India jumped to the top 100 of FIFA rankings earlier this month when the Blue Tigers leapfrogged Malawi to finish the month of May in 100th place. With no further competitive action for Stephen Constantine’s men this month, May marked the third month in a row where India have risen up the FIFA rankings despite not taking to the pitch even once. Other teams’ results have impacted the Blue Tigers’ standing in the FIFA rankings, and they stand to once again benefit India in June.
The rankings for the month of June will be released on 1st June.
India will return to on-pitch action in the month of June when they take on Nepal in a friendly on 6th June before gearing up for an important AFC Asian Cup qualifier against the Kyrgyz Republic on 13th June. The Blue Tigers have won 11 of their last 13 matches and astute calculations by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) mean that the national team will spend two consecutive months inside the FIFA top 100 for the first time this century.
In the process, India will rank above Finland and Lithuania for the first time. Finland were ranked 97th in May, while Lithuania were level with India. While India’s rise up the FIFA rankings ladder has helped them earn a favourable draw for the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, results on the field will determine whether the Blue Tigers can sustain their current top 100 run.
Both Nepal and the Kyrgyz Republic are currently ranked below India and are expected to stay in India’s shadows for the month of June as well. Therefore, wins for the Blue Tigers in their June fixtures will amount to an insignificant gain in points towards the rankings for July. With major international tournaments kicking off after the regular European club season is over, India can ill afford to slip-up in their upcoming matches.
Furthermore, with both Nepal and the Kyrgyz Republic ranked below India, anything other than two wins from those two games will severely affect India’s ranking for July. Should the Blue Tigers lose both the matches, they will gain zero points and therefore slide down the FIFA rankings ladder.
While June brings about a historic moment for Indian football, it also has the potential to undo all the hard work that has gone in to take India above the 100 mark. As things stand, rankings should be an afterthought for Constantine and his men, as results become a priority.
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