All Whites up six places in FIFA rankings

Last updated 00:04 21/11/2009

KEVIN STENT/Sunday Star Times

HERO: All Whites striker and goalscorer Rory Fallon celebrates their win over Bahrain.

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The All Whites have moved up in the latest FIFA world rankings released on Friday.

Following their 1-0 win over Bahrain to qualify for the World Cup finals for the first time since 1982, the All Whites jumped from 83rd to 77th in the November rankings, which see Spain leapfrog Brazil for the world number one ranking.

New Zealand's World Cup playoff opponents, Bahrain, remained unchanged at 61.

Heading into the World Cup draw on December 5 (NZ time), the All Whites will be the third-lowest ranked team heading to South Africa, with North Korea at 84th and the tournament hosts at 86th.

Spain climbed to the top of the FIFA world rankings, displacing Brazil who had led since July.

Spain, who had been in second position, beat Argentina and Austria in friendlies in the last week to take their tally of successive wins to eight.

Brazil's 1-0 victory over England and 2-0 triumph against Oman carried less weight under the complex points system.

Netherlands and Italy remained unchanged in third and fourth respectively while Portugal jumped five spots to fifth.

Africa's highest-ranked team are 11th-placed Cameroon and United States (14th) are the top side from the CONCACAF region. Australia (21st) lead the way among the Asian confederation.

FIFA world rankings - November.

(last month's positions in brackets)

1. (2) Spain
2. (1) Brazil
3. (3) Netherlands
4. (4) Italy
5. (10) Portugal
6. (5) Germany
7. (9) France
8. (6) Argentina
9. (7) England
10. (8) Croatia
11. (14) Cameroon
12. (16) Greece
13. (12) Russia
14. (11) United States
15. (18) Mexico
16. (19) Ivory Coast
17. (17) Chile
18. (13) Switzerland
19. (25) Uruguay
20. (20) Serbia