Brazil top FIFA rankings

Brazil has taken over from European champions Spain at the top of FIFA’s world rankings released on Wednesday.

Portugal meanwhile moved to third behind Spain, while the Netherlands slipped back to fourth.

Record world champions Brazil have 1,611 points, with Spain, who topped the rankings for the past five months, on 1,565.

World champions Italy stay fifth ahead of Germany, Argentina moved up two places to seventh, England are down one place to eighth while Croatia gained a place to ninth. Losing finalist of the World Cup France dropped two places to 10th.

The next rankings will be released on May 26, ahead of the June 11-July 11 World Cup in South Africa.