Argentina keep FIFA lead with Brazil, Italy close behind

Argentina, who lost 2-1 in Colombia this week in World Cup qualifying, have 1,523 points, with Brazil on 1,502 and Italy on 1,498 points.

 Spain climbed from sixth to fourth (1,349), Germany are fifth (1,296), the Czech Republic moved from ninth to sixth (1,290), France dropped from fourth to seventh (1,243), with Portugal (1,241), the Netherlands (1,170) and Croatia (1,129) completing the top 10.

 The FIFA rankings take into account national team games.

 The eight European teams in the top 10, and 11th-ranked Greece, will be seeded atop the nine qualifying groups for the 2010 World Cup at Sunday's preliminary round draw in Durban.

 England could have made the seedings, but a 3-2 defeat against Croatia on Wednesday cost them a place at Euro 2008 and among the seeded teams as they dropped to 12th behind Greece in the FIFA list.