Fifa World Rankings December 2021

Fifa World Rankings December 2021

Fifa's World Rankings for December 2021 were published on December 23 at FIFA HQ in Zurich, Switzerland.

There is not much change in the top 20 positions from November. Belgium who exited Euro 2020 in the quarterfinals are still top followed by Brazil and France who lost in the round of 16 to Switzerland. England, Copa America winners Argentina, Euro 2020 winners Italy, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, and The Netherlands fill the top 10 positions.

Senegal are still the top African team in 20th place. England remains in 4th. Wales are 19th with the USA in 11th spot. Australia are in 35th place; Japan are in 26th position. Near neighbors South Korea are 33rd in the list. Scotland are 38th. The Republic of Ireland are in 47th place, Northern Ireland are 54th.

1 Belgium
2 Brazil
3 France
4 England
5 Argentina
6 Italy
7 Spain
8 Portugal
9 Denmark
10 The Netherlands
11 USA
12 Germany
13 Switzerland
14 Mexico
15 Croatia
16 Colombia
17 Uruguay
18 Sweden
19 Wales
20 Senegal

Full world rankings

Previous Fifa World Rankings

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Reds bring Christmas belief with final festive video

Reds bring Christmas belief with final festive video

The advent countdown to Christmas has begun, as Liverpool FC releases the third and final instalment of its Christmas video series. In this video, the Reds are reminding fans of the importance of belief at this magical time of year. 

The final part of the festive revolves around the fairy tale book titled ‘Belief’. Through the narrator’s poem, we are reminded that belief is an essential ingredient for any LFC fan, not just at Christmas. 

It’s carried us through the toughest of times and helped guide us to glory over the years. It’s a powerful force, especially at Christmas. The video also features first team stars, Jordan Henderson, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Missy Bo Kearns and Carla Humphrey to show their connection to the club, its crest and what it stands for – a message of hope and belief. 

Each Christmas video has been teased separately over the festive period, with the first and second instalments available to view now at www.liverpoolfc.com/christmas. 

 The club has also announced that its Operation Christmas Magic 2021 community campaign will take place again this year, where Red Neighbours and LFC Foundation hosting a number of events and initiatives to bring the community together. 

To find out more and donate to the fundraising head to https://foundation.liverpoolfc.com/christmas-in-your-community. 

The club has also revealed its official Christmas gifting range for 2021, with a selection of exclusive presents to suit every Reds fan. 

From cosy nightwear and pyjamas for the whole family, toys and games for the children, to premium gifts for him and her, Museum & Tour gift vouchers and the perfect Christmas decorations. To view the full video, please click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbVmKOYDdbE

Premier League stars come together for latest phase of Boot Out Piracy

Premier League stars come together for latest phase of Boot Out Piracy campaign in Hong Kong

The Premier League today launched the second phase of its 2021/22 anti-piracy media campaign in Hong Kong. The 'Boot Out Piracy' campaign, which runs across digital platforms, highlights the poor viewing experience and dangers that fans face when watching matches via illegal streams. Not only do fans face delays, broken links, and pop-up ads, but they potentially expose themselves to the threat of malicious malware and ransomware, which often lead to data theft and fraud.

The second phase of 'Boot Out Piracy' will feature new videos from Premier League stars, including Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk and Leicester City's James Maddison. Past campaigns brought together some of the League's top players to raise awareness of the dangers of piracy, including Manchester United's Marcus Rashford, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-Min.

Aside from Hong Kong, the campaign is also running in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Kevin Plumb, General Counsel for the Premier League, said: "We are launching the second phase of this season's Boot Out Piracy campaign at a time of the year when there is a huge number of fixtures for fans around the world to enjoy, to continue raising awareness of the dangers of watching Premier League matches through illegal streams.

"Fans can experience a number of serious issues if they choose to watch pirated content, including having their data stolen and exposing themselves to cyber-attacks. They will also have to endure a sub-standard viewing experience which is likely to be disrupted by pop-up ads and frequent buffering.

Premier League Media Release

"The only way to avoid all those dangers is to watch Premier League football through our official broadcast partners. We will continue working with them and local authorities in Hong Kong and throughout Asia to protect fans from accessing pirate sites." Research by intellectual property and data analytics company White Bullet Solutions shows that, of the most popular pirate websites in Hong Kong for illegally watching Premier League content, 60 percent carried advertisements considered risky, containing either fraud, malware, adult or gambling content.

