Five-times world champions Brazil remained stuck outside the top 10 of the FIFA world rankings yesterday despite winning both friendlies last month and scoring 10 goals in the process.

Brazil thumped Iraq 6-0 and Japan 4-0 yet rose only one place in the controversial table, from a record low 14th to 13th.

Despite winning most of their games, the 2014 World Cup hosts, who qualify automatically for the tournament, have been slipping steadily down the table over the last year as they have only been playing friendlies which carry less weight in the complex system.

Mano Menezes’s side have played 19 games since the Copa America last year, winning 15.

Argentina’s wins over Uruguay and Chile helped them into third place as they swapped places with Portugal as the leading two remained unchanged with Spain on top, ahead of Germany.

Malta climbed three places to 150th despite their 3-1 defeat to the Czech Republic in a 2014 World Cup qualifier last month.

The top 20 nations
1. Spain 1,564; 2. Germany 1,421; 3. Argentina 1,349; 4. Portugal 1,178; 5. Italy 1,169; 6. England 1,167; 7. Netherlands 1,128; 8. Colombia 1,110; 9. Russia 1,084; 10. Croatia 1,078; 11. Uruguay 1,047; 12. Greece 1,004; 13. Brazil 994; 14. Mexico 984; 15. Ivory Coast 974; 16. Switzerland 966; 17. Ecuador 951; 18. France 938; 19. Algeria 907; 20. Belgium 881.

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