It’s official – England team is the worst ever
FIFA rankings have placed the England football team a dismal 13th out of the 32 sides competing in the World Cup 2010
FIFA have released the official rankings of the 32 teams who competed in this year’s World Cup finals and have confirmed what most English football fans knew already – they really were woeful.
Fabio Capello’s team managed only 13th place, the lowest they have ever ranked when competing in the World Cup finals. Only in the years 1974, 1978 and 1994 has the situation been worse – when they didn’t qualify at all. The previous lowest finish was at the 1958 tournament in Sweden, when England finished 11th.
Questions have been raised over the performance of the English national side, after scrapping draws against the USA and Algeria in their group stage and narrowly defeating Slovenia 1-0 to go through to the last 16. They then suffered a drubbing at the hands of a superior German side, losing to the eventual third place winners 4-1.
President of FIFA, Sepp Blatter had his own theory as to why England has slipped in recent years, citing the influx of foreign players in the premiership to blame.
"England is considered the motherland of football, like Brazil is considered as the deepest level of football. But ever since FIFA has existed everybody has developed. There are no more small national teams. Perhaps there are small countries, but their national teams are strong.”
He continued, "Football has developed everywhere. Players play in different leagues. The internationalism of football is good for some and not for others. One example of that is England. But it is good for Spain that all 11 starting players play in La Liga."