White Bullet Solutions founder and chief executive officer Peter Szyszko said: "Cybercriminals are taking full advantage of insecure illegal streaming sites to spread malware, gain access to personal data and commit fraud. Our message to the public is that piracy is simply not worth the risk." Raising awareness among fans of the risks and downsides posed by illegal streams is just one part of the Premier League's comprehensive anti-piracy work in the region.

Since the establishment of its Asia-Pacific office in Singapore almost three years ago, the Premier League has initiated blocking action against illegal websites in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand, and has worked closely with local authorities to bring criminal action against website operators and suppliers of illicit streaming devices across the region, including in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The League works closely with its local broadcast partners on much of this work.

Derek Choi, Head of Pay TV, HKT, said: "As the official broadcaster of the Premier League in Hong Kong, Now TV, the media entertainment arm of HKT, continues to enhance the viewing experience of Premier League matches, not only the live matches, but also the accessibility of the match replays and highlights through our TV portal. Hence, we launched a dedicated "Soccer Home" page that host the live matches, replays, and highlight in one view. Moreover, we also launched the "Premier League Multi-Angle" feature that gives our fans a new way in viewing the matches from multiple camera angle in the stadium.

Those are the experience that cannot be matched by illegal streaming sites." The Premier League is a member of the AVIA Coalition Against Piracy, the industry association for leading video content creators and distributors in Asia, which focuses on tackling the threat of piracy across Asia. Aaron Herps, General Manager of the AVIA Coalition Against Piracy said: "The dangers of accessing pirated material continue to rise for consumers.

According to our research, only 37 percent of Hong Kongers understand that watching pirate content increases their risk of getting malware, which can lead to becoming a victim of cybercrime. It's great that the Premier's League's stars, who have huge influence, are coming together to help fans understand the significant cybersecurity risk of pirating matches."

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LFC reunites with 188BET for new multi-year partnership

LFC reunites with 188BET

Liverpool FC is teaming up with online sports and entertainment company, 188BET, in a new multi-year regional partnership in Asia.

The relationship will see 188BET become the Official Regional Partner of Liverpool Football Club, bringing an exciting online entertainment experience for fans in Asia.

This new partnership marks a reunion for LFC and 188BET who previously worked together from 2009 to 2015.

It is also 188BET’s first Premier League partnership in five years.

188BET will use the partnership to increase brand awareness in Asia through stadium LED advertising, branding on LFC's digital platforms in-market, and access to first team and women’s players and club legends, providing authentic, and exciting content to fans in Asia.

Matt Scammell, Commercial Director at Liverpool Football Club said: "Having the opportunity to reunite with 188BET on a new partnership in Asia is incredibly exciting for us, and we are delighted to welcome them back to Liverpool FC.

"We are looking forward to working with an innovative and well-established company to deliver engaging in-market collaborative content for Asian audiences to engage with."

Nigel Singer, 188BET Managing Director, added: “We are pleased to be partnering once again with Liverpool FC and bringing the excitement of a world class football club to audiences in Asia.

"With such a rich heritage and global fanbase LFC has a lot to offer our customers, and we look forward to a successful partnership over the next three years."

Founded in 2007, 188BET continues to expand its presence in sport, with partnerships in the Bundesliga and Formula 1.

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My favorite was Kanté who finished 5th

Ballon d'Or Award

Well-known international football journalist, longtime jury member for the Ballon d'Or Award Rasim Movsumzadeh from Azerbaijan told us about the poll of the France Football Magazine in 2021.

- In fact, it was not surprising for me that Lionel Messi won the Ballon d'Or again. After the Argentinian won the Copa America 2021 with the national team in July, there was a great deal of propaganda about his candidacy for the award. At the same time, obvious sympathy was felt for Messi when Sport.pl got the opinion of the respondents in the summer about who would be the main candidates for the Ballon d'Or 2021.

Journalists from about 200 countries are taking part in the election. If the majority of respondents voted for Messi, we must agree. Even if there is no obvious advantage, the winner is 33 points ahead of the second-ranked Robert Lewandowski. But there is no doubt about the transparency of the vote. France Football Magazine does not influence or pressure anyone to vote. There is no need for that. Only people, including journalists, have a great love and adoration for Messi.

