Ukraine’s soccer team now ranks among world’s top 20 teams

Ukraine’s national team has climbed seven positions on the FIFA rating list, primarily owing to its two victories in the qualification round of the 2010 World Cup over Kazakhstan and Belarus. In October Spain, which holds the European championship title, maintained its lead in the ranking. The Italians notched a second-place showing, followed by the Germans (third), and the Brazilian team, which has risen to take the fourth position. Russia’s team, which reached the semifinals in the last European championship, is in ninth place.

As of Oct. 8, the FIFA rating looked as follows:

Spain — 1,643; Italy — 13,653, Germany — 1,336; Brazil — 12,805; Netherlands — 12,586; Croatia — 12,237; Argentine — 12,008; Czech Republic — 11,119; Russia — 107,610; Portugal — 107,514; England — 98,215; Bulgaria — 96,916; Israel -96,117; Greece — 9,458; Romania — 92,719, and Ukraine — 89,320. Ukraine ranked higher (13th place) in September 2006 through Feb­ruary 2007, sinking to the 30th position by the end of 2007.