Italy’s Victory Over France Shifts FIFA Rankings
Italy’s statement win over France has done more than light up San Siro. It has shifted the global pecking order.
A 3-1 victory in Milan on Thursday night has lifted the Azzurri two places in the latest FIFA World Rankings, up from 15th to 13th, nudging past Germany (14th) and Croatia (15th) and edging them back toward the company they expect to keep.
A night that broke a 64-year spell
San Siro has seen eras come and go, but this one will be remembered. Italy had not beaten France on home soil for 64 years. That weight hung over the stadium at kick-off; it had vanished by full-time.
Pio Esposito seized the stage with a brace, the kind of ruthless finishing that turns a promising performance into a landmark result. Davide Frattesi added the other, his goal underlining Italy’s grip on a Nations League night that carried far more than group-phase significance.
France, usually so composed on this stage, were forced to chase. Italy, often accused in recent years of drifting, suddenly looked sharp, aggressive, and sure of themselves.
The reward arrived not only on the scoreboard but on the ranking sheet.
Climbing the ladder again
FIFA’s table will be updated again on November 18, but already Italy’s trajectory has changed. Thirteenth place may not satisfy a nation accustomed to living in the top tier, yet the direction finally points upward.
Germany have been pushed back. Croatia too. Those are not small scalps in the numbers game, and they mark a subtle but important shift in status.
Now the targets are clearly in sight:
- Switzerland in 12th
- Colombia in 11th
- Mexico in 10th
They are no longer distant names above Italy in the list; they are reachable rungs on a ladder the Azzurri are desperate to climb.
Belgium away: the next test
The momentum faces its first serious examination on Sunday evening, away to Belgium. Another positive result there would not only harden belief within the squad but could drag Italy even closer to that top-10 threshold that has become the next benchmark.
For a team that has spent too long glancing backward at those overtaking them, the view has changed. Now the gaze is fixed firmly upward, and the question is no longer whether Italy belong among the elite, but how quickly they can force their way back in.
