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Football is a global sport, cutting across every facet in every corner of the world. Men and women, boys and girls, young and old, elite and masses - it has no discrimination in its followership, with its global audience running into billions.
While club football might be more attractive, international football holds a spot in the hearts of passionate fans, with almost all other activities taking a backseat when the national team takes to the field.
The national team of any country is one of the biggest ambassadors of the nation, reaching global audiences and creating more favorable impressions than any diplomat or carefully crafted publicity stunt could do, while also uniting people of different cultures.
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As such, players see representing their national team as the highest honor, as they carry the dreams, aspirations and prestige of millions of their countrymen on their sleeves.
When international football rolls around, the heartaches of Chelsea or joys of being a Manchester City fan are forgotten (albeit temporarily), and all attention is shifted patriotism, with the joy of victory in international tournaments a joy to behold.
You only need to see the camaraderie exhibited among different tribes in a country whenever the nation plays and the pure exhibition of unadulterated bliss and passion to get a feel of what it means to a nation when their football team emerges victorious.
There have been numerous cases of holidays granted nationwide because the national team performed a heroic feat, or bestowing national awards of the highest order to said players on their return from doing their country proud.
Due to natural selection, or self-structured preparation, some countries have been historically dominant in football - with nations like Germany, Spain, Brazil, Argentina but to name a few triumphing in major tournaments throughout history.
There is a large pool of countries around the world languishing beneath these global juggernauts - not exactly minnows, but not having the same calibre as the footballing superpowers.
Even beneath this large pool lies an even smaller league of nations, countries who have passionate fans, but who due to one factor or the other (mostly being slow to adopt the sport nationally) cannot compete on the same level as the aforementioned powerhouses.
They are largely classified as minnows in football and struggle to qualify for major tournaments.
However, we have witnessed a rise in performances from these previously unheralded nations, as concerted efforts have been made to putting them on the global football map.
Iceland's recent meteoric rise serves as proof that it is possible to move from near anonymity in football to competing on the same pedestal with the best in the world.
While some of the nations on this list have started reaping some form of dividends, others are still in the preparatory stage and are laying the foundations for future success. In this piece, we shall be taking a look at the fastest rising football countries who could take the world by storm in the coming years.
Honourable mentions - Indonesia, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Curacao, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Myanmar, United Arab Emirates, Tanzania, Burundi
#12 Jamaica
Confederation - CONCACAF
Current FIFA ranking - 54th
More famous for its exploits as a country on the track than on football fields, Jamaica is a nation which has provided us with some of the most iconic names in reggae, as well as sprint legends like Usain Bolt, Shelley-Ann Fraser Pryce, Yohan Blake and Asafa Powell, but not much has been achieved in terms of the round leather game.
They qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first and till date only time in 1998, suffering a group stage exit, but after that, the country's football fell back to the doldrums, being mockingly called The Reggae Toys (a parody on their moniker).
There has been a recent resurgence in recent years (evidenced by their rather impressive 54th place ranking in the world).
They successfully reached the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2015 after surprisingly defeating regional powerhouses USA 2-1 in the semi-final before losing to Mexico in the final.
This was a feat they repeated two years later only for USA to exact their revenge by the same scoreline in the final.
They caused major stirs worldwide in 2013 when they stunned Mexico to a goalless stalemate at the Azteca to end El Tri's 19-match winning run at the mythical Azteca Stadium, and since then there has been no looking back for The Reggae Boys.
Leicester City captain and Premier League winner Wes Morgan is undoubtedly the biggest footballing export in recent years and one of the biggest of all time, and if highly rated youngster Leon Bailey is successfully lobbied to play for the national team of Jamaica, then the Caribbean nation could well be one to watch out for in the nearest future.
#11 Mauritania
Confederation - CAF
Current FIFA ranking - 101
This chiefly arid country is home to just about 4.3 million people, and not much has been achieved in terms of football relevance throughout their history.
