Where the United States national team will be in the next FIFA rankings

United States national team’s Sunday win means big rankings jump

Following an impressive 1-0 extra time win over Mexico in the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final, the United States national team is expected to make an equally impressive jump up the FIFA World Rankings. It is yet another sign of the growth of the national team under head coach Gregg Berhalter.

And while the rankings are a bit dubious and always scrutinized, the United States national team’s success this past summer is certainly a sign of the group’s development in recent months. Especially since the win over Mexico featured only a handful of regulars used by Berhalter.

When the updated list is released shortly, the United States national team will likely check in at No. 9 in the FIFA rankings, the move representing a dramatic jump for the men’s national team, who were No. 20 in May. Mexico too, moved up, jumping one spot from No. 11 in the rankings from three months ago. The United States beat Mexico in both the Nations League and Gold Cup finals this summer.

Belgium has finished the last three years as the No. 1 ranked team in the world, followed each time by France and Brazil.

Of course, FIFA World Cup rankings mean nothing if the United States doesn’t qualify for the tournament. But should the United States do what is expected and qualify for the World Cup, then the rankings could and would be influential in terms of seeding for next year’s tournament in Qatar.

Beyond the rankings, however, the rise up the rankings and the recent performances will certainly have an impact in qualification. There was a certain fear factor around the United States national team following the team’s success in the 2002 World Cup.

Now with the wins in the Nations League and on Sunday in the Gold Cup, the United States certainly is viewed differently around the region.

For the August release, Belgium is projected to continue holding the top spot in the rankings followed by Brazil, France, England and Italy. Argentina checks in at sixth with Spain and Portugal holding the two spots directly in front of the United States and Mexico.

Follow Kristian Dyer of ‘MLS Multiplex’ on Twitter @KristianRDyer