Significant movement due to EURO 2008 and World Cup qualifiers
European champions Spain the new leaders
Football has been at the centre of attention in recent weeks, which has had a major effect on July’s FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. New European champions Spain (1st, up 3) have claimed top spot for the first time since the ranking was introduced in 1993. Although Italy (2nd, up 1) had a mixed EURO 2008 campaign, their performances were enough to retain a narrow lead over EURO 2008 runners-up Germany (3rd, up 2). Meanwhile, Brazil (4th, down 2) and Argentina (6th, down 5) – who had held the top spot since October 2007 – have lost considerable ground due to recent results in the race to qualify for the 2010 World Cup.
The Netherlands (5th, up 5) have taken advantage of the situation by manoeuvring themselves in between the two South American teams, but impressive showings at EURO 2008 have also seen Croatia (7th, up 8 ) and Portugal (9th, up 2) climb into the top ten, a feat that has narrowly evaded both Russia (11th, up 13) and Turkey (14th, up 6). Two teams – England (15th, down 6) and Greece (18th, down 10) – have slipped down the ranking and are no longer in the top ten.
There are also a number of major movers outside of Europe. Teams to have made striking progress in the top 100 include Nigeria (26th, up 8), Iran (37th, up 11) and Saudi Arabia (49th, up 5), as well as a raft of teams who have climbed 20 or more places: Burkina Faso (64th, up 47), Gabon (74th, up 20), Cuba (78th, up 26), Cape Verde Islands (85th, up 24), Suriname (87th, up 58), Kenya (92nd, up 23) and Korea DPR (94th, up 24). All of these teams have played between two and five 2010 FIFA World Cup™ qualifiers in recent weeks, winning at least once. Both of July’s biggest movers (Suriname and Burkina Faso) won all of their recent qualifiers. Chad (127th, up 21), Suriname and Rwanda (87th, up 19) are all in their highest-ever position in the world ranking.

The Canadian Michael Pearson (MPeari 1) accumulated a total of exactly 7,949 points in 31 weeks to become overall winner of the first season of the FIFA.com World Leagues Predictor competition. Pearson has won a trip for two and tickets for a group match at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. More than 26,000 predictors took part in the inaugural season. The second season begins in August and the first prize will again be a trip for two to South Africa. In addition to the main prize, great prizes will be given away every week, such as signed shirts from FIFA World Cup™ winners and other official FIFA merchandise. You can sign up for the second season at: http://en.predictor.fifa.eom/M/home.mc.
UN special adviser visits the Home of FIFA
The Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General on Sport for Development and Peace Willi Lemke met with FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter at FIFA headquarters in Zurich on 9 May. They agreed to strengthen cooperation between FIFA and the United Nations to further advocate the role of sports as an effective tool for development and peace in the lead-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ and the 2015 deadline for the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Lemke commended FIFA’s commitment to using football as a tool for the promotion of development and peace, in particular through the Football for Hope Movement. Lemke, who was general manager of German first division club Werder Bremen for 18 years and is now a UN special adviser, is an advocate of the educational potential of sport in general and football in particular. The UN special adviser visited South Africa in June and used the opportunity to visit Football for Hope projects and to meet the Local Organising Committee for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.
The football world mourns Ken Naganuma
The international football family is mourning Ken Naganuma. One of the most important figures in Japanese football history died on 2 June at the age of 77 as a result of complications from pneumonia. Naganuma was a football pioneer, an enthusiast and a gentleman. He served the sport he loved as a player, then as a coach, president of the Japan Football Association and deputy chairman of the Local Organising Committee for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™, leaving an enduring legacy. “We will retain fond memories of an accomplished leader and an extraordinary man who left an indelible mark on the game of football in Asia, not only in helping to establish the J.League in 1993 but also as an early proponent of hosting the 2002 FIFA World Cup™ in Japan,” wrote FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter in a condolence letter to the Japan Football Association. Naganuma rose to prominence as a skilful, determined forward with an eye for goal. He represented his country at senior level, and was part of Japan’s squad for the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament Melbourne 1956. In 1962, at the age of only 32, he was appointed national team coach. In that position he led Japan to their first Olympic medal in 1968 in Mexico. Japan drew against Brazil and Spain and beat Nigeria. That brought them to the knock-out phase, where they overcame France. After a defeat in the semi-final against Hungary, they beat hosts Mexico 2-0 in the third-place play-off and won bronze. Naganuma continued to have a great influence on Japanese football even after he had retired as coach. He played a central role in the establishment of the J.League in 1993, and helped it develop into the successful competition it is today.

The Swiss Olympic Association has conferred honorary membership on FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter. Swiss Olympic President Jorg Schild presented the accolade on behalf of the body’s Executive Council at the Home of FIFA on 6 June. The Swiss Olympic Association is the umbrella organisation for Swiss sporting associations, representing both Olympic and non-Olympic disciplines. The honorary membership recognises the FIFA President’s outstanding contribution to sport, and his efforts to achieve peace through football and provide developing nations with greater equality of opportunity. Blatter, who has been a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since 1999, expressed warm thanks for the award. “Honorary membership from within football is good, but an honorary membership from Swiss Olympic and the sport parliament is exceptional, and I am deeply moved,” he said.