All that has been changing however in recent years, as the national team has been making steady progress in little leaps, which saw the country make history by qualifying for the African Cup of Nations for the first time ever.
Mauritania has never participated at an international football tournament before, largely due to political upheavals which results in sanctions or withdrawals from tournament qualifiers, but they have benefited immensely from the relative political stability in recent years.
In the just concluded qualifiers for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, Mauritania impressively topped a group containing Burkina Faso and Angola, to seal their qualification to the tournament.
#10 Honduras
Confederation - CONCACAF
Current FIFA ranking - 63
Los Cotrachos have been on a steady rise in recent years, qualifying for two World Cups consecutively in 2010 and 2014 in which they failed to make it past the group stages.
They impressively came back from one goal down to defeat Mexico 2-1 in a 2014 World Cup qualifying match at The Azteca, which aided them massively in their qualification for Brazil 2014.
They finished 4th in the latest round of FIFA World Cup qualifiers for CONCACAF, but fell to a harrowing 3-1 aggregate defeat to Australia in the intercontinental play-offs.
They are arguably the 3rd strongest side in the North American region after regional heavyweights Mexico and USA.
With young players like Anthony Rochano, Bryan Rochez, Alberth Elis and Bryan Acosta coming through, the Hondurans can be sure that they would maintain or even surpass the standards set by players like Wilson Palacios, Maynor Figueroa and others in the past.
#9 Finland
Confederation - UEFA
Current FIFA ranking - 59
Yet to make an appearance at a major international tournament, the Finns have however gained widespread praise for their rise in recent years.
Under the management of Roy Hodgson, the Eagle-Owls made steady progress in the middle of the last decade led by the legendary Jari Litmanen and supported by players such as Sami Hypia, but failed to build on that, suffering a slump in form towards the end of the 2000’s, despite the presence of their ‘golden generation’.
They were ranked 110 in the world (their lowest ever FIFA ranking) as recently as August 2017, but as of March 2019, they are ranked 59th in the world, which is testament to the progress they’ve made over the last year.
Finland impressively finished top of group 2 also containing Hungary, Greece and Estonia in League C, winning their first four matches consecutively, and have gained promotion to League B, as well as stand a chance to qualify for EURO 2020 through the group winners play-offs. They would definitely be a country to watch out for in future on the back of their performances in recent times.
#8 Madagascar
Confederation – CAF
Current FIFA ranking - 107
More famous for its tourism potential than exploits on the football field, this Island nation is home to some of the rarest species of animals in the world (over 90% are not found anywhere else), but until recently has failed to make a mark on the footballing scene.
They have been overshadowed in the past by sub-continental Southern African heavyweights Zambia and South Africa, but made a name for themselves when they qualified for the 2019 African Cup of Nations to be held in Egypt.
The Barea successfully navigated their AFCON qualifiers group also containing Senegal, Equatorial Guinea and Sudan, and would definitely be one of the countries to watch out for from the African continent.
#7 India
Confederation - AFC
Current FIFA ranking - 103
Like the other four most populous nations in the world - China, Indonesia and USA, India was initially lukewarm towards football as a national sport, having interests in other spectator sports like Cricket, Hockey, Badminton and the more unique Kabbadi.
Things are beginning to change though and records show that there is a growing national interest in the game of football.
Football is now the third most popular sport to watch in India and it is widely considered as modern and aspirational to follow football in major cities like Mumbai and Bangalore, while there are some parts of India where football followership outranks the more nationally appealing Cricket.
The Indian Super League is regularly seeing improvements in attendance figures while European Leagues like the English Premier League has India ranking among the highest in terms of global TV audiences.
The country was awarded the right to host the Under 17 Word Cup in 2017 and despite being the first major football tournament to be hosted by the country, it was a resounding success.
The total attendance figures of 1,347,133, which is a tournament record (at an average of 25,000 for each match) is indicative of how much the sport is now accepted in India and the country is also set to host the 2020 Under 17 Women's World Cup.
