National team coached by Bielsa remains at 45 in FIFA world ranking

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SANTIAGO.- According to the FIFA (The International Federation of Football) ranking,  the Chilean National Soccer Team finished out 2007 as number 45 in the world; the release of the first ranking for 2008 shows the team coached by Bielsa continuing in the same position.

The National Team's stationary rank can be attributed to a lack of friendly matches and a noted absence in qualifying rounds.

Chile ranks fifth among South American national teams, while Argentina continues at the top of the FIFA list which, for now, is characterized by a lack of changes in country rankings.

The absence of games during the "Christmas vacation" (only 40 games were played, and all of them were friendly) allows for minimal changes in the ranking table. The only noteworthy amendment to the chart was Nigeria’s jump from position number 20 to number 19, bumping the United States back to Nigeria’s previously held number 20 slot.

FIFA's next World Ranking Table will be published on February 13th, 2008.