The Super Eagles of Nigeria have moved up by three spots to place world 36th in the October FIFA ranking.

In the ranking table on the website of the world football governing body on Thursday, Nigeria garnered 1503.29 points within the period under review.

The senior men’s national team defeated their Libyan counterparts in the first leg match of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers by a lone goal on October 11, in Uyo.

The movement also reflected positively on the team’s continental position to be ranked fourth behind Morocco, Senegal and Egypt instead of the sixth spot they occupied in September.

The top three teams are also bunching up, Argentina (1st) are still on top, but their lead over France (2nd) and Spain (3rd) has been cut.

England (4th), Brazil (5th) and Belgium (6th) have all held onto their positions.

Portugal (7th, up 1) and Italy (9th, up 1) are the only climbers within the top 10, which is completed by the Netherlands (8th, down 1) and Colombia (10th, down 1), with Germany (11th, up 2) now knocking on the door.

Elsewhere, Algeria (37th, up 4), Peru (38th, up 5) and Greece (42nd, up 6) have all made moves worthy of note, and Cameroon (49th, up 4) have returned to the top 50.

Other African teams to have made significant progress in the ranking include Equatorial Guinea (88th, up 6), Zimbabwe (117th, up 7)

The Gambia (128th, up 7) and Botswana (140th, up 7), the last of whom, the Zebras, have posted the biggest jump overall in terms of points gained (up 38.30 points).

Meanwhile, the Super Eagles have been shortlisted as one of the nominees for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) National Team of the Year (Men)

CAF released the 10-nation nominees with the Super Eagles who were runner-up at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations held in Ivory Coast early this year.

The nomination followed the Eagles’ outstanding performance which saw them making it to the final of the last Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

Others that made the list are Angola, Burkina Faso, DR Congo, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda and 2023 AFCON winner Cote-d-ivoire.

CAF had earlier confirmed that the 2024 Awards will take place in Marrakech, Morocco, on December 16, 2024.

This is the third consecutive time the prestigious ceremony will be hosted in North Africa.

Meanwhile, Ademola Lookman and William Troost-Ekong have been recognised for their exceptional skills, earning nominations for the coveted Africa Player of the Year award.

Similarly, Stanley Nwabali’s impressive goalkeeping skills have secured him a spot in the Goalkeeper of the Year category.

Happy with the development, the Technical Director of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) and Super Eagles interim coach, Augustine Eguavoen, welcomed the nominations.

He also highlighted the significance of the CAF Awards.

He also congratulated the nominated Super Eagles duo, saying: “Congratulations to our Super Super Super Eagles duo – Ademola Lookman and William Troost-Ekong on their nomination for the 2024 CAF Player of the Year.

“A brilliant year for Nigerian Football, let’s crown it all with another win in Morocco” the coach wrote on his X page.