Greek football team ranked 13th globally by FIFA

FIFA's rankings are often criticized for seeming inaccurate and slightly arbitrary, but it is the most objective ways of determining the national teams' yearly rankings. The way teams do in the World Cup every four years, is a major factor in the way the place themselves in the rankings.

In that sense, Greece's against all odds qualification to the knock-out stage of this summer's World Cup in Brazil, helped put Greece higher in the list than traditional European football powers, such as Italy, England and Russia.

With Germany predictably leading the pack, followed by Argentina, Netherlands and Colombia, Greece have made it to the 13th position. Last World Cup winners, Spain, having disqualified from the first round of this year's tournament, are in 8th place, while the disgraced hosts of the Cup, Brazil, are one place up, at number 7.

Italy is in 14th place, while England has scrolled down to number 20. Costa Rica were the highest climbers in the table, rising 12 places to 16th, just behind USA and Italy, while the Netherlands have jumped 12 positions to number 3.