Fifa rankings: Wales up to 29th - highest for 20 years

Gareth Bale celebrates with team-mate Joe Ledley after scoring against Andorra
Gareth Bale celebrates with team-mate Joe Ledley after scoring against Andorra

Wales have risen to their highest world ranking for 20 years after climbing 12 places to join Scotland in joint 29th.

The 2-1 win in Andorra helped the Welsh, who were down at 116 less than four years ago, to their highest position since March 1994.

Northern Ireland jump 24 spots to 71st, nine behind the Republic of Ireland, while England are up to 18th from 20th.

World champions Germany remain top after a 2-1 win over Scotland, who drop one spot.

Northern Ireland won their first Euro 2016 qualifier 2-1 in Hungary while England beat Switzerland 2-0.

World Cup winners Germany stay top despite losing to Argentina - who they beat in the final and are second in the rankings - in a friendly earlier this month.

Colombia have moved up to third, ahead of the Netherlands, with Belgium, Brazil, Uruguay, Spain, France and Switzerland making up the top 10.

Wales' climb has been assisted by the form of world-record signing Gareth Bale, who joined Real Madrid from Tottenham for £85.3m in 2013.

Current Wales boss Chris Coleman featured in the Welsh squad, managed by Terry Yorath and including the likes Ryan Giggs and Ian Rush, that narrowly failed to qualify for the 1994 World Cup.

Wales' fall and rise in Fifa rankings
March 1994: 27. March 2011: 116. September 2014: 29