World football rankings

PARIS - Football's world ruling body FIFA on Wednesday announced the world rankings ahead of this week's round of qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
World champions Brazil retain a healthy 50-point lead ahead of 1998 World Cup winners France, while another south American power Argentina is in third place.
The rankings will next be released on April 20.

FIFA's top 20:
1. Brazil 836 pts (0)
2. France 782 (0)
3. Argentina 777 (0)
4. Czech Republic 774 (0)
5. Spain 759 (0)
6. Mexico 752 (0)
7. Netherlands 750 (-1)
8. England 746 (0)
9. Portugal 740 (0)
10. Italy 736 (0)
. United States 736 (+1)
12. Ireland 714 (0)
13. Sweden 713 (0)
14. Greece 711 (-1)
15. Turkey 705 (0)
. Uruguay 705 (+3)
17. Denmark 703 (-2)
18. Germany 702 (-1)
. Japan 702 (0)
20. Iran 689 (0)

03/23/2005 10:38 GMT