Ireland continue to slide

IRELAND'S stock on the international stage continues to drop with the news that the team has moved down two places to 23rd in the official FIFA rankings.

Brazil are still top with the Czech Republic next in line after the play-off win over Norway that sent them through to next year's World Cup. England stay ninth.

Spain also booked their place in the World Cup next year through the play-offs, and they moved up to sixth.

Scotland rank 61st, Wales are 72nd and Northern Ireland 101st.

Australia (49th) broke into the top 50 after their play-off win over Uruguay, got them to their first World Cup since 1974.

FIFA Top Ten: 1 Brazil (-) 2 Czech Republic (+1) 3 Netherlands (-1) 4 Argentina (-) 5 France (-0) 6 Spain (+2) 7 Mexico (-1) 8 United States (-1) 9 England (-) 10 Portugal (-1).