Women's football side achieves best FIFA ranking so far

Ljubljana, 10 June - The Slovenian women's football team has achieved its highest FIFA ranking to date, shows the list of latest standings published on Friday. Currently ranking 39th, the side has gradually climbed up more than 20 places in the past five years.

Murska Sobota The women's national football team. Photo: Anže Malovrh/STA File photo

Murska Sobota
The women's national football team.
Photo: Anže Malovrh/STA
File photo

"When I took over the team, it was my great wish for us to make it to the top 60 in the FIFA rankings. Going forward, an opportunity emerged to rank in the top 50. In the last third of the planned six-year period the goal, if possible, has been to get among the top 40. It took us six years to achieve all of this," the team's head coach Borut Jarc told the Football Association.

The next goal is to rank among the top 30 teams, he said, aware that this is not something that can be achieved overnight.

The team played five matches between February and April, notching up two wins and three draws.

In September, Slovenia will start competing in the UEFA Women's Nations League, where it faces the Czech Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Belarus in Group B4.

The last time the team had to concede was more than a year ago, in April 2022, when they lost 0:1 against France, ranked fifth.

In the past three years, Slovenia played 20 games, recording twelve wins, six draws and two losses, both against France.

Jarc has been head coach since February 2018, and during this time Slovenia has climbed up 23 places in the FIFA rankings.

Ahead of this year's Women World Cup, the US hold top spot, followed by Germany, Sweden, England and France.

Turning to the FIFA Men's World Ranking, the Slovenian men's football team currently ranks 59th.

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