Liberia Drops Four Places in Latest FIFA Rankings
The Lone Star dropped from 145th to 149th on the global rankings and from 43rd to 46th on the continent.
Liberia’s recent dismal performance in three international friendlies played in Antalya, Turkey has resulted in a fall in the FIFA rankings.
Liberia dropped four places in the latest FIFA rankings released on Thursday, March 31, following the latest round of international friendlies and World Cup qualifiers. The Lone Star dropped from 145th to 149th on the global rankings and from 43rd to 46th on the continent.
Senegal still leads the way on the continent, followed by Morocco and Nigeria. The Lone Star was unable to secure at least a draw from the three matches, conceding seven goals and managed to score a goal.
The friendlies were part of Liberia’s and other African countries’ preparations for the upcoming 2023 AFCON qualifiers. Faced with several challenges ranging from traveling arrangements and visa issues, Coach Peter Butler and his backroom staff had to fill in the gap with some Turkish-based Liberian players after five of his invited players couldn’t make the trip.
Liberia suffered a 4-0 defeat in the first match against Benin on March 24, and eventually lost 1-0 against neighbors Sierra Leone on March 27 in the second encounter. The Lone Star’s final chance to return home with at least a point was against 141st ranked Burundi, but Butler and his boys missed out.
On the global scene, Brazil (1st) returned to the summit in March 2022, five years after they were last there.
Recent wins for the Seleçao over Chile (4-0 at home) and Bolivia (4-0 away) in the qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 enabled them to overtake Belgium (2nd), who had been in first place for the past three years but who failed to get the better of Republic of Ireland on 26 March, drawing 2-2 in a friendly.