Vietnam’s impressive winning streak at the ongoing AFF Cup 2018 has propelled the national men’s football team back into the top 100 teams in the world.
According to Tuoi Tre, on November 29, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) published an updated version of their world ranking, in which Vietnam moved up two places, from 102nd to 100th. The recent victories during the AFF Cup added four points to the country’s total score, making it the only team in Southeast Asia to be in the top 100 at the moment.
This marked the first time in seven years that Vietnam has entered the top 100. However, this is not the best it’s ever performed: in 2011, Vietnam ranked 99th, while in September 1998 it placed 84th.
The national team has carried themselves exceptionally well this tournament with four wins, one draw and no losses. In the latest match against the Philippines yesterday night, Vietnam emerged victorious, winning 2-1.
Iran leads the rankings among Asia-Pacific teams at 29th, followed by Australia at 41st and Japan at 50th. On a global scale, Belgium currently tops the list, followed by France, Brazil, Croatia and England.
Vietnam will face the Philippines once again at 7:30pm on December 6 for the second semi-final match, this time at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi. The odds are in the home team’s favor, as they only need to finish with a tie to advance to the final.
[Photo via Football-Tribe]
