Ostensibly due to the inability of the Super Eagles of Nigeria to win their last two matches against the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone, the team has dropped three places – from 32nd to 35th position – in the latest FIFA global ranking for November.
They, however, remain the fourth-best team in Africa with Senegal retaining the number one spot, followed by Tunisia and Algeria in the second and third positions, respectively.
A fortnight ago, Nigeria gave up a 4-0 lead against the Leone Stars on home ground, forcing it to share points with their West African neighbours.
Four days later, the three-time African champions travelled to Freetown where they were held to a goalless draw by the Leone Stars.
The results delayed Nigeria’s qualification for the 2022 continental showpiece in Cameroon, but they remain at the summit of Group L with eight points after four matches.
Sierra Leone, on the other hand, are among the biggest movers on the global table, as they climbed four places to 116th in the world.
The biggest movers in Africa though are Equatorial Guinea and Burundi, who both climbed 10 spots after avoiding defeats in their AFCON qualifying games against Libya and Mauritania respectively.
The next FIFA ranking, which will be the final release for 2020, would be announced on December 10.