BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – FOLLOWING their two recent victories in the first round of the Caribbean Cup, St. Kitts and Nevis Football team, the Sugar Boys, leaped 29 spots to 92nd in the latest FIFA World Rankings released today.
According to the latest numbers provided by FIFA, the World governing body for the sport, the Sugar Boys have moved up from 121 in the world with a total of 368 points.
General Secretary of the St. Kitts and Nevis Football Association, Stanley Jacobs explained to SKNVibes Sports that this leap has depicted the belief placed and investment made by the Association in the team.
He pointed out that the move made by the men’s team is an accomplishment for the Association and the country as a whole.
“It is a significant accomplishment in terms of our size. For a country of just over 50,000 persons to be ranked inside the top 100 is indeed a significant accomplishment for us.
“What this means is that it opens doors for our players in terms of advancing their career internationally and professionally. It opens doors for St. Kitts and Nevis in terms of raising our profile on the globally scene as a football nation.”
This now puts the Federation in a position to gain more competitive international friendlies with higher ranked teams.
Additionally, Jacobs said that the SKNFA has worked hard under the leadership of President Anthony Johnson to push the men’s team to its current state.
“The vision of Anthony Johnson ever since he took office back in 2009 was to get St. Kitts and Nevis men’s ranking below 100. It has been a very long and challenging journey but we have accomplished that and we will continue to work hard to improve that ranking.”
However, the journey of positivity has just begun for the Sugar Boys after their disappointing show in the road to Moscow World Cup 2018.
They had lost in the second round to El Salvador whom they have leapfrogged.
Just recently, Team St. Kitts and Nevis edged their arch rivals Antigua and Barbuda 1-0 at Warner Park prior to their 2-0 victory against Aruba on that island.
SKNVibes Sports understands that St. Kitts and Nevis’s previous best ranking was 106.
