Soccer:The Republic of Ireland have climbed another three places in the Fifa world rankings on the back of the recent Euro 2012 qualifying wins over Armenia and Andorra. Giovanni Trapattoni's side are up to 33rd in the latest standings, their highest position since February of 2009.
Slovakia's surprise win in Moscow has seen them rise 11 places to 16th while Group B rivals Russia fall out of the top 20 by dint of the same result.
There is no great change at the top of the list with Spain and The Netherlands remaining first and second although Germany moved ahead of Brazil.
France’s slide down the table continues as they plummeted another six spots to 27th. Les Bleus were seventh at the start of the year but are now at their lowest position since the rankings were introduced in 1993.
Montenegro, Fifa's newest national team who played their first international in March 2007, moved into the top 50 for the first time (40th) thanks to successive wins in their opening Euro 2012 qualifiers.
Keith Treacy, meanwhile, limped out of Preston’s 2-1 home defeat to Nottingham Forest last night with a recurrence of the groin problem that kept him out of international action earlier this month.
With Trapattoni due to name his squad for the qualifiers with Russia and Slovakia on Monday, the winger will be hoping the injury does not deny him another opportunity to make his competitive Irish debut.
Latest world rankings(previous ranking)
1.(1) Spain
2.(2) Netherlands
3.(4) Germany
4.(3) Brazil
5.(5) Argentina
6.(7) England
7.(6) Uruguay
8.(8) Portugal
9.(9) Egypt
10.(10) Chile
11.(14) Croatia
12.(12) Greece
13.(11) Italy
14.(22) Norway
15.(13) Serbia
16.(27) Slovakia *
17.(15) Paraguay
18.(18) United States
19.(19) Slovenia
20.(23) Ghana
Selected Others:
25.(16) Russia *
45.(59) Northern Ireland
47.(39) Scotland
71.(66) Macedonia *
84.(84) Wales
105.(96) Armenia *
202.(201) Andorra *
* Countries in Ireland’s Euro 2012 qualifying group