Belgium will sit at the top of FIFA's world rankings for a fourth successive year at the end of a record-breaking 12 months for international football.
Having seen just 352 full internationals take place in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the fewest since 1987 (323), things were cranked up several notches this year as World Cup qualification attracted focus.
A total of 1,116 FIFA internationals were played across 2021, a new record, with teams making up for the loss of action a year earlier.
While the frequency of games changed significantly, one constant remains: Belgium lead the way once again, edging out Brazil by 2.1 points, while UEFA Nations League winners France finish the year third.
European champions Italy go into 2022 in sixth having claimed 115.77 points more than in 2020, while Copa America winners Argentina are one place better off, improving on their 2020 points total by 108.51 points.
But the biggest improvement of the year has been recorded by Canada, whose ranking of 40th is the joint-highest they have ever been.
The Canucks reached the semi-finals of the Gold Cup and are well on course to reach only their second World Cup finals – and a first since Mexico 1986 – as they sit top of the CONCACAF qualifying group with six games to go.
Their 1,462.32 points is 132.32 more than last year, the biggest 12-month improvement of all FIFA nations.
Meanwhile, World Cup hosts Qatar head into their big year just inside the top 50 at 48.
New England Revolution v Philadelphia Union: Porter urges players to cut out errors
Caleb Porter accepts New England Revolution must cut out the individual errors if they are to return to winning ways against Philadelphia Union.
The Revs went down 4-2 to New York Red Bulls last time out to make it four defeats in their last five games, and eight losses in 11 overall this season in MLS.
New England are bottom of the Eastern Conference, but Porter hopes lessons have been learned ahead of hosting Philadelphia on Saturday.
"Three of the four [goals NYRB scored] were individual mistakes that are easily correctable," Porter told The Blazing Musket. "We've gone to the training ground and corrected a few of those situation.
"But it's just individuals in those moments have to be better. It wasn't a bad team-defending performance, but three of the four goals we gave up were routine."
The Union have double the number of points compared to their opponents, having played one game more, as they occupy ninth place in the East.
The Us are themselves not in great form, though, as they lost 2-1 at home to New York City FC in their most recent game - a contest overshadowed by a raccoon that entered the field.
They have just two points from the past 18 on offer, meanwhile, and head coach Jim Curtin admits it is on him and his players to turn things around.
"The guys fight until the end, and we have to find a way to get out of this," Curtin said. "We're the only people that are going to get us out of it.
"The people in that locker room, the coaches, the players, they recognise that. They've shown they can beat anybody, and we're the only ones that can dig us out of this now."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New England Revolution - Carles Gil
Gil got the Revs temporarily on level terms against New York Red Bulls, with that his 100th regular-season goal contribution in MLS. That makes the Revs' attacking midfielder the seventh European player to reach that milestone, and the second Spaniard after David Villa.
Philadelphia Union - Julian Carranza
Carranza was on target for the Union in their midweek loss to New York City, coming from one of nine attempts he had on target. The