England rise to third in FIFA men's world rankings

England have risen to third in the latest FIFA men's world rankings, their joint-highest ever position since the rankings were first introduced in 1992.

The Three Lions picked up seven points from a possible nine during the recent World Cup qualifiers against Hungary, Andorra and Poland, following on from a superb summer that saw Gareth Southgate lead out England in the European Championship final at Wembley.

Italy emerged victorious on that day, beating England in an incredibly tense penalty shootout, but that setback did not deter Southgate's side from picking up impressive qualifying points over the past few weeks, particularly those gathered in Hungary and Poland.

England's rise to third in the world rankings is the first time they've been in the top three since September 2012 and is a position they've only ever been in for two months over the past 29 years. It is also further evidence of the continued good work of Southgate and his staff, who have now been in the job for five years.

Southgate succeeded Sam Allardyce in September 2016, initially on a temporary basis, and not only has he improved the Three Lions' fortunes on the field, he's helped redefine what it means to play for England - putting huge emphasis on inclusivity, togetherness and working towards a greater good.

His England record currently stands at 41 wins from 64 games in charge, and Southgate's runner-up finish at Euro 2020 followed an impressive third-placed showing in the inaugural Nations League two years ago.

Elsewhere in the rankings, Belgium remain in top spot ahead of Brazil, while England have leapfrogged France who drop down to fourth. The other movers in the top ten are Portugal, who are up to seventh, and Denmark, who enter the top ten at the expense of the United States.

Wales remain 19th, Scotland are up four to 45th, Northern Ireland are also up four to 47th while the Republic of Ireland have dropped to a lowly 50th.

FIFA Men's World Rankings - Top 20

1. Belgium
2. Brazil
3. England
4. France
5. Italy
6. Argentina
7. Portugal
8. Spain
9. Mexico
10. Denmark
11. Netherlands
12. Uruguay
13. United States
14. Germany
15. Switzerland
16. Colombia
17. Croatia
18. Sweden
19. Wales
20. Senegal