By the way, in connection with Messi's victory for the Ballon d'Or 2021, on my Linkedin page, I congratulated him with these words:

M arvelous

E njoyable

S uccessful

S corer

I mpressive

But in my opinion, the European Championship, even the UEFA Champions League, is now a stronger competition than the Copa America. That's why I wrote the names of Chelsea's players in the first two places in my list - N'Golo Kanté (6 points from me) and Jorginho, also European champion (4 points).

Back in May, when Chelsea won the UEFA Champions League, I decided who I would vote for in the Ballon d'Or poll. Kanté, who played a key role in winning the Blues in the strongest club competition in Europe, despite not having success with France at Euro 2020, but I think he deserves the Ballon d'Or.

If we look at who voted for whom, journalists from Aruba, Estonia, Portugal and São Tomé and Príncipe think the same.

I must admit that I would also be happy if Lewandowski from Poland was elected the best. I wrote Lewandowski's name 3rd in my list, that is, he got 3 points from me. He has not had great international success this year with Bayern München and the national team. But he deserves the highest awards for his performance and personal results.

If Lewandowski will win the UEFA Champions League 2021-22 with Bayern München and will be the top scorer of the competition, his chances will increase for next Ballon d'Or. On the other hand, let's not forget that 2022 will be the year of the FIFA World Cup.

In my questionnaire, I also mentioned the names of Frenchman Karim Benzema (2 points) and finally Lionel Messi (1 point) in fifth place. In other words, I have a share in only one of the 613 points won by Messi in the end.

It is interesting that all players for whom I voted, although they got other places, managed to get into the top five.

According to media reports, Pascal Ferré, editor of France Football Magazine, said they might think about the 2020 Ballon d'Or, which was canceled due to the pandemic, and its possible handover to Lewandowski. Perhaps they will consult with the members of the editorial board, as well as find out the opinions of the jury members. Obviously, this is not an easy and not a quick task.

In 2020, this issue was not on the agenda like that. But Lewandowski's non-win at the Ballon d'Or 2021 led to such talk.

But how right is it to make a decision about 2020, which is already history, in a year or two? Will there be proposals tomorrow to determine the winners of the award before 1956? Or, for example, South American players who have not previously been nominated for Ballon d'Or won't want to go back to revisiting past results?

Of course, everything is possible in life, including in football.

I would not want 2020 to be empty in the list of winners of the Ballon d'Or for years.

One thing I can say for sure: if there is a vote for 2020, like many, I believe that Lewandowski will win.

© Soccerphile.com

LFC welcomes SC Johnson to the Reds Family

LFC welcomes SC Johnson

Liverpool FC has welcomed SC Johnson, a Family Company at work for a better world as a global and purpose-led partner. The multi-year ‘Goals for Change’ partnership will see the Reds and SC Johnson team up to deliver a collective vision for a healthier world with local and global initiatives focussed on three specific areas: sustainability, health and opportunity. 

Goals for Change

Utilising their access to the men’s and women’s teams, ‘Goals for Change’ will help fans understand what they can do to help create a more sustainable future aligning closely with the club’s own sustainability initiative, the Red Way which launched in January this year. Matt Scammell, Commercial Director at LFC: “We launched our sustainability programme the Red Way earlier this year and made a commitment to make a positive difference to our people, our communities and our planet. SC Johnson has made important step changes within their industry which have delivered incredible results through several sustainability initiatives. “I feel very optimistic about the work we can do together through this partnership, both raising awareness and looking after the safety of our supporters and ultimately using our voices for good to help the next generation of Reds all around the world.” 

At launch there will be two key elements, around sustainability and health. Upcycling at Anfield SC Johnson will work with LFC on a comprehensive and industry-leading plastics upcycling program within Anfield, and LFC’s club facilities to upcycle single-use plastic products into select SC Johnson consumer products, which will eventually be retailed within the U.K. On match days there will be branded recycling bins located on each concourse encouraging fans to drop their plastic waste into. Across the season, the closed-loop recycling model aims to turn more than 500,000 plastic bottles into new Mr Muscle® packaging. “Plastic waste is a threat to our planet for this and future generations,” said Fisk Johnson, Chairman and CEO of SC Johnson. “At SC Johnson, we believe we all have a responsibility to solve this critical environmental issue. 

