ZURICH — World and European champion Spain lead the latest FIFA rankings Wednesday, with European teams holding the top four positions as they prepare to begin qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. Spain maintains its lead over Germany and England, and Portugal moves into fourth place above South American champion Uruguay. Portugal beat Panama in a friendly last month, and Uruguay drew with France. Results from four years ago also dropped out of FIFA's calculations. Italy is No. 6, followed by Argentina and the Netherlands. Croatia and Denmark complete the top 10. World Cup host Brazil, which has dropped in the rankings while playing only friendlies this year, climbed one spot to No. 12. Ivory Coast leads Africa at No. 16, ahead of qualifiers for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations this weekend. No. 21 Mexico is the best in CONCACAF, which resumes World Cup qualification Friday. The United States rose three places to No. 33. Japan leads Asia at No. 23. Australia is No. 25 and South Korea No. 27. All three play World Cup qualifiers next Tuesday. European teams start on the road to Brazil with 22 matches on Friday and two on Saturday. Two improving teams, No. 20 Switzerland and No. 24 Slovenia, meet in Ljubljana after failing to qualify for the European Championship. Belgium, which has become a fashionable choice to outplay its ranking, rose 13 places to No. 40 after beating its Dutch neighbor 4-2 in a friendly last month. The Belgians begin Friday in Wales, which was ranked No. 112 when the draw was made in Rio de Janeiro last year and was now No. 45. New Zealand leads Oceania, unchanged at No. 95. Tahiti, which has qualified to play in the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil, rose 17 places to No. 119. Casillas, Xavi win honors Footballers Iker Casillas and Xavi Hernandez have received the annual sports prize from Spain's Prince of Asturias Foundation. Casillas, of Real Madrid, and Xavi, with bitter rival Barcelona, have combined for 253 international appearances in helping Spain to become world football's dominant team with a first World Cup triumph sandwiched between consecutive European Championships. The pair, whose candidacy was put forward by FIFA President Sepp Blatter, edged the International Paralympic Committee to win an annual prize of $65,000 awarded since 1981. They were also 2010 winners when Spain was honored. Alonso for automatic qualification Defending World Cup holder should qualify automatically for the next competition, Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso, part of the Spain squad that won the 2010 tournament, said Tuesday. “Logically, as in many competitions and sports, the champion has the right to defend their title. FIFA does not allow for it but I think it is sufficiently important and fair that the winner have the right to qualify,” he told a news conference ahead of Spain's friendly Friday against Saudi Arabia. World Cup holder stopped getting automatic entry in the next competition at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. In making the changes to the rules, football world governing body FIFA argued that the four years between competitions was a long time for any team to retain its strength. After taking on Saudi Arabia in Pontevedra in northeastern Spain, the 2008 and 2012 European champion will face Georgia in Tbilisi on Sept. 11 in their opening qualifying match for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. — Agencies
