In a significant development on the international football stage, the Sierra Leone male national team, commonly known as the Leone Stars, has experienced a drop in their FIFA Rankings for the month of September.
This drop comes in the wake of their disappointing performance in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Qualifiers and subsequent defeat by Guinea Bissau.
The Leone Stars, who were previously ranked 120th globally, have now fallen to the 124th position, marking a decline of four places. Their recent slump in the rankings can be attributed to a series of underwhelming performances, including three losses, two draws, and just one victory in their last six matches.
Furthermore, within the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Sierra Leone’s national team now occupies the 33rd spot, trailing behind countries like Malawi, Tanzania, Togo, and others. The top positions in African football continue to be held by Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, Algeria, and Egypt, with Nigeria, Cameroon, Mali, Ivory Coast, and Burkina Faso rounding out the top 10.
The Leone Stars’ drop in rankings follows their failure to advance from Group A in the AFCON Qualifiers, with Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau securing their places in the finals to be held in Ivory Coast next year. Sierra Leone’s disappointing performance culminated in a 2-1 defeat by the Wild Dogs of Guinea Bissau in their last qualifying match.
On the global stage, Argentina, the reigning World Cup champions, have maintained their top spot in the FIFA rankings, closely followed by France and Brazil. England and Belgium continue to occupy the fourth and fifth positions, respectively, ensuring that the top five remains unchanged since the July 2023 edition of the rankings.
Croatia, the Netherlands, and Portugal are ranked 6th, 7th, and 8th, respectively, with Italy slipping down a spot to 9th after a 1-1 draw against North Macedonia in a UEFA EURO 2024 qualifier. Spain completes the top-ten lineup in the FIFA rankings.
