Spain ends year No.1 in FIFA rankings

December 16, 2009 03:32 pm | Updated 03:32 pm IST - ZURICH

Spain has been ranked No. 1 in the year-end FIFA standings for the second straight year.

The European champion maintained the leading status it took over last month from South American champion Brazil.

The Netherlands and world champion Italy stayed third and fourth as the top 10 remained unchanged.

Cameroon leads the African nations at No. 11, the United States tops the CONCACAF region at No.14 and Australia heads the Asian confederation at No.21.

World Cup qualifier New Zealand drops five places but still leads Oceania at No. 82.

Algeria, which also will play in the World Cup next year, continued its rise to No. 26 - its best since the rankings were launched in 1993.

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