France lose top spot to Belgium in FIFA rankings

Belgium’s forward Eden Hazard (3rdL) celebrates after scoring during the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualification football match between Belgium and Cyprus, at the King Baudouin Stadium, on October 10, 2017 in Brussels. (Photo by JOHN THYS / AFP)

World Cup winners France dropped one place to second in the FIFA rankings on Thursday as Belgium moved up to claim top spot.

England and Uruguay were the only other movers in the top 10, Gareth Southgate’s men moving up one place to fifth and Uruguay moving the other way, to sixth.

Elsewhere, lowly Gibraltar was rewarded for recent wins over Armenia and Liechtenstein by moving up eight places to 190th.

FIFA rankings as of October 25:

1. Belgium

2. France (-1 place)

3. Brazil

4. Croatia

5. England (+1)

6. Uruguay (- 1)

7. Portugal

8. Switzerland

9. Spain

10. Denmark