaim the No. 1 spot it last held in May 2002.

Belgium, which lost to France in the semifinals, moved up one place to second on the list, published Thursday.

Brazil, beaten by Belgium in the quarterfinals, fell to third while Croatia climbed 16 places to fourth to equal its best ranking from five years ago.

World Cup quarterfinalist Uruguay jumped nine spots to fifth and semifinalist England moved to sixth from 12th.

Host Russia kicked off the tournament as the lowest-ranked of the 32 teams. But an unexpected run to the quarterfinals, where it lost to Croatia on penalties, pushed it up 21 places to 49th.

Previous champion Germany’s surprise elimination from the group stage dropped it from first to 15th.