Brazil have fallen to their lowest ever FIFA world ranking as they drop five places down to 18th.
They occupied 14th in the last published rankings but have now dropped five places and have been overtaken by the likes of Ecuador, Switzerland and the Ivory Coast.
Rivals Argentina are ranked as the best side in South America at 3rd, Colombia have risen to 5th while Uruguay have dropped to 16th.
Spain are currently ranked as the best side in the world with Germany following in a distant second.
Brazil are currently suffering on two accounts. Firstly, the FIFA ranking system does not award high value to friendly results, while Brazil are currently without competitive fixtures until next summer’s Confederations Cup.
Secondly, the rankings take into account the level of opposition and many of the Seleção’s recent opponents have not been amongst the world’s leading nations.
Heavy victories over Iraq and Japan, for example, are not valuable according to the FIFA ranking system.
