U.S. soccer team jumps to 19th in FIFA world rankings
The U.S. national team’s record 10-game winning streak apparently got FIFA’s notice, with soccer’s international governing body lifting the Americans into the top 20 in its latest world ranking.
The U.S. jumped over Mexico to 19th in the world Thursday, its highest spot since being ranked 18th in January 2011.
The U.S. was ranked 22nd last month and was 30th in the world when Juergen Klinsmann took over as coach two years ago.
The top 12 teams remain unchanged Thursday, with defending World Cup champion Spain at No. 1, followed by Germany, Colombia, Argentina and the Netherlands.
In CONCACAF, the U.S. replaced Mexico as the region’s top-ranked team while Panama, which moved up 11 spots globally to No. 40, is third in the region after finishing second in last month’s Gold Cup.
The U.S. resumes World Cup qualifying next month, traveling to Costa Rica, then playing Mexico in Columbus, Ohio.
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