Our partnership with Liverpool FC is one of the many steps SC Johnson is taking to move forward our vision for a waste-free world as it creates another local solution to this global problem by leveraging football to help close the plastic recycling loop.” Keeping Anfield Clean LFC is committed to maintaining the highest hygiene standards for both supporters and staff, while also considering the environmental impact. 

As Official Cleaning and Disinfectant Partner, SC Johnson is helping with the safe return of supporters this season with their innovative professional cleaning products now a staple across LFC’s stadiums and AXA Training Centre. Working together LFC and SC Johnson will reinforce good hygiene as an essential part of supporters’ new matchday routine. Additional sanitiser, and soap dispensers have been placed around the stadium including turnstiles, making it easy and accessible for fans to wash or sanitise their hands regularly. 

To follow, SC Johnson will also get involved with the club’s local community activation and charitable initiatives run by the Liverpool FC Foundation including the international philanthropic programme Right to Play which delivers an educational message to empower young people and communities to rise above adversity, giving them the skills to learn, lead and succeed. The brand will also benefit from matchday visibility and branded content. 

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LFC International Academy launches in Beijing

LFC International Academy launches in Beijing

Liverpool Football Club today announced that it will be launching the LFC International Academy Beijing with partners Li Sheng to deliver a new youth coaching project in China.

Aimed at providing unique coaching opportunities for youngsters, the Reds will now deliver ongoing coaching programmes to children aged five to 16 across Greater Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province to help them learn to play 'The Liverpool Way'.

The project's mission is to develop the participants both on and off the pitch; encouraging them to get active and improve their football skills, whilst also improving important skills in everyday life, such as character, teamwork, confidence and integrity.

Li Sheng's objective is to build 30 football centres in the region in the next five years, with the first Liverpool FC International Academy to be built and opened in 2022 at its Nanhaizi football park in the south of Beijing. From this flagship centre, with state of the art footballing facilities and classrooms, the programme will be delivered to hundreds of children and coaches each week.

Once the 2022 Winter Olympics are complete, Li Sheng will have a facility at the Bird's Nest national stadium too, ensuring that the Liverpool FC International Academy Beijing has visibility at one of the most iconic sporting venues in China.

Players will improve their football skills and develop their technical, tactical and physical abilities through age-specific coaching sessions. Through the unique coaching methods of Liverpool FC, there will also be a focus on educating the young participants in the history, culture and traditions of 'the beautiful game'.

Local coaches will also be involved and will benefit from a comprehensive coach education scheme, which will include the LFC International Academy global accreditation, to deliver coaching 'The Liverpool Way'.

Whilst the initial focus is to launch the project in Beijing, the plan in time is to expand the network of Li Sheng football centres and Liverpool FC International Academies into other Chinese provinces, to make LFC coaching experiences available to as many young players as possible.

Dan White, Vice President, LFC International Academies, said: "Our International Academies create many fantastic opportunities for young players around the world to improve their skills and be developed via our unique coaching methods.

"We are absolutely delighted to be expanding our programme to Beijing to provide opportunities for young players in the region to be coached The Liverpool Way. This is also a key step forward for the UK and China working together in football development."

Ian Rush, LFC International Academy ambassador and former player, said: "We are extremely excited to be bringing the LFC International Academy to Beijing. The curriculum is based on the LFC Academy philosophy and practices; with an active and educational programme, that will provide excellent opportunities for local players and coaches in China."

Mr Chunyu Zhang, Vice President of Li Sheng, said: "Over the years, we have built a strong relationship with our English partners. We hope to combine their expertise with our local resources in Beijing, to provide an exceptional experience to the football community in China."

Alex Arnold, LFC IA Beijing Head Coach, said: 'We can't wait to get started!'

soccerallover.com

Reds can earn exclusive Liverpool FC in game gear

Reds can earn exclusive Liverpool FC in game gear in new PUBG MOBILE collaboration

Liverpool FC has teamed up with one of the world's most popular mobile games, PUBG MOBILE, to bring new exciting and exclusive in-game features to Reds fans around the globe.

Through the collaboration, gamers will be able to unlock limited-edition LFC branded outfits and earn free in-game gear and items, such as parachutes and backpacks, when they compete in a series of classic mode games.

The gaming hub also connects players from all over the globe which will bring LFC fans together in this virtual world to show their support and love for the club.

