Morocco climb to fifth in provisional FIFA world rankings after Portugal defeat

Morocco have climbed to fifth place in the provisional FIFA world rankings after overtaking Brazil and Portugal following a series of results during the November international break.

The Atlas Lions have accumulated 1,805.34 points to move into the top five, placing them behind only Spain, Argentina, France and England in the latest provisional standings.

Their rise follows an impressive 5-1 victory over Niger, which strengthened their points tally and put them in a strong position to improve their global ranking.

Brazil’s 3-2 defeat to Japan also worked in Morocco’s favour, allowing the North African giants to move ahead of the South American powerhouse.

Portugal’s heavy 4-1 loss to Denmark in the UEFA Nations League on Saturday evening provided another boost to Morocco’s position, pushing the European side further down the rankings.

Before the defeat, Portugal occupied a higher position than Morocco with 1,807.69 points. However, their disappointing performance against Denmark resulted in a significant points deduction, reducing their tally to 1,797.60 and dropping them to seventh place.

Brazil, meanwhile, now occupy sixth position with 1,800.36 points, leaving Morocco ahead of both countries in the provisional standings.

The development represents a significant milestone for Moroccan football, with the Atlas Lions moving closer to establishing themselves among the world’s leading national teams.

Morocco’s impressive progress has been built on their strong performances in recent international competitions and qualifying campaigns, further underlining the country’s growing influence on the global football stage.

Should their fifth-place position be maintained when FIFA publishes its official rankings on November 18, Morocco will achieve the highest position in their history.

However, the final standings could still be affected by results from the remaining international fixtures during the current break, meaning the Atlas Lions will have to wait for FIFA’s official announcement to confirm their historic achievement.