' GREAT NEWS/WALES COULD SOAR TO SECOND '

- Wales could soar to SECOND in the FIFA Rankings next month as Gareth Bale and Co close in on historic Euro 2016 place/great news for Welsh football fans

-Wales stand on the brink of qualifying for Euro 2016 in France
-And they have just climbed into the top 10 of the FIFA Rankings
-But favourable results this week could see them second in the next list
-A win over Israel on Sunday would see them guaranteed at least fourth
-If Germany drop points in their two games, Wales could be third
-And if Belgium lose to Cyprus, Wales would leapfrog them to second

These are heady days for the Welsh football team. Not only are they on the verge of qualifying for their first major tournament since 1958, they currently sit ninth in the FIFA Rankings.
That's higher than England, Spain, Holland, Italy and France to name just a few of the traditional powerhouses currently being outperformed by Chris Coleman's vibrant side.
But things could get even better - by the time the next set of rankings are published, Wales could be the second best team on the planet. Just let that register a moment - second.
It would be mighty impressive for a team that slumped to a mediocre No 117 in the very same list just four years ago.

If Wales beat Israel in their next Euro 2016 qualifier on Sunday, they will not only make next summer's finals but they will also move up to at least fourth in the FIFA Rankings.
They will leapfrog the likes of Chile, Brazil and Colombia to get there because these nations are playing more friendlies than competitive games at the moment.
In the formula used to calculate the rankings, friendlies are given an 'importance' factor of 1, while qualifiers are worth 2.5.
Brazil, currently fifth in the rankings, are playing Costa Rica and the United States in friendlies this week but these are rightly not regarded as important as tournament qualifiers.
Beating Israel will carry Wales to a total of 1,304 ranking points and guarantee them at least fourth spot next month.

England a powerhouse hah
Impressive results from wales this year the team deserves it

Yea, so this means we are better than Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil , France etc. etc. etc. What a load of rubbish, the rankings are a joke.

Yea, so this means we are better than Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil , France etc. etc. etc. What a load of rubbish, the rankings are a joke.

how are they a joke? all sports have way of deciding who is top of pile ! none are perfect but its same for all teams its about results and cannot argue ours have been fantastic past year! it is what it is so enjoy fact we are so far up table

Yea, so this means we are better than Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil , France etc. etc. etc. What a load of rubbish, the rankings are a joke.

how are they a joke? all sports have way of deciding who is top of pile ! none are perfect but its same for all teams its about results and cannot argue ours have been fantastic past year! it is what it is so enjoy fact we are so far up table

Allan, I understand what you say and yes I am enjoying the status but do you honestly believe we are better than the teams I have mentioned?

Yea, so this means we are better than Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil , France etc. etc. etc. What a load of rubbish, the rankings are a joke.

how are they a joke? all sports have way of deciding who is top of pile ! none are perfect but its same for all teams its about results and cannot argue ours have been fantastic past year! it is what it is so enjoy fact we are so far up table

Allan, I understand what you say and yes I am enjoying the status but do you honestly believe we are better than the teams I have mentioned?

Well no but having said that we can beat any of them so we are where we are on merit!

Yea, so this means we are better than Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil , France etc. etc. etc. What a load of rubbish, the rankings are a joke.

how are they a joke? all sports have way of deciding who is top of pile ! none are perfect but its same for all teams its about results and cannot argue ours have been fantastic past year! it is what it is so enjoy fact we are so far up table

Allan, I understand what you say and yes I am enjoying the status but do you honestly believe we are better than the teams I have mentioned?

Well no but having said that we can beat any of them so we are where we are on merit!

Good compromise, change to have a sensible discussion

Yea, so this means we are better than Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil , France etc. etc. etc. What a load of rubbish, the rankings are a joke.

The rankings don't mean we're better than those teams, it just means we're ahead of them in the rankings, simple.

When Greece won Euro 2004 it didn't necessarily mean they were the best team in Europe, it just meant that they won the European championships.

