National soccer team ahead of the Mexico match
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Coach Hong Myung-bo (center), Son Heung-min (left), and Jung Sang-bin of the national soccer team are training at Geodys Park in Nashville, Tennessee on the 9th (Korea Standard Time), ahead of the second A match this month against Mexico, a strong North and Central American team. September 9, 2025 Hong Myung-bo, who recorded one win and one draw in two consecutive away games in the U.S. in September, maintained his 23rd place in the FIFA rankings. On the other hand, Japan, with one draw and one loss, fell two places to 19th place.
FIFA announced its new ranking on the 18th (Korea time). The results of the two consecutive A matches in September were reflected. South Korean soccer made its first 'post-Asian' journey since head coach Hong Myung-bo took the helm. He also faced a team above South Korea in the FIFA rankings. The U.S. ranked 15th and Mexico 13th.
FIFA ranking was just a number. Hong Myung-bo defeated the U.S. 2-0 on the 7th, followed by a 2-2 draw with Mexico on the 10th. On the other hand, Japan crossed with South Korea and held two consecutive games. While it drew scoreless with Mexico, it lost 0-2 to the United States.
There were also minor cracks in the FIFA rankings. Japan dropped from 17th to 19th. Iran also dropped one place from 20th to 21st. Only Korean soccer kept the position.
Australia, which was chasing Korean soccer under the chin, also fell one spot to 25th place. Mexico, which was the A match between South Korea and Japan in September, fell one place to 14th and the United States to 16th.
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| AFP Yonhap News |
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China remained at 94th, while North Korea was at 121st. '1.4 billion people' China expanded to 48 countries and failed to find a way out of the reorganized North-China World Cup. 8.5 tickets were allocated to Asia, but they failed to advance to the World Cup finals by staying fifth in Group C in the third qualifying round.
'Top 10' also experienced tectonic fluctuations. The world of Argentina has collapsed. Since June 2014, Spain has regained the lead in 11 years and 3 months. Argentina, the 2022 World Cup winner in Qatar, fell to third place, and France took second place.
Portugal, Brazil, the Netherlands, Belgium, Croatia and Italy were ranked 5th to 10th, with England in fourth place. Brazil, Hong Myung-bo's first A match opponent next month, fell one place from fifth place. Paraguay, the second opponent, rose six spots to 37th.
Bolivia, which will meet in November, moved up one place from 78th to 77th.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
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