This is the first time Liverpool FC has collaborated with PUBG MOBILE and the new features will launch in the game from 12 November to 20 December 2021.

Drew Crisp, Senior Vice President, Digital, Liverpool FC, said: "In an increasingly digital world, we pride ourselves on being able to innovate and engage with our fans on the vast array of digital platforms they favour. With the realm of online gaming growing and evolving amongst our fans, PUBG MOBILE is the perfect platform to connect with them in a different but very relevant context - intertwining the world of online gaming and football through the power of games and play.

"This is a great opportunity for supporters to embrace their love of the club and interact with LFC on one of their favourite platforms, bringing together the physical interactive nature of football into the digital interactive world of gaming."

Vincent Wang, Head of PUBG MOBILE Publishing, Tencent Games, said: "In PUBG MOBILE, teamwork is a core principle to those who seek to win. In collaborating with Liverpool Football Club, a team renowned for their courageous camaraderie, we have found a perfect match.

"As we continue to strengthen our current bonds and develop prominent relationships with iconic industry leaders, we look forward to further integrating the world of football into PUBG MOBILE."

Reds fans can sign up to the PUBG MOBILE game by heading to the Apple or Google App store.

Liverpool FC Launches Red Week Sale to Celebrate Singles Day

Liverpool FC Launches Red Week Sale

Liverpool FC is set to launch the Red Week sale to celebrate the upcoming 'Singles Day' (November 11) globally. Fans can take advantage of the sale with 20 percent off everything online and in-store for a limited time only.

Moreover, Official LFC Members can claim an additional discount, making for an exclusive 30 per cent total saving on every purchase during this sales period.

The special offer includes the Reds' 2021-22 Nike kits, training apparel, fashion items, accessories, souvenirs, and plenty more to fill up your wardrobe.

Do not miss out on the gift choices for families and friends during this festive season.

The Red Week sale will run from 8:00 a.m. GMT on November 1 (Monday) to 23:59 p.m. GMT on November 7 (Sunday). Supporters can grab this opportunity to purchase the Red's 21/22 jerseys with discounts from Liverpool's official online store.

Please note, some exclusions apply - such as Membership packs, gift vouchers and international store exclusions. Full terms and conditions are available here.

© Soccerphile.com

Kyoto Sanga v Renofa Yamaguchi

Kyoto Sanga v Renofa Yamaguchi, J2

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Kyoto on 24th October, promotion hopefuls Sanga played out a 1-1 draw with struggling Renofa at Sanga Stadium by Kyocera in Kameoka.

Kyoto Sanga v Renofa Yamaguchi

In front of a crowd of a little over 6,000 spectators, the first half was uneventful and goalless.

Just after the break, Miyayoshi Takumi put the home side ahead and it looked odds-on that Sanga would prevail especially after Renofa's Kikuchi Kosuke was sent off for a brainless second yellow card on the hour mark. That they didn't was due to a dogged rearguard performance by the visitors and an amazing goal-line clearance by the Brazilian Henik Luiz de Andrade.

The Purple Wall

Kusana Yuki grabbed a breakaway equalizer for the visitors after 79 minutes and 10-man Renofa could have even taken all three points at the end.

The handful of orange-clad Renofa supporters would have made the long journey home to Yamaguchi in high spirits.

Sanga relies too heavily on the veteran 37-year-old Nigerian/Belgian striker Peter Utaka, who has represented a number of clubs in China and Japan. A lot of Sanga's play goes through the journeyman forward not always to the betterment of the team.

Still, Utaka was on target again the following week at Ehima and barring an almighty collapse, Kyoto should take their place in J1 next season along with Jubilo. How long they will stay there is another matter.

The glory days under coach Gert Engels with a young Park Ji Sung (later of PSV and Manchester United fame) plus Daisuke Matsui and Teruaki Kurobe in the team are long gone.

Sanga v Renofa, J2

Access - Getting There

Kameoka is 20 km west of Kyoto city and easily reached by JR train from either Kyoto Station or Nijo Station in 18-30 minutes depending on the type of train you take. Both stations are on the city's subway network. Kameoka Station is adjacent to the new stadium and just five minutes on foot.

The Sun Royal Hotel Kameoka Ekimae is adjacent to both Kameoka Station and the ground.

© Soccerphile.com