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Women’s World Cup winners Spain have moved to the top of the FIFA rankings for the first time, one spot ahead of second-placed United States, world football’s governing body announced on Friday.
The world champions are only the fourth team to reach the summit of the rankings after the U.S., Germany and Sweden.
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Spain beat England in the World Cup final in August, moving up four spots to second. But they have finally clinched top spot following a string of impressive performances in the Women’s Nations League.
Spain topped their group with five wins — including a double over Sweden — to qualify for the Nations League Finals which will take place in February, when they will face Netherlands in the semifinal stage.
The USWNT moved up to second in the rankings and are followed by France in third spot. France also qualified for the Nations League Finals where they will face Germany in the other semifinal.
European champions England, who missed out on a Paris Olympics berth, are fourth while Sweden have dropped to fifth after they finished third in their Nations League group with just two wins in six games.
The number of teams in the women’s rankings also grew to a record 192 nations with the introduction of Central African Republic and Macau while North Korea (ninth), American Samoa, Madagascar and Bahamas reappear on the list.