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Ten Highest Ranking FIFA Countries by Year

Can you name the top ten highest-ranked men's national football teams for each of the last ten years?
Using the first ranking of each year
Quiz by Quizzer6794
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Last updated: March 16, 2024
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First submittedDecember 2, 2016
Times taken184,431
Average score84.2%
Rating4.96
4:00
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 / 19 guessed
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2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
Argentina
Brazil
Belgium
Belgium
Belgium
Belgium
Germany
Argentina
Belgium
Germany
France
Belgium
Brazil
France
France
France
Brazil
Brazil
Argentina
Argentina
England
France
France
Brazil
Brazil
Brazil
Portugal
Germany
Spain
Colombia
Belgium
Argentina
Argentina
England
England
Croatia
Argentina
Chile
Germany
Belgium
Brazil
England
England
Portugal
Uruguay
England
Belgium
Belgium
Chile
Netherlands
Netherlands
Italy
Italy
Spain
Croatia
Portugal
Spain
Colombia
Brazil
Brazil
Portugal
Spain
Spain
Argentina
Portugal
Uruguay
Poland
France
Portugal
Portugal
Spain
Portugal
Portugal
Uruguay
Spain
Switzerland
Switzerland
Portugal
Colombia
France
Italy
Mexico
Denmark
Mexico
Argentina
Spain
France
Uruguay
England
Spain
Croatia
Netherlands
Netherlands
Italy
Colombia
Denmark
Chile
Spain
Austria
Uruguay
+23
Level 38
Jan 23, 2017
The FIFA ranking has always been a complete nonsense.
+6
Level 65
Jan 23, 2017
How? It is based off of which teams play, the difficulty of the competition, and the result of the match. They even put up a formula on the website.
+15
Level 60
Jan 23, 2017
The formula can be abused though. Belgium did it recently, they got to #1 for winning a lot of meaningless friendlies without playing very many competitive matches - at the only tournament they played in during 2016, they were terrible.
+12
Level 65
Jan 25, 2017
Agree with Corrode, the FIFA ranking never values winning world cups, for example right now Germany is behind Brazil and Argentina, teams that they won in the last world cup.
+1
Level 82
Jan 26, 2017
It covers last 4 years though
+4
Level 65
Jan 26, 2017
FIFA ranking values winning cups at part of their highest consideration!! But as retratado stated, countries may abuse the system to kick themselves up to a higher rank.
+2
Level 88
Jan 24, 2018
Belgium played as many friendlies as any other European nation (teams really won't just release their players for international football on a whim). Besides, playing poor countries in friendlies can actually lower your ranking. Belgium did not hold the number 1 position after the 2016 Euros, in fact they were only number 1 between november 2015 and april 2016. FIFA rankings are heavily flawed (as are any other metrics), but not for any of the reasons mentioned. And no, Belgium was never the best footballing nation in the world. That should be clear for anyone with even a modicum of interest in the game.
+1
Level 68
Feb 20, 2021
It is pretty much nonsensical. Luckily, nobody really cares about the ranking. It just sometimes factors into seeding at competitions, but given the size of the competitions, there are rarely really competitive group stages anyway.
+1
Level 60
Mar 7, 2021
Well Belgium never did anything better than the Netherlands during competition until 2018 but was behind them...
+2
Level 56
Feb 21, 2019
Austria in the top 10???? Haven't been to a WC or Euro as long as I can remember
+6
Level 71
Jul 18, 2019
Euro 2016 :)
+1
Level 59
Mar 7, 2021
There's an alternative ranking system, the Elo rankings. Many put more faith in them.
+1
Level 34
Jan 24, 2017
Portugal ! Portugal ! Portugal ! How I did they were there isn't it .
+20
Level 66
May 28, 2019
I'm not exactly sure I understand "How I did they were there isn't it." Did you just type in random fragments of sentences?
+14
Level 76
Feb 20, 2021
Has anyone really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like?
+6
Level 75
Mar 5, 2021
I think I actually understood it better than I would there had were proper been it's one.
+2
Level 60
Feb 3, 2017
Please accept UK or United Kingdom for England.

