Reggae Boyz tops CFU rankings

Reigning Caribbean champions Jamaica finished last year at the top of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) rankings.

This followed the publication of the latest edition of the World Rankings for the year recently by the sports world governing body FIFA.

The Reggae Boyz maintained their hold on the No. 1 spot, despite a seven-place drop that leaves them 54th in the World Rankings.

There was plenty movement in the December’s rankings following the conclusion of the quarter-final stage of CONCACAF qualification for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Surprisingly, Trinidad and Tobago advanced 10 places in the World Rankings to 76th, making them the second-best side in the CFU.

It was the biggest move in the CFU and occurred despite the Soca Warriors failing to advance to the next stage of World Cup qualifying after a string of feeble results and having little or no playing time in the last month.

As a result, Haiti, ranked 81st in the world, and Antigua & Barbuda, ranked 87th, were displaced and are now the CFU’s No 3 and No 4 sides.

Guyana, ranked 91st in the world after reaching the second-stage of World Cup qualification by advancing from the same group that included T&T, complete the CFU top 5.

Cuba has fallen on hard times in recent matches and has dropped 23 places in the world to 115th, leaving them eighth in the CFU.

St. Kitts and Nevis advanced to 116th in the world and Suriname dropped three places to 125th to close the top 10.

Grenada, semi-finalist in the Caribbean Cup last year and a contestant at this year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States, have also endured hard times, slumping 28 places to 134th in the world and 12th in CFU.