International Football
FIFA’S NOVEMBER RANKING TO RIDICLE NIGERIA’S HUMILATION OF ARGENTINA
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
A big surprise is in the offing when FIFA releases this month’s ranking next week Thursday.
Playing against and heavily defeating the fourth ranked football team in the world may not have significantly impacted on Nigeria’s FIFA ranking.
In the October ranking, Nigeria had 721 points and had since played two matches, drawing 1-1 away with Algeria and beating former World Cup holders, Argentina 4-2 earlier this week in Russia.
Many would have expected Nigeria’s point-haul to rise and consequently lifting the country higher from the current 41st position, but the reverse appears to be case when the November ranking will be released on November 23.
Sports Village Square’ s check at the ranking prognosis shows that Nigeria has lost weight, dropping from 721 points to 671 despite not losing any match since the last ranking and also beating a far higher ranked Argentina.
The South Americans are currently fourth ranked in the world and have 1445 points.
Expectedly, the defeat by Nigeria on Tuesday affected Argentina’s point haul for November which fall slightly to 1348 when compared to the points their conquerors, the Super Eagles have lost.
Cameroon, currently ranked next to Nigeria at 42nd position will overtake the Super Eagles when the November rankings are released. Cameroon last weekend drew 2-2 with lower ranked Zambia but will have 696 points as against 671 that Nigeria will get.
Most football analysts have often kicked against the FIFA ranking claiming that it is disproportional and does not often represent the relative strength of teams.
Owing to this, alternative rankings by football statisticians, such as that of World Football Elo Ratings and the rec.sport.soccer Statistics Foundation rankings, have emerged.
According to an Associated Press (AP) report in June 2006 when the US team was ranked fourth in the world in April 2006, even their players were shocked and felt flattered! That was even after they were beaten 4-1 by Germany.
The ranking started in December 1992 and had been subject of intense debate. On at least two instances, FIFA has had to adjust the yardsticks.
According to FIFA’s explanations, the basic logic of the “calculation is simple: any team that does well in world football wins points which enable it to climb the world ranking.
“ A team’s total number of points over a four-year period is determined by adding the average number of points gained from matches during the past 12 months and the average number of points gained from matches older than 12 months (depreciates yearly)”.
Therefore, calculation for a single match is determined by four factors – result, importance of the match, strength of the opposing team in ranking and geographical location (confederation). On location, teams in confederations like UEFA and Conmebol enjoy higher rating on account that they are stronger.
So on account of these, the factors are brought together in the following formula to ascertain points per match:
P (point) =M (result) x I (importance of the match) x T (strength of opponent) x C (confederation).
So, “the number of points that can be won in a match depends on the following factors:
- Was the match won or drawn? (M)
- How important was the match (ranging from a friendly match to a FIFA World Cup match)? (I) How strong was the opposing team in terms of ranking position and the confederation to which they belong? (T and C)
“These factors are brought together in the following formula to ascertain the total number of points (P): P = M x I x T x C”
“The following criteria apply to the calculation of points:
M: Points for match result
Teams gain 3 points for a victory, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a defeat.
‘In a penalty shoot-out, the winning team gains 2 points and the losing team gains 1 point.
“I: Importance of match – “Friendly match (including small competitions): I = 1.0. FIFA World Cup qualifier or confederation-level qualifier: I = 2.5
“Confederation-level final competition or FIFA Confederations Cup: I = 3.0
FIFA World Cup final competition: I = 4.0
“T: Strength of opposing team. The strength of the opponents is based on the formula: 200 – the ranking position of the opponents.
“As an exception to this formula, the team at the top of the ranking is always assigned the value 200 and the teams ranked 150th and below are assigned a minimum value of 50.
“The ranking position is taken from the opponents’ ranking in the most recently published FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking.
“C: Strength of confederation
“When calculating matches between teams from different confederations, the mean value of the confederations to which the two competing teams belong is used.
“The strength of a confederation is calculated on the basis of the number of victories by that confederation at the last three FIFA World Cup competitions “Their values are as follows:
- CONMEBOL 1.00
- UEFA 0.99
- AFC/CAF/OFC/CONCACAF 0.85
Aliou Cisse has been named coach of the Angola national team, the country’s football federation (FAF) announced on Thursday, 24 hours after the Senegalese left his post in Libya.
The 50-year-old coach, who led Senegal to their maiden Africa Cup of Nations title in 2022, ended his short stint with the Libyan national team on Wednesday, after taking charge in March 2025.
“Welcome, Aliou Cisse, head coach of the Angola national team,” the FAF said on Facebook. Angola, which failed to reach this year’s World Cup, will start their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign in September.
-Reuters
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Nigeria’s Super Eagles were held to a 2-2 draw by FIFA World Cup-bound Jordan in an eventful international friendly in Antalya on Tuesday night, with the contest overshadowed by a late red card to Alex Iwobi.
Iwobi, making his 98th appearance for the national team, was sent off in the closing stages, capping a dramatic encounter in which Nigeria surrendered a first-half lead and finished the game with ten men.
