BEHOLD AFRICA NO 1 TEAM

They have just one player in Europe's big leagues... so, how are Africa's top team Cape Verde in front of Sweden and 14 places above Scotland in FIFA's rankings?

Cape Verde have one player in the top five leagues - so how are they Africa's top side, ahead of Zlatan Ibrahimovic's Sweden and 14 places above Scotland in FIFA rankings?

• Cape Verde are ranked 31st in the world - the best of any African side  
• They could be top seeds for World Cup 2018 qualification 
• Country of just 500,000 people is above three Euro 2016 qualified sides
• Squad includes players from Romanian, Cypriot and Moldovan leagues

• FIFA RANKINGS - WHO ARE THE TEAMS AROUND CAPE VERDE?

  20. Turkey

  21. Bosnia and Herzegovina

  22. Mexico

  23. Russia

  24. France

  25. Czech Republic

  26. Slovakia

  27. Ukraine

  28. Northern Ireland

  29. Republic of Ireland

  30. USA

  31. Cape Verde

  32. Poland

  33. Costa Rica

  34. Sweden

  35. Albania

  36. Ivory Coast

  37. Algeria

  38. Iceland

  39. Greece

  Selected others: 1. Belgium 4. Germany 9. England 17. Wales  45. Scotland
• Yaya Toure. Riyad Mahrez. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. African football boasts some of world's biggest names, fighting for domestic and European titles this season.
  Yet a look at the FIFA rankings shows that the Ivory Coast team that Toure captains, the Algerians inspired by Mahrez, and Aubameyang's Gabon, are all being eclipsed by a tiny island nation.
  At 31st in the world rankings, Cape Verde are currently Africa's top-ranked nation - despite having almost no players you will ever have heard of.
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• Ryan Mendes, the Nottingham Forest winger who is the only member of the squad to play in England, was an unused substitute in that game. Other players feature in the Russian, Greek and Portuguese leagues, as well as Romania, Cyprus and Moldova. It is not a role call that would strike fear into opposing players