BOLA – Portugal will maintain 8th place without FIFA ranking (Selecção)
Despite the draw in Ireland and the defeat at home to Serbia, Portugal will maintain 8th place in the classification FIFA, which will be officially updated on the next 25th.
The two bad results of the last games cost Portugal 22 points, but the two closest pursuers also lost points: Mexico, which was 9th to nine points of the National Team, was defeated by the USA and Canada and will fall to 14th .th place; Denmark moved up one place but lost 14 points as the defeat in Scotland closed out qualifying. Even the Netherlands, which will go on to close the top ten, only gained two points, blamed on the tie in Montenegro.
Portugal, however, saw the distance to 7th, Spain, shoot up: it was six points before the last double round of the teams, now it will be at 45. This complicates the hope of being seeded in the draw for the World Cup from Qatar (see the team get there). Despite the official games count more than the private ones, and Portugal can add many points if they win the next two matches, in March, it will be almost impossible to cancel the disadvantage.
FIFA has yet to confirm the details of the draw, which should take place on 1 April, but everything indicates that it will maintain the formula of previous editions – the eight seeds will be Qatar, as organizer, and the seven that will qualify with the best classification. Portugal only has a realistic chance of getting there: with an elimination of Italy (which will fall from 4th to 6th with two draws, being overtaken by England and Argentina) in the European play-off.
At the top, Belgium managed to hold the 1st place despite the draw in Wales, as Brazil also drew against Argentina – even so, the red devils’ lead will be shortened to just two points.