Just weeks away from the start of their 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa qualifying campaign, The Gambia have been boosted by a jump into the top 100 on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. It is the first time the Scorpions have ventured into double figures on the world ladder, their previous best having been the 101st position they achieved in the Septembers of 1994 and 1995.

The Scorpions will begin their campaign for a place at South Africa 2010 in Liberia on  June 1, and they will also host Senegal and face Algeria home and away before the month is out.

Gambia climbed 19 places to 83rd on the latest Ranking, and are now rated as the 16th best team in Africa. It is a fillip that will spur them on ahead of a testing preliminary section, which includes two teams who have previously qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals.

However, The Gambia are still waiting to appoint a new coach to replace the Spaniard Jose Martinez, who steered the country to impressive results at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Ghana 2008. Peter Bonu Johnson has been appointed as caretaker coach while the country's top football officials seek a foreign coach to take charge.

The Gambia have a solid base on which to build for the future, having represented Africa at two recent FIFA youth competitions. The Baby Scorpions won the African U-17 Championship, which they hosted, in 2005 and went on to play at the FIFA U-17 World cup in Peru. Last year, the same generation continued on the same path and also qualified for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.  Bonu Johnson was coach of the team that progressed beyond the first phase in Canada, before losing to Austria in the last 16.

Recently, the players that won the continental championship three years ago finally received promised plots of land, which the Gambian leader, Dr Alhaji Yahya Jammeh, a fanatical football follower, had promised them as reward for bringing The Gambia their first footballing title at continental level.

While the younger players like Pa Modou Jagne and Ousman Jallow have risen from the U-20 side to represent the country at full international level, there is still a strong base of experienced competitors. Versatile Mustapha Jarju is now with Lierse in Belgium and Pa Demba Touray keeps goal for Swedish club Djurgardens.

On paper, booking a place at South Africa 2010 appears a tall order for the Gambians. However, following the break into the top 100 on the Ranking, group favourites Algeria and Senegal will not be taking their challenge lightly.

Month              Position

May 2008             83

Apr 2008              83

Mar 2008             102

Feb 2008             103

Jan 2008              111

2007                    117

2006                    134

2005                    164

2004                    154

2003                    138

Month              Position

2001                  148

2000                  155

1999                  151

1998                 135

1997                 132

1996                 128

1995                 112

1994                117

1993                125

Scorpions drop in ranking

The Gambia have dropped 4 places in the December 2007 African ranking compiled by the world football’s governing body (FIFA), Observer Sports can reveal.

The Scorpions who made their highest climbing in 2007 have dropped from 31 to 35. The Scorpions also dropped 6 places in the overall ranking, slipping from 111 to 117.

Mozambique have been this year's surprise 'highest climbers'.  World football's governing body placed the Mambas in 75th place in their latest list, which leaves the team as the 15th best side in Africa.

The African nation amassed 245 points over the last 12 months, climbing 53 places overall, to claim the 'Best Mover of the Year' title.

Nigeria maintained their place as the highest ranked African team. The Super Eagles remain in their global position of 20.

The recent performances of the Gambia Senior Squad in their three African Nations Cup qualifiers have a great impact on the team position in FIFA and African rankings.

In the ranking released by FIFA on Tuesday September 18, 2007, The Gambia jumped from 37 in last month ranking to 33.

The two vital draws in Conakry and Praia and the historical win over Algeria in Banjul, have greatly contributed in the uplifting of Gambian Soccer.

Meanwhile Nigeria have leapfrogged over Cameroon to return to the top of the African football rankings according to Fifa’s world rankings for September.
The Super Eagles moved up three places on the overall rankings from 26 to 23, while the Indomitable Lions fell nine slots from 16 to 25.

The biggest movers in Africa were Equatorial Guinea leaping 33 places on the world list and become the number 14 side on the continent.

1. Nigeria (23)
2. Cameroon (25)
3. Ivory Coast (27)
4. Guinea (30)
5. Tunisia (37)
6. Morocco (38)
7. Senegal (40)
8. Egypt (43)
9. Ghana (45)
10. Mali (49)
11. Zambia (61)
12. Togo (63)
13. Angola (69)
14. Equatorial Guinea (72)
15. South Africa (73)
16. Mozambique (74)
17. Cape Verde Islands (76)
18. DR Congo (77)
19. Benin (82)
20. Algeria (85)
21. Libya (92)
22. Zimbabwe (93)
23. Botswana (95)
24. Uganda (100)
25. Congo (101)
26. Tanzania (106)
26. Burkina Faso (106)
28. Namibia (108)
29. Gabon (110)
30. Burundi (110)
31. Sudan (112)
32. Ethiopia (113)
33. Gambia (114)
34. Kenya (115)
35. Rwanda (118)
36. Malawi (121)
37. Eritrea (128)
38. Liberia (129)
39. Chad (136)
40. Mauritania (140)
41. Swaziland (149)
42. Niger (152)
43. Lesotho (153)
44. Seychelles (154)
45. Mauritius (155)
46. Madagascar (164)
47. Sierra Leone (172)
48. Comoros (184)
49. Central African Republic (188)
50. Guinea-Bissau (191)
51. Somalia (194)
52. Djibouti (200)
52. São Tomé e Príncipe (200)

The Scorpions of The Gambia have been ranked 37th out of the 53 countries in Africa.

According to the FIFA African ranking released last month, the two vital draws of the Scorpions in Conakry and Cape Verde in the African Nations Cup qualifiers have earned The Gambia a better position.

The Gambia is also ranked 128 out of the 203 in the World.

African Rankings - August 2007 (world rankings in brackets):

 1. Cameroon (16) 
 2. Nigeria (26)
 3. IvoryCoast (28)
 4. Morocco (34)
 5. Tunisia (36)
 6. Egypt (40)
 7. Guinea(42)
 8. Ghana (43)
 9. Senegal (46)
10. Mali (48)
11. Angola (59)
12. Togo (60)
13. South Africa (61)
14. Zambia (62)
15. Cape Verde Islands (72)
16. Algeria (73)
17. DR Congo (75)
18. Burkina Faso (77)
19. Benin (79)
20. Mozambique (86)
21. Libya (87)
22. Ethiopia (92)
23. Botswana (96)
24. Uganda (98)
25. Congo (100)
26. Zimbabwe (101)
27. Tanzania (102)
28. Equatorial Guinea (105)
29. Gabon (107)
30. Malawi (111)
31. Burundi (113)
32. Namibia (114)
33. Sudan (117)
34. Liberia (120)
35. Rwanda (121)
36. Eritrea (121)
37. Gambia (128)
38. Kenya (132)
39. Mauritania (136)
40. Chad (139)
41. Lesotho (143)
42. Mauritius (144)
43. Niger (146)
44. Swaziland (147)
45. Seychelles (147)
46. Madagascar (163)
47. Sierra Leone (164)
48. Comoros (182)
49. Central African Republic (185)
50. Guinea-Bissau (188)
51. Somalia (192)
52. Djibouti (199)
53. Sao Tome e Principe (199)   

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