Kuala Lumpur: Japan, DPR Korea and Australia finish 2015 inside the top 10 of the women’s FIFA World Ranking after the year’s final positions were released recently.
There was no movement inside the top 10, with Japan, runners-up at the FIFA Women’s World Cup earlier this year, set to begin 2016 as the highest-ranked Asian side in fourth overall.
The Nadeshiko continue to establish themselves as the continent’s number one side although they ultimately failed in their bid to retain the FIFA Women’s World Cup they won in 2011, losing 5-2 to the USA in the final (pictured).
Meanwhile, DPR Korea find themselves in sixth spot, one ahead of Brazil, while the Matildas sit just above Norway in ninth.
Two other Asian teams also sit inside the top 20 with China in 17th after a memorable year which saw them reach the quarter-finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and lose only 1-0 to eventual champions USA, while Korea Republic, who reached the Round of 16, are one spot below.
The likes of Vietnam (29th), Thailand (30th), Chinese Taipei (38th), Uzbekistan (43rd) and Myanmar (44th) round off a total of ten AFC Member Associations inside the world’s top 50.
Photo: FIFA/Getty Images
Source: the-afc.com