Socceroos now ranked higher than Sweden in 10-year high

The Socceroos have been taking on the world’s best teams and their new world ranking indicates how well they’ve done.

The Socceroos are now ranked 25 in the world. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

A recent three-game winning run and World Cup victories against Tunisia and Denmark in 2022 have helped propel the Socceroos to their highest world ranking in more than a decade.

Coach Graham Arnold’s men have come in at No.25 on the December 1 FIFA world rankings list, Australia’s highest spot since September 2012.

It’s a staggering rise from the Socceroos’ lowest ever rank of 102 in 2014 and comes after nine straight years outside the top 30.

The Australians are ahead of Sweden, who could soon be coached by Matildas mentor Tony Gustavsson, with the Swedes ranked 26 after failing to make the 2024 Euros.

Even traditional football countries like Scotland (36) and former European champions Greece (47) come in behind Australia.

In the past 12 months, the Socceroos have played five matches against opponents inside the top 10 in the world, the most fixtures ever against such highly ranked nations in the space of a year.

The latest #FIFARanking is here! 💫

Tap the table to read more.

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 30, 2023

More recently, the Socceroos went on a three-game winning run, defeating New Zealand, Bangladesh and Palestine without conceding a goal and they are now within one win of securing a spot at the Paris Olympics.

The Socceroos have lost four games over the past 12 months, but two of those were against world champions Argentina and one was against England, who are now third in the world rankings, in England.

But Australia remains only the fourth-highest-ranked Asian Football Confederation nation going into January’s Asian Cup early next year, with Japan, Iran and Korea Republic above them.

The Socceroos have been drawn in a group containing India, Syria and Uzbekistan for the tournament in Qatar.

FIFA men’s world rankings – as of December 1, 2023

1. Argentina

2. France

3. England

4. Belgium

5. Brazil

6. Netherlands

7. Portugal

8. Spain

9. Italy

10. Croatia

25. Australia