Germany remain top of FIFA rankings, Belgium jump to third

RIO DE JANEIRO - Reigning world champions Germany on Thursday retained top spot in the FIFA world rankings despite extending their winless run to four matches.

Joachim Low's team lost 1-0 to Brazil and drew 0-0 with Spain in the latest international friendlies last month.

The team's last win was a 5-1 rout of Azerbaijan on October 8, a result that completed a clean sweep of 10 victories from all of their ten 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

Five-time World Cup winners Brazil remained second in the rankings while Belgium rose two places to third. Portugal and Argentina dropped one spot each to fourth and fifth, respectively.

The biggest movers in the top 20 were Tunisia, who jumped nine places to 14th, while Uruguay climbed five rungs to 17th after winning the China Cup in March.

Four-time World Cup champions Italy fell six spots to 20th following a loss to Argentina and a draw with England last month.

New FIFA members Kosovo and Burkina Faso reached their highest ever positions of 152nd and 196th, respectively.

The next FIFA rankings will be published on May 17, less than a month before the World Cup begins in Russia.