Goals from captain Do Duy Manh and a brace from striker Nguyen Xuan Son secured a 3-1 victory over Malaysia at Thien Truong Stadium, concluding Vietnam's Asian Cup 2027 qualifying campaign with a perfect record. This result added 9,67 FIFA points to the team's tally, bringing their current total to 1,225.67 points.
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Nguyen Xuan Son celebrates after scoring in Vietnam's 3-1 win over Malaysia during the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers at Thien Truong Stadium, Nam Dinh ward, Ninh Binh province, on the evening of 31/3. Photo: Giang Huy |
Climbing from their previous position of 103rd, Vietnam surpassed Tajikistan, Trinidad & Tobago, Luxembourg, Mozambique, and El Salvador. The team now stands at 98th in the FIFA rankings, their highest position since reaching 94th in 12/2023. The national team's record high remains 84th, achieved in 9/1998.
Historically, the team spent the period from 2012 to 2018 outside the FIFA top 100. Under coach Park Hang-seo, Vietnam re-entered this elite group in 11/2018 and maintained their position until 4/2024. In recent years, the team's lowest ranking was 119th in 10/2024. Since coach Kim Sang-sik took charge, the national team has seen a resurgence in the FIFA rankings, marked by 13 consecutive wins across all competitions.
Vietnam is currently ranked 17th in Asia and second in Southeast Asia. Thailand continues to lead the region, holding 93rd place in the FIFA rankings with 1,252.14 points. Their 2-1 victory against Turkmenistan in Bangkok on the evening of 31/3 helped them advance one spot, pushing China down to 94th.
China's current rank of 94th is their lowest in 10 years, having last been at 96th a decade ago. For Thailand, their 93rd position marks their highest ranking since 2008, when they also held a similar spot.
The next FIFA Days international window is scheduled for June. However, Vietnam is not expected to convene during this period, as it will prioritize the V-League 2025-2026 season. The national team will instead gather to prepare for the ASEAN Cup, which runs from 24/7 to 26/8. Matches in the ASEAN Cup do not fall within FIFA Days, resulting in a lower FIFA points coefficient. Consequently, the team's ranking is unlikely to see significant improvement during this tournament.
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Cao Quang Vinh (left) and Tran Dinh Trong challenge Faisal Halim for the ball during the match between Vietnam and Malaysia at Thien Truong Stadium. Photo: Ngoc Thanh |
The current FIFA ranking system uses an Elo-based algorithm, with updates occurring during or immediately after each match. A team's points fluctuate based on the match result, the importance of the game, and the rating difference between the two competing teams. FIFA rankings are crucial as they serve as a seeding criterion for many major tournaments.
European champions Spain currently hold the top spot globally with 1,879.12 points. France is second, followed by reigning world champions Argentina, England, Portugal, Netherlands, Brazil, Morocco, Belgium, and Germany, respectively.
In Asia, Japan leads the continent at 18th in the world rankings, followed by Iran, South Korea, and Australia.
Xuan Binh
