India jump four places to be ranked at 96 in latest FIFA rankings

New Delhi: Indian football has achieved a mini victory of sorts, having achieved the second-best ranking in its history after the national team rose four spots to be ranked at number 96. This is only two places behind the country’s best-ever ranking of 94.

It must be said that the team is on the right path, as not long ago in March 2015, the team was ranked as low as 173. The transformation started happening in January 2015 itself when the team was ranked at 171. It was in that month that English football coach Stephen Constantine took over to turn the fortunes of the team around.

Sports minister Vijay Goel also tweeted to announce the happy news.

INDIA CLIMBS 4 PLACES TO BE RANKED 96 IN THE FIFA JULY MEN'S RANKING. 2nd highest ranking ever. #BackTheBlue #IndiaAt96 pic.twitter.com/Xt3ix0yu2f — Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) July 6, 2017

.@IndianFootball attains highest ranking in 21yrs, climbs to 96th spot. Brilliant all-round effort! Great news as I complete a yr. in office pic.twitter.com/4PDIE4r3zc

— Vijay Goel (@VijayGoelBJP) July 6, 2017

Not long ago, the Englishman was quoted to be saying in the media, “I am not very good at mathematics. But if we are 93, I would be the happiest man. That would be the historical highest. I am going to do it.”

He had further added, “I don’t know if it will be on July 6 (next FIFA ranking date) but I am going to do it. I don’t know if that (Kyrgyzstan win on June 13 in Asian Cup qualifiers) will push us that far but I hope to make history at the end of these qualifiers.”