Mexico climbs to No.18 in FIFA ranking

Mexico: Mexico climbed up two spots to No.18 in the latest world rankings released by football`s world governing body, FIFA.

Mexico earned a total of 930 points to rank third in the Concacaf confederation (North and Central America and the Caribbean), behind the United States, at No.15 with 989 points, and Costa Rica, at No.16 after moving up 12 slots, with 986 points. The July rankings released Thursday reflect the outcome of the 2014 Brazil World Cup, which ended Sunday, FIFA said. World Cup champion Germany are ranked No.1 with 1,724 points, followed by runners-up Argentina with 1,606 points, and the Netherlands, who climbed 12 rungs since June, in third place with 1,496 points. South Africa 2010 World Cup champions Spain, who failed to make it past the first round of this year`s tournament, suffered a major setback. After occupying the No.1 spot for four years, Spain dropped seven places to No.8 with 1,229 points, trailing Colombia, at No.4 with 1,492 points, Belgium, at No.5 with 1,401 points, Uruguay, at No.6 with 1,330 points, and Brazil, who slipped four places to land at No.7 with 1,241 points. The teams that dropped the most in the FIFA ranking were England, who went from No.10 to No.20, and Italy, went from No.9 to No.14.