Welsh, Scottish, and Northern Irish people are all glaring at you right now.

+77
Level 65
Feb 14, 2017
Quite the contrary actually
+15
Level 71
Mar 19, 2017
In football (that is real football) England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all have their own representative football team. It is the same in the Commonwealth Games with the addition of teams from Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man all separate not UK.
+6
Level 37
Feb 20, 2019
Is Will Griggs still on fire!?
+1
Level 68
Feb 20, 2021
I don't know, but my defense is terrified!
+31
Level 59
Apr 4, 2017
Nope, people from England, Scotland, Wales and Norn Iron are glaring at YOU right now for not knowing that the UK does not have a representative football team!
+10
Level 78
Dec 28, 2017
Ah Norn Iron! What a team! I remember their best player Geoe Bust
+1
Level 76
Feb 20, 2019
Except on the Olympics, maybe? Don't they do that under the UK banner?
+2
Level 73
Feb 20, 2019
"Except on the Olympics, maybe? Don't they do that under the UK banner?"

Yes, but not for football. Except at 2012 when they were hosts but that caused all sorts of ructions around team selection as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland didn't want their players selected.

+2
Level 50
Apr 4, 2022
well let them glare! they're all part of the same country it's time to start acting like it or seperate!
+1
Level 40
Apr 26, 2022
Gee! The Troubles happened, you know!
+1
Level 72
Aug 29, 2022
Has anyone actually looked any of this up before holding forth with their incorrect responses? The name Great Britain is used for the Olympics, not the United Kingdom.

Team GB has competed in the mens football more than once and been captained by a Welshman. In fact, we won the Gold medal three times as Great Britain.

And, OscarMeow: all sorts of problems with this statement: a) you have no idea about the history and culture if you can say this: b) I hope you’re not American, because that’s really not a place acting like one country at the moment and c) please don’t tell other countries what to do, that’s our ancestors’ schtick and should probably be avoided.

+1
Level 63
May 6, 2023
"Has anyone actually looked any of this up before holding forth with their incorrect responses"

The full name of Team GB is "Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic Team", therefore saying it's a UK team is largely accurate (although places like the Channel Islands can also represent Team GB), the nickname is just inaccurate.

+2
Level 64
Feb 28, 2017
100!!!!!!!

Drop that hundo!

+2
Level 65
Jun 19, 2017
9 seconds left
+1
Level 34
Jun 29, 2018
Chile isn't even in the 2018 FIFA World Cup!
+1
Level 71
Aug 18, 2018
FIFA...... August 2018 top 10....... 1) France 2) Belgium 3) Brazil 4) Croatia 5) Uruguay 6) England 7) Portugal 8) Switzerland 9) Spain 10) Denmark:
+3
Level 82
Feb 20, 2019
I don't know a lot about soccer but with the generous time limit this was still pretty easy.
+2
Level 75
Mar 5, 2021
Not as easy as the American Football version would be...
+1
Level 82
Mar 6, 2021
I think that would be harder. I have no idea where countries other than the USA are ranked in American football.
+5
Level 38
Aug 14, 2021
there would only be one answer - U.S.A, because they're the only ones who actually play it lol
+1
Level 49
Apr 14, 2023
Not true. Many countries around the world now have their own teams and leagues. Just cause you haven't heard of them doesn't mean they don't exist

I bet you also think baseball is only playing in America

+1
Level 73
Feb 20, 2019
With two minutes left i missed one. With one second left i guessed austria.
+1
Level 55
Feb 21, 2019
dam, i missed denmark..
+1
Level 23
Feb 22, 2019
Missed Austria
+1
Level 66
May 28, 2019
Missed Helvetica and England..
+1
Level 34
Nov 25, 2019
I got 17/19. Forgot Columbia which I'm mad about but Poland I didn't even think of.
+3
Level 73
Aug 29, 2021
ColOmbia. No, I'm not Colombian, but I've traveled there extensively, and nothing will annoy Colombians more than this. Maybe aside from narco jokes. And no, they don't love Pablo.
+2
Level 88
Feb 20, 2020
Hmmm....that was super easy for an American who couldn't have guessed the answers....
+2
Level 89
Feb 20, 2020
Ummm...you got a bit of a problem here. All the answers were displayed in the boxes before even beginning the quiz. Makes it pretty easy. :) Might want to fix that.
+1
Level 69
Feb 20, 2020
Shhhh. Easy 100% ;)
+8
Level 80
Feb 21, 2020
Finally a quiz that doesn't give you anything for typing China, India, and USA!
+1
Level 28
Apr 17, 2020
Still baffles me how England get such high rankings each year
+4
Level 64
Nov 16, 2020
Because they tend to do quite well in qualifiers.
+2
Level 61
May 26, 2020
england is not a country, please accept it as UK
+16
Level 56
Jun 25, 2020
There is no UK in FIFA. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Irelands are all separate teams.
+5
Level 60
Aug 4, 2020
Please stop whining, silly boy.
+1
Level 70
Jun 3, 2020
Guessed Austria (only 2016) but not Colombia (many years) 😂😂.
+1
Level 64
Jun 25, 2020
Wow didn't quite believe it for Austria, Switzerland and Poland!

..5/5 on the razor's edge

+1
Level 62
Jul 18, 2020
This was much easier than I expected tbh
+2
Level 60
Jan 22, 2021
I guess I though the UK had one team...? I'm not European, okay?
+1
Level 75
Feb 23, 2021
No, it's England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (and Faroe islands).
+6
Level 73
Mar 6, 2021
What does the Faroe Islands have to do with the UK?
+1
Level 74
Feb 19, 2021
World game!
+1
Level 75
Feb 20, 2021
Personally, I think Belgium is overrated
+4
Level 86
Feb 20, 2021
Absolutely not. We are not often bragging, but our current team is top class.
+6
Level 37
Mar 6, 2021
Indeed it is! Greetings from us envious Germans. Time to invade... oh well, nevermind. Force of habit.
+1
Level 76
Sep 19, 2023
This... did not age well.
+1
Level 28
Sep 27, 2022
Not at all. To me, they are a bit underrated. Great team
+1
Level 36
Feb 24, 2021
I missed Mexico, I only thought of Europe and South American countries because that where the top ranked players are from
+5
Level 67
Mar 6, 2021
Belgium has a population smaller than the LA metro and plays right at the top of the competition, and the US with 330 million people, a robust soccer development program, and a bunch of ringers from other countries can't scrape together 20 guys to put together a competitive team. Come on, man.
+1
Level 71
Mar 6, 2021
It's rather disappointing how bad America's men's soccer team is given how good it could be. I'm not sure why it is that way, but personally, I've always chalked it up to a lack of interest in the sport in America, especially among men.

Our women's team, on the other hand, is pretty amazing!

+5
Level 37
Mar 6, 2021
It really is impressive how much the USMNT team sucks.

And contrary to disciplines like handball (I think you Mericans call that ''European'' handball), where America is also inept, football has been played in the US for a long time and there's much money in it too.

@jmellor13 already mentioned Belgium, but think that even Croatia (11th place in 2021) is way ahead of the United States with a population as little as that of L.A. - not the metropolitan area, but the city itself!

+2
Level 45
Mar 6, 2021
Our best athletes play basketball, football, baseball, hockey, lacrosse, track and field, and then maybe soccer after that. I played soccer, but I just like other sports more
+3
Level 67
Mar 7, 2021
I have heard this explanation many times, but we should still be able to find 20 guys who both have the athletic ability to compete and a preference for soccer. Also, if you look at the build of the average soccer player, he's not fit for basketball or American football. Most of them would have to be baseball players. Soccer is more popular than lacrosse and track and field, and it might be less popular than hockey as a spectator sport, but certainly not among participants. I was a hockey player, and it's a real pain. The demands for equipment, travel, and access to ice time are prohibitive for many people. Our development programs for soccer are much better than those for hockey, lacrosse, and track and field too. Soccer should really be on par with tennis, and it lags way behind. I just don't get it.
+2
Level 74
Mar 6, 2021
Austria??? That's unbelievable!
+2
Level 54
Mar 6, 2021
Can you accept UK for England
+8
Level 73
Mar 6, 2021
Why? It's wrong.
+3
Level 70
Mar 6, 2021
Belgium only got to the top of this list by exploiting all the other countries in the world. Down with Belgian hegemony!
+1
Level 37
May 6, 2023
Wtf
+1
Level 30
Mar 6, 2021
Hey im Britannia, a toothbrush
+1
Level 56
Mar 6, 2021
I think you forgot the best team, San marino
+1
Level 65
Mar 6, 2021
19/20.

Somehow forgot Germany lmao

+6
Level 54
Mar 7, 2021
Germany's national team is quite forgettable these days.
+1
Level 54
Mar 7, 2021
This one was a buzzer beater. Remembered Chile for 20/20 RIGHT when the clock turned from 00:01 to 00:00.
+1
Level 65
Mar 10, 2021
Eventually got Austria after some guessing around, really didn't think they'd be on this list.
+1
Level 59
Mar 18, 2021
ENGLAND works but UK dosn,t. Can you please change it.
+7
Level 79
Apr 5, 2021
But this English national football team is distinct from the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish teams.
+1
Level 29
Apr 7, 2021
Soccer sucks but hey, I got 100.
+1
Level 29
Apr 7, 2021
Moderation
+1
Level 64
May 13, 2021
Dont even watch soccer/Non-American football and got 19/20 lol
+1
Level 65
May 28, 2021
I almost forget England!
+2
Level 36
Jun 23, 2021
I missed Mexico. I wonder which is the next African or Asian country to make it to the top 10 of the FIFA rankings
+1
Level 57
Sep 27, 2021
Great football quiz. Top stuff.
+1
Level 64
Jan 5, 2022
Only people who don't watch soc- erm football get Austria

like me

+1
Level 47
Mar 20, 2022
got mexico with 1 second left I can't believe that's their only appearance! Good quiz btw.
+1
Level 36
Mar 26, 2022
Missed Colombia
+1
Level 60
Apr 12, 2022
missed mexico
+1
Level 38
May 29, 2022
Missed England. It's amazing that after all these years no country from Africa or Asia has made it into the top 10.
+1
Level 79
Jul 13, 2022
Never watched a soccer game in my life and still guessed 85% lol. Maybe cutting the time would weed out the random guessers like me!
+1
Level 45
Jul 16, 2022
Fun fact: Portugal and Spain are the only countries that are in the ranking since 2013.
+1
Level 59
Apr 13, 2023
Missed three. Uruguay is poppin off though! Also, can you accept UK for England?
+3
Level 82
Apr 13, 2023
No, there are 4 teams from UK.
+1
Level 43
Apr 14, 2023
I tried every country in Europe I could think of, but I missed Switzerland 🤦🤦
+1
Level 35
Apr 14, 2023
NOOOOOOOO!!!!! POLAND!!!!!!
+1
Level 55
Apr 15, 2023
Damn, 18 of the 19 countries are either in Europe or South America. Pretty crazy when you think about it
+2
Level 46
Apr 20, 2023
Update the 2023 rankings... argentina should be first
+1
Level 58
May 6, 2023
Still, I can't figure out how FIFA manages to but Belgium so up here since they have never won anything, and with such a disaster this WC. As well, how can you put Brazil on top of France and Argentina, since they were WC finalists and provided one of the most beautiful game I have ever seen, while the brazilian Selecao can't even make it to the semi-finals, where Morocco stood
+1
Level 74
May 6, 2023
The answer is math.
+1
Level 76
Sep 19, 2023
The answer is the list is wrong, that's the pre World Cup ranking.
+1
Level 58
May 6, 2023
The first ranking of 2023 was released in april and this is the order:

1. Argentina

2. France

3. Brazil

4. Belgium

5. England

6. Netherlands

7. Croatia

8. Italy

9. Portugal

10. Spain

+1
Level 45
Aug 22, 2023
Brazil being in all lists lol