Pretoria - Bafana Bafana has moved seven places up in the latest Coca Cola FIFA World Rankings.
Bafana are now placed 39th in the world. They now occupy fifth place on the continental rankings, moving from ninth position.
The FIFA World Rankings were released on Wednesday, April 13. Ghana still leads the pack on the CAF rankings, followed by Ivory Coast, Egypt, Nigeria and Bafana respectively. Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Senegal and Libya complete the African top 10.
Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane said: "These latest rankings make me and the whole team strive for more and dig deeper for an even higher place on the rankings."
His sentiments were echoed by South African Football Association (SAFA) President Kirsten Nematandani.
"Our quest to reclaim continental glory is on track ... we will continue to fully support our national teams. Giving undivided backing to Bafana has resulted in positive results on and off the field. On behalf of the National Executive Committee of SAFA, I would like to congratulate ... Mosimane for a job well done.
"These improved rankings should serve as an inspiration to achieve our set objectives. We need to continue working hard as an association in order to attain our immediate goals of qualifying for next year's Afcon, and the year after," he said.
2010 World Cup finalists, Spain and Netherlands, still hold the number one and two positions respectively. Brazil is third, followed by Germany and Argentina in the top five.
England, Uruguay, Portugal, Italy and Croatia make up the top 10. Italy has made the greatest strides, returning to the top 10 after an absence of seven months. They are now ninth.
The next Coca Cola FIFA World Rankings will be released on 18 May. - BuaNews
