World Cup 2022 race: Ranking the fastest emerging football nations right now

#9 Finland

Italy v Finland - UEFA EURO 2020 Qualifier

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.

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#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.