ARGENTINA ON TOP AND MOZAMBIQUE HIGHEST CLIMBERS
With continental championships and qualifying matches galore, 2007 had it all and this certainly left its mark on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. All in all, the leadership of the World Ranking changed six times with Argentina ending the year in pole position, thus winning the title of “Top Team 2007″.
Although December’s ranking is relatively unchanged, a number of teams’ stock has risen considerably over the last twelve months. In the top ten Spain (4th, up 8) and Croatia (10th, up 5) have gained in terms of both position and points, while close behind them Greece (11th, up 5), Scotland (14th, up 11), Turkey (16th, up 10), Colombia (17th, up 17) and Bulgaria (18th, up 25) have clearly improved compared to last year.
Meanwhile, Mozambique are the highest climbers after amassing 245 points and rising to 75th place (up 53), thus earning themselves the title of “Best Mover 2007″. Norway’s gain of 240 points puts them just behind the Mambas and has also seen them shoot up the ranking (29th, up 21). The third-highest climbers are New Caledonia from the Oceania Football Confederation, whose haul of 220 points has seen them jump 58 places to 118th place.

GERMANY SET BENCHMARK ONCE AGAIN
For the fifth consecutive time, world champions Germany topped the year-end FIFA Women’s World Ranking, which, given their successful Women’s World Cup campaign, came as little surprise. The USA and Sweden followed in second and third place, with World Cup runners-up Brazil only slightly behind.
Germany did not go through 2007 with an impeccable international record, however. A dip in form in last spring’s Algarve Cup, the “mini World Cup” of the women’s game, even resulted in the top spot being lost to the USA. Indeed, from a purely statistical point of view, the
USA actually posted the most impressive record in 2007, with 19 victories from 24 matches, their only defeat coming against Brazil in the Women’s World Cup semi-final. Although it proved costly for the Americans, victory had the opposite effect for Marta and co. as it propelled Brazil into the leading pack of teams for the very first time. England, who found themselves in the top ten at the end of the year for the first time, are another team who enjoyed a fine 2007.
Further down the ranking, a whole host of teams took significant strides with Thailand (33rd, up 7), Algeria (70lh, up 14), Azerbaijan (70th, up 9) and Tahiti (93rd, up 15) all proof of the progress being made around the world.
Following on from 2006, which was a record year for women’s football, there were two more impressive statistics from 2007. The total of 444 matches came close to equalising the record set in 2006 (448), and 2007 also saw the ranking feature 1 50 teams for the very first time.

On 13 and 14 November 2007, FIFA lived up to its international status. First of all, South Africa’s ambassador to Switzerland and a delegation from the Liechtenstein FA visited the Home of FIFA, and they were followed 24 hours later by representatives from the football associations of Belgium and the Netherlands.
South Africa’s ambassador to Switzerland, Konji Sabati, met FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter for a discussion on the preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. A delegation from the Liechtenstein FA, led by President Reinhard Walser, was next to visit the Home of FIFA to discuss various football matters with the FIFA President and FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke. On 14 November, numerous topics were also discussed with the representatives from the associations of Belgium and the Netherlands, such as the state of football in the two countries and the 2018 FIFA World Cup™, for which the two associations wish to submit a joint hosting bid.