England have fallen to the dizzy depths of 20th in the latest FIFA world rankings after a pathetic and entirely predictable performance at the Brazil World Cup. This is the lowest ranking since 1996 which happened after failing to reach the finals of the 1994 tournament.
We have to resign ourselves to the fact that, in a world game, we are going to struggle to be a top 20 team. The EPL is a demonstration league, great for showcasing the talents of some of the highest paid players from around the world. This often happens at the expense of English players, tactics and the national team. Surely, it is time for a mandatory number of eligible English players in every starting lineup within the PL and, maybe, the football league in general? This, however, is not the only problem. The Colombian national team is made up of players that, almost all, play overseas in other leagues - they have risen to 4th in the latest rankings.
Population also plays a part. The USA have a potential pool of 315 million people from which to find a national team. England have 55million. As the participation in football increases across the USA, so does their ability to maintain a top 20 ranking (currently 15th). However, Belgium have a population of only 11million and they are 5th in the latest rankings.
As countries around the world aim for World Cup glory, we have to be realistic that many will overtake us and the England team will find it more and more difficult to maintain a top 20 ranking. There could be an answer to staying higher up the table. It may involve 'B-team' leagues made up entirely of English players. It may involve player quotas for PL teams. It may involve a dedicated national team that only play international matches. It may be that we need to completely overhaul the youth and professional game structure. However, the FA are not likely to adopt any of these possibilities and, therefore, I can only see a long term falling of our place in the global game. A top 10 place for England? No, not from a rational and realistic POV. Discuss.
