Bafana in Fifa ranking freefall

Bafana Bafana have fallen seven places in the latest Fifa world ranking following back-to-back losses to Senegal in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers earlier this month,

South Africa are now ranked 81.

It means they are the 18th-best side in Africa, behind their next opponents in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in March, Libya.

Bafana's position is their worst since they dropped to 87 in 2012, a long way from the heady days of 1996, when they reached 19.

Nigeria slipped to 50 in the world and eighth in Africa.

Senegal's wins over Bafana saw them soar to the top of the African list and 23 in the football world.

There was no change in the top five on the global list as Germany held firm at the top, followed by Brazil, Portugal, Argentina and Belgium.

The biggest movers in the month were North Korea, who climbed 18 places to 114 in the world, while the team that plummeted the most was tiny Laos, who were down 22 places to 184.