All of these gains have impacted positively on the Indian national football team, evidenced by their meteoric rise in football in recent years.
Just three years ago, India were ranked 173rd in the world. In the latest FIFA rankings they have climbed to 103rd which is a giant leap of 70 spots in three years.
They also made it to the 2019 Asian Cup which was their first qualification for the quadrennial continental showpiece in almost 15 years, while the iconic Suni Chhetri is seen as a national symbol.
Though they might be some way off achieving global football prominence in the way they are renowned for Cricket, India has been taken little steps in recent years and their efforts could reap dividends in the nearest future.
#6 Austria
Confederation - UEFA
Current FIFA ranking - 23
The Austrians are currently ranked number 23 in the world, which is a pretty impressive feat, seeing as they were ranked 105 less than a decade ago.
They have steadily built on the progress made since they co-hosted EURO 2008 and achieved an all-time high of having a top ten ranking in 2016.
The Central Europeans successfully navigated a EURO qualifiers for the first time in 2016 (their 2008 performance came by virtue of them being hosts), and much of the revival in the last decade have been founded on the back of the impressive side which finished fourth at the U20 World Cup in 2007 being integrated into the senior squad.
They have players like Aleksandar Dragovic, David Alaba, Kevin Wimmer, Sebastian Prodl and Marko Arnautovic who are all established regulars at major European clubs leading their charge on the international scene and finished second in their UEFA Nations League group.
#5 Qatar
Confederation - AFC
Current FIFA Ranking - 55
Qatar have never been renowned as a footballing nation throughout their history, although they achieved some notable results in the 1990s which saw them reach an all-time high of 53rd on the FIA rankings.
They fell some way off the radar at the start of the millennium until they were rather controversially announced as the hosts of the 2022 World Cup in 2010.
This newfound global attention (football wise) proved to be the catalyst to revamp Qatari football, with efforts being put into making their national league more professional.
Real Madrid legend and former captain Raul Gonzalez was among the most recent high profile arrivals in the Qatar Star Leagues, in addition to Barcelona icon Xavi Hernandez and former Atletico captain Gabi, while Gabriel Batistuta and Juninho Penembucano have starred in the past.
Despite all these, interest in football in the Gulf nation is still low, with the harsh climatic conditions being given as a major factor against attending live matches.
The Maroons however unexpectedly triumphed in the 2019 Asian Cup hosted by the UAE, defeating continental giants Japan in the final and this might serve as a springboard for success at the World Cup hosted on home soil.
#4 Montenegro
Confederation – UEFA
Current FIFA ranking – 46
The Montenegrin national team is one of the most recent international teams in the world, having only come into existence following the restoration of Montenegrin independence from Serbia in 2006, and joined FIFA and UEFA a year later in 2007.
In the last 11 years, they have made tremendous progress and achieved an all-time high of being ranked 16th in the world in 2011, just four years on from their 199th place in 2007.
The Brave Falcons narrowly lost out on qualification for the 2012 EURO, losing out to the Czech Republic in the playoffs, while also falling out in the last matches for qualification for Russia 2018, and at this rate, it is only a matter of time before they participate at a major international tournament.
They have world-renowned players such as Stefan Savic and Stefan Jovetic among others who are leading their assault on international football.
#3 Northern Ireland
Confederation – UEFA
Current FIFA ranking - 36
Once upon a time, Ireland was represented by a single national team, but all that changed with their dissolution into two separate countries following the secession of the Irish Free State (now known as the Republic of Ireland).
The Green and White Army performed creditably in the 1980’s, making an appearance at the 1982 World Cup (in which they got to the quarter-finals and made Norman Whiteside the youngest player till date to start a World Cup game) as well as the 1986 edition four years later.
They however failed to match those performances and since the 1990s, Northern Ireland has been largely in the shadows of the Republic of Ireland, as their neighbors got to perform in major tournaments, and gave the game global superstars such as Roy Keane, Robbie Keane and John O’Shea.
They set an unwanted record of being the first European nation to go ten international matches without a goal between 2003 and 2004 (a run which has since been worsened by San Marino who went 20 matches without an international goal between 2008 and 2012).
As recently as September 2012, Northern Ireland was ranked 129 in the world, as they struggled to get positive results on the field. That has however begun to change in recent years.
Qualification for EURO 2016 was achieved which was their first appearance at the European continental tournament (as well as their first participation at a major football tournament since the 1986 World Cup). They performed creditably well, progressing to the second round where they narrowly lost to Wales curtsey an own goal.
They continued their impressive string of performances in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, finishing second in their group, before losing out to Switzerland in the play-offs due to a controversial penalty decision.
All these helped them achieve an all-time high of being ranked 20 in the world in September 2017, and even though they has been a downturn in results since then (they were relegated from their Nations League group), it takes nothing away from the impressiveness of their performances in the last four years.
#2 China PR
Confederation - AFC
Current FIFA ranking - 72
China is the most populous nation in the world, as some over 1 billion people call the country home.
For a country with such an abundance of human resources, it would have been expected that they would dominate any sport.
However, that is not the case, as the Chinese were slow to adopt football as a national sport, only creating a professional league as recently as 1994.
However, with the increasing globalization of the game, China has started to take a front seat in football (as they do in every other thing).
The first step was the thorough rebranding of their top tier league in 2004 to form the Chinese Super League and since then, massive amounts of money has been invested in the league to make it attractive and on par with some European football leagues.
Indeed, the CSL has seen a massive influx of mega football superstars over the last decade including Carlos Tevez, Oscar, Hulk, Jackson Martinez, Yannick Carrasco, John Obi Mikel, Axel Witsel among others,
Marquee coaches including World Cup winners Marcello Lippi and Luiz Felipe Scolari and others like Andres Villas-Boas, Gregorio Manzano, Chris Coleman and Fabio Cannavaro have also graced the touchlines across China.
This has greatly increased the marketability of the league, with figures showing that the league recorded an average of 24,107 attendance during the 2018 season which is the 12th highest average in global sports leagues and the sixth-highest in football professional leagues in the world.
However, the focus is not only on attracting star players to China, as there is also a genuine interest in developing the national team evidenced by the policy to ensure that any team must have at least eight native players on the field for each league match.
There is also attention being given to youth development, with the country revealing plans to build 50,000 new football youth academies by 2025 and with all the structures being put in place, it would not be a surprise to see China as a global football powerhouse in the nearest future.
#1 Bosnia-Herzegovina
Confederation – UEFA
Current FIFA ranking – 35
Rising from the ruins of the Yugoslavian war that ravaged much of Eastern Europe, Bosnia-Herzegovina deserves much praise for all it has been able to achieve in recent years.
Most of the current ‘golden generation’ of players are children a war generation, who got scattered throughout Europe at the height of the bloody war (most of it was centred in Bosnia), and only returned less than two decades ago to start the rebuilding process.
The country has been blessed with a fantastic crop of players from the end of the last decade, and this concordantly saw an upturn in their fortunes on the field, with The Dragons narrowly missing out on qualification for both the 2010 World Cup and 2012 EURO, as they fell to Portugal in the playoffs for both tournaments.
They finally got the reward for their steady progress, when they topped their qualifying group for the 2014 World Cup, thus guaranteeing their participation at their first ever major tournament (where they suffered a group stage exit), before suffering another playoff heartbreak – this time to the Republic of Ireland in the EURO 2016 playoffs.
Under coach Robert Prosinecki, and led by world-class players Edin Dzeko and Miralem Pjanic, their progress has continued, and they finished top of their Nations League group, thereby gaining promotion to rumble with the big boys in League A, as well as qualifying for the League B playoff spot for EURO 2020, and the smart money would be on them making a major impact at the European showpiece.
