Euro failure does not dent Scots’ ranking

SCOTLAND have managed to move up one place to 51st in the Fifa world rankings, despite missing out on qualification for the Euro 2012 finals after their defeat to Spain in Alicante.

The Netherlands have lost ground on Spain in the rankings following a 3-2 defeat to Sweden in a Euro 2012 qualifier. The Dutch still occupy second place behind Spain, who recorded a 23rd consecutive home victory with their 3-1 win over Craig Levein’s side earlier this month. But Bert van Marwijk’s side suffered the biggest points drop of any nation in the rankings – losing 146.

The biggest gain was made by Wales, who ended their Euro 2012 qualifiers on a high with victories over Switzerland and Bulgaria. Gary Speed’s team earned 245 points, enough to move them up 45 places to 45th.

England moved up one to seventh, while Greece nudged up three places to sit in eighth after qualifying for Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine next summer. The Republic of Ireland, who face Estonia in a qualification play-off next month, are up four places to 25th, while Northern Ireland dropped 14 places to 84th.