The Atlas Lions of Morocco have matched Nigeria Super Eagles’ historic FIFA ranking feat after climbing to fifth in the latest men’s world rankings, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Atlas Lions moved above Brazil into fifth place after the South American giants were held to a 1-1 draw by Australia, taking Morocco to the highest position ever reached by an African national team alongside the Super Eagles.
Nigeria achieved the same feat in April 1994, when the Super Eagles climbed to fifth in the world during one of the most best periods in the country’s football history. That year, they won the Africa Cup of Nations before making their World Cup debut in the United States. The Super Eagles then went on to reach the last 16 at the World Cup. But unfortunately for them, they suufer a narrow 2-1 defeat to eventual finalists Italy after extra time.
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It has taken 32 years for another African nation to reach the same height. Morocco’s rise comes as Nigerian football faces a very different reality following the Super Eagles’ humiliating 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Tuesday.
Morocco Reach Where Nigeria Once Stood
Morocco’s move to fifth is currently reflected in FIFA’s live ranking, although the position remains unofficial until FIFA approves all the matches from the latest international window.
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The last official FIFA ranking, published on July 20, had Morocco sixth in the world. FIFA’s next official ranking is scheduled for October 7.
The Atlas Lions moved into fifth after Brazil’s draw with Australia reduced their ranking points, allowing Morocco to leapfrog the five-time world champions.
Morocco are now FIFA’s joint-highest ranked African nation of all-time after the latest men’s rankings saw the Atlas Lions rise to 5th, leapfrogging Brazil
The last time an African country was rated this highly by FIFA was 32 years ago, back in 1994 when Nigeria were… pic.twitter.com/wuqOOD7rgU
— OneFootball (@OneFootball) September 30, 2026
Morocco currently have 1,803.99 points in the live calculation, while Brazil sit on 1,802.90.
Their rise continues what has been a remarkable last five years for Moroccan football. The Atlas Lions became the first African team to reach a World Cup semi-final in 2022 and followed that achievement with another strong showing at the 2026 World Cup, reaching the quarter-finals.
For more than three decades, Nigeria stood alone at the top of Africa’s FIFA ranking history. But now, things appear to be falling apart.
Did The Super Eagles Loss To Guinea-Bissau Influence This?
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The Super Eagles entered the latest international window ranked 26th in the world, while Guinea-Bissau were 132nd. After winning their first game against Madagascar, Nigeria then suffered a 3-0 defeat in Bissau, leaving Guinea-Bissau top of Group L with six points from two matches.
However, Nigeria’s defeat does not directly explain Morocco’s rise to fifth, which was caused by Brazil’s draw with Australia. However, it provides an uncomfortable backdrop as Morocco now joins the Super Eagles in a part of FIFA’s ranking history that Nigeria had occupied alone since 1994.
With the amount of talent available to the Atlas Lions, they could dominate Africa for a very long time. For the Super Eagles, Nigerian football is in disarray, and there is a shortage of top talents at the moment, so it is difficult to predict the future.
