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By Amaechi Agbo

Nigeria’s 2nd place finish at the just-concluded 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON in Ivory Coast has yielded more fruits as the three-time champions are now ranked 28 best playing nation in the world.

Nigeria, moving under 30 for the first time in recent years, was to their brave performance at the AFCON which saw that lose just one match out of seven the tournament.

The 28th position saw them move 14 places from the previous ranking released last year.

The Nigerian team scored eight goals and conceded four goals in Ivory Coast, keeping four clean sheets in the process, but couldn’t find the cutting edge in the AFCON 2023 final under the tutelage of Portuguese tactician, Jose Peseiro.

Despite their loss, their display in the tournament has seen them shot up in the ranking

Previously ranked 42, Nigeria moved up fourteen places and are now 28, and third in Africa, just behind Morocco and Senegal who occupy 12th and 17th places respectively

The 2013 AFCON champions are ranked 3rd in the Africa behind second placed Senegal (17) and 1st placed Morocco (12).

2023 AFCON winners, Ivory Coast are ranked 39tj I. The work and 5th in Africa.

Senegal (17th, up 3), who suffered shoot-out heartbreak at the hands of the eventual winners Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup of Nations round of 16, break new ground.

Other impressive performers are Equatorial Guinea (79th, up 9), South Africa (58th, up 8), Cabo Verde (65th, up 8), Namibia (107th, up 8) and Mali (47th, up 4).

The next edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking will be published on 4 April.