The match, played at the Mardan Sports Complex, brought Nigeria’s March international window to a close, but it proved anything but routine as both sides delivered a fiercely contested and entertaining clash.
Jordan, ranked 64th in the world and enjoying strong recent form, struck first in the 17th minute through Mousa Tamari. A well-worked free-kick routine caught the Nigerian defence napping, allowing the forward to fire home the opener.
Nigeria responded quickly and thought they had equalised six minutes later when Raphael Onyedika finished from a Moses Simon cut-back, but the goal was controversially ruled out.
The Super Eagles eventually drew level in the 30th minute. Stand-in captain Moses Simon, earning his 97th cap, reacted fastest after Ademola Lookman’s effort was blocked, slotting home with a composed left-footed finish for his second goal in as many matches.
Nigeria went ahead four minutes before halftime when Bright Osayi-Samuel’s pinpoint cross found debutant Emmanuel Fernandez, who showed great composure to control and finish, giving the three-time African champions a 2-1 lead at the interval.
The second half took on a more physical tone, with goalkeeper Francis Uzoho forced off in the 57th minute after sustaining an injury while clearing the ball. Adebayo Adeleye replaced him between the posts.
Head coach Eric Chelle introduced Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi to shore up the midfield, but Jordan continued to press and were rewarded with an equaliser in the 77th minute.
Nigeria pushed for a winner late on, handing a senior debut to Philip Otele, while Samuel Chukwueze came on for Moses Simon. However, the closing moments were marred by Iwobi’s dismissal, leaving the Super Eagles to see out the match with ten men.
Despite the draw, the encounter offered valuable insights for the coaching crew as Nigeria continues preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
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By Kunle Solaja
Match Context
- Fixture: Jordan vs Nigeria
- Venue: Antalya, Turkey
- Occasion: Four-Nation Invitational Tournament
- Kick-off: Tuesday (evening)
They would have loved facing Jamaica in Mexico today for a place at the World Cup, but fate has other plans, and Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be taking on World Cup debutants Jordan in a friendly match instead in Turkey.
The encounter promises to be a revealing contest for both sides as preparations intensify for future global assignments.
The encounter, staged as part of a four-nation tournament in Turkey, will be the third meeting between the two countries, with the head-to-head record finely poised.
History Beckons in Third Meeting
Nigeria claimed a 2-0 victory in their first clash at the National Stadium, Lagos, on 28 April 2004 during the LG Cup.
However, the tables turned in 2013 when a largely experimental Nigerian side under the late Stephen Keshi suffered a 1-0 defeat in Amman, courtesy of a Hatem Aqel penalty.
This latest meeting now serves as the decider in what has quietly become a balanced rivalry.
Jordan arrive in buoyant mood, riding on the crest of a historic achievement, which is their first-ever qualification for the FIFA World Cup (2026).
Jordan’s Al-Nashama
Their recent form underlines a team growing in confidence and tactical discipline. In the past months, Al-Nashama have:
- Held Russia (0-0)
- Defeated Dominican Republic (3-0)
- Drawn with Mali (0-0)
- Narrowly lost to Bolivia (1-0) and Albania (4-2)
- Pushed Tunisia (3-2 loss) in a competitive encounter
They also opened this invitational tournament with a 2-2 draw against Costa Rica, further evidence of their resilience.
The team’s preparations have been boosted by a morale-lifting visit from Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein, President of the Jordan Football Association, during their Antalya training camp.
Coach Jamal Al-Salami has deliberately scheduled matches against Nigeria and Costa Rica, citing their stylistic similarity to World Cup opponents such as Argentina, Austria, and Algeria.
Despite missing several key players, including star forward Mousa Ta’mari, Jordan have continued to show depth, blending senior players with youth prospects as part of a broader developmental strategy.
Nigeria head into the clash with renewed confidence after a 2-1 victory over Iran in their opening game of the tournament, with goals from Moses Simon and Akor Adams.
Unlike previous meetings, the Super Eagles are expected to field a full-strength squad, packed with Europe-based stars, something Jordanian observers have already described as a “heavyweight challenge.”
The squad boasts a blend of experience and attacking flair.
The presence of multiple attacking options gives Nigeria a clear edge going forward, while their physicality and pace could pose serious problems for the Jordanians.
Jordan are expected to adopt a compact, disciplined shape, relying on quick transitions and defensive organisation, qualities that earned them results against stronger opposition in recent friendlies.
Nigeria, by contrast, will likely dominate possession, using width and individual brilliance to break down Jordan’s defensive lines.
The key battle may lie in midfield, where Jordan’s structure will be tested against Nigeria’s blend of strength, technique, and tempo.
For Jordan, this is another step in fine-tuning a squad preparing for its historic World Cup debut—a chance to measure themselves against elite opposition.
For Nigeria, it is an opportunity to assert authority, build cohesion among its star-studded squad, and maintain momentum ahead of more competitive fixtures.
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