image: scotsman.com

The new FIFA World Rankings were released yesterday, based on new, improved criteria. Results from the last four instead of eight years are now used and the different weighting of various factors has been altered. For example goals scored and home advantage now have no impact whatsoever, while the importance of each match and the strength of opponent is given added weight. For a more detailed explanation, straight from the horses' mouth, click here

While the new rankings aren't perfect, they are a big improvement. Brazil keep 1st place, but Italy are breathing down their necks in 2nd (previously 13th). Argentina, France and England now complete the top five. Former top 5 anomalies Czech Republic and USA have dropped to a more realistic 10th and 16th respectively.

There seems to have been an overall shift benefitting European, African and South American teams, while CONCACAF and Asian nations have taken a bit of knock.

Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Nigeria are all in the top 20, while Ghana's good World Cup has seen them jump to 25th. How Guinea find themselves ranked 24th in the world is a bit of a mystery.

Mexico will feel hard done by, falling from 4th to 18th, while Japan and South Korea suddenly find themselves down in 49th and 56th place respectively.

Biggest climbers are Equatorial Guinea, who climb 59 places to 95th (seemingly based on their preliminary World Cup qualifying first leg 1-0 win over Togo). Biggest fallers are Saudi Arabia, who drop 47 places to 81st. Ouch.

To see the new FIFA World Rankings in full, click here.