U.S. drops to No. 28 in FIFA world rankings

The U.S. national soccer team had little to be thankful for Thursday when the latest FIFA world rankings were released and showed the U.S. tumbling five spots to No. 28,

It’s the lowest Juergen Klinsmann’s team has been in the rankings -- which are based on a points system determined by weighed results over a four-year period -- since June 2013 and it’s 15 places below the No. 13 ranking the U.S. took into last summer’s World Cup. Since leaving Brazil the U.S. has won just once in five matches, losing its last two by a combined score of 6-2. The Americans’ 4-1 loss to Ireland last week was their most one-sided loss in 2½ years.

There was little movement at the top of the table with world champion Germany remaining at the top, followed by World Cup runner-up Argentina, Colombia, Belgium, the Netherlands and Brazil.

Portugal moved up two spots to share seventh place with France while Spain and Uruguay rounded out the top 10. England, coming off six consecutive wins since an early exit in the World Cup, was the biggest mover in the top 20, jumping seven spots to No. 13. Meanwhile Mexico fell three spots to 20th overall.

The biggest tumble in the top 20 was by Croatia, which fell five places to No. 19. Here are the top 30, with change in position from previous rankings in perentheses:

1. Germany
2. Argentina
3. Colombia
4. Belgium
5. Netherlands
6. Brazil
7. tie, Portugal (+2)
France
9. Spain (+1)
10. Uruguay (-2)
11. Italy
12. Switzerland
13. England (+7)
14. Chile (-1)
15. Romania (+6)
16. Costa Rica
17. Czech Republic (+5)
18. Algeria (-3)
19. Croatia (-5)
20. Mexico (-3)
21. Slovakia (+3)
22. Tunisia (+9)
23. Austria (+6)
24. Ivory Coast (+1)
25. Greece (-7)
26. Ukraine (-7)
27. Ecuador
28. U.S. (-5)
29. Bosnia and Herzegovina (-3)
30. Denmark (+2)