There will never be a system that can accurately rank teams on how good they are, there are far too many variables.

Yea, so this means we are better than Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil , France etc. etc. etc. What a load of rubbish, the rankings are a joke.

The rankings don't mean we're better than those teams, it just means we're ahead of them in the rankings, simple.

When Greece won Euro 2004 it didn't necessarily mean they were the best team in Europe, it just meant that they won the European championships.

There will never be a system that can accurately rank teams on how good they are, there are far too many variables.

I believe some of the attributes are whether you play a team above or below you in the rankings, what competition it involves, whether it's a friendly etc. I agree with what you say but it does not reflect you true standings in world football. I don't have the answer to improve it though.

Yea, so this means we are better than Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil , France etc. etc. etc. What a load of rubbish, the rankings are a joke.

how are they a joke? all sports have way of deciding who is top of pile ! none are perfect but its same for all teams its about results and cannot argue ours have been fantastic past year! it is what it is so enjoy fact we are so far up table

Allan, I understand what you say and yes I am enjoying the status but do you honestly believe we are better than the teams I have mentioned?

Well no but having said that we can beat any of them so we are where we are on merit!

Good compromise, change to have a sensible discussion

Yes struggle at times especially with some along m4! and after all as been said before rankings are used primarily to sort out qualifying groups In WC and euro's and that's why we have benefited.

Well if Argentina are the Number 1 seeds I guess we must be favorites to win Euro 2016

I can hear them singing on the beaches of Copacobana now.......

"Its just like watching Wales
Its just like watching Wales
W-A-L-E-S
Its just like watching Wales"

Yea, so this means we are better than Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil , France etc. etc. etc. What a load of rubbish, the rankings are a joke.

They are not really world rankings at all, they are just current form indicators......

What is stupid is the seedlings are based on them and really affect your qualification chances.

Still they are what they are, and for once they working in our favour for the World Cup qualifications.

Still a load of if and buts they, we won't ever be 2nd.....

Yea, so this means we are better than Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil , France etc. etc. etc. What a load of rubbish, the rankings are a joke.

They are not really world rankings at all, they are just current form indicators......

What is stupid is the seedlings are based on them and really affect your qualification chances.

Still they are what they are, and for once they working in our favour for the World Cup qualifications.

Still a load of if and buts they, we won't ever be 2nd.....

Why is it stupid? What would you base the seedings on then?

Yea, so this means we are better than Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil , France etc. etc. etc. What a load of rubbish, the rankings are a joke.

They are not really world rankings at all, they are just current form indicators......

What is stupid is the seedlings are based on them and really affect your qualification chances.

Still they are what they are, and for once they working in our favour for the World Cup qualifications.

Still a load of if and buts they, we won't ever be 2nd.....

Why is it stupid? What would you base the seedings on then?

Stupid, is anyone who seriously thinks Wales would be the No.2 team in the world, fella, rather than a 'current form' table that reflects how exceptionally well our relatively small but proud nation have done in recent times against the opposition that was put in front of them!

Every dog (or in this case team) has its day and this is Wales turn, so just enjoy and don't take the 'rankings' too seriously...unless you're 'goading' an Englishman, of course!

Your post has nothing to do with any point i was making


Why is it stupid that the rankings determine the seedings?

Your post has nothing to do with any point i was making


Why is it stupid that the rankings determine the seedings?

In my opinion it was connected and it wasn't particularly aimed at you directly, as I agree with parts of what you said, but there you are

On the point above, I think the 'rankings' are the only way to 'seed' teams for tournaments. However, I don't have to agree with how those rankings are achieved and in IMHO Wales would not be the No.2 team in the world in reality

Yea, so this means we are better than Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil , France etc. etc. etc. What a load of rubbish, the rankings are a joke.

Sort of agree but facts are facts so just keep winning

The rankings do seem quite silly, but what people fail to realise that they're based on CURRENT FORM and not history/achievements.