Indian football team slip three places in FIFA rankings

The recent losses in the King's Cup resulted in the drop.

In a disappointing turn of events for Indian football enthusiasts, the Indian football team has slipped to the 102nd rank in the latest FIFA rankings, dropping five places from their previous position at 99th. This decline comes on the back of two disappointing performances in the King's Cup, where India faced a heartbreaking loss to Iraq in the semi-finals and faltered against Lebanon in the third-place playoff.

The King's Cup, held annually in Thailand, was seen as a crucial tournament for the Indian team ahead of the AFC Asian Cup which is scheduled to be held in Qatar, providing them with valuable opportunities to test their mettle against strong opponents like Iraq. India's journey in the tournament began with high hopes, but it ultimately ended in frustration.

Indian football team's King's Cup campaign

In the semi-finals, India faced Iraq in a closely contested match that ended in a 2-2 draw after regulation time. The match went into a penalty shootout, where India succumbed to the Iraqi side, losing 5-4 in the shootout. The loss not only shattered India's hopes of reaching the King's Cup final but also exposed their vulnerabilities in pressure situations of the penalty shootouts.

The disappointment didn't end there for the Indian team, as they had to battle Lebanon in the third-place playoff. Hopes were high for redemption, but India once again fell short. Lebanon emerged victorious with a 1-0 scoreline, leaving the Indian team empty-handed in the tournament.

FIFA Rankings of other teams

In recent developments, the Indian national football team faced a setback, losing 3.81 million association (MA) points due to consecutive losses. As a result, India's current point tally stands at 1204.88 points. Unfortunately, Lebanon, a familiar rival, has overtaken India in the rankings and currently holds the 101st position with 1205.56 points, only losing 0.21 points. Iraq and Thailand have also made strides in the rankings, now sitting at the 69th and 112nd positions, respectively.

Meanwhile, Japan has remained as the highest-ranked team in Asia, securing the 19th position after salvaging back-to-back wins against Germany and Turkey during the break. In the overall rankings, reigning world champions Argentina are leading the charge following their victories in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.

Looking ahead, India's next football assignment during the FIFA window will be the Merdeka Cup in Malaysia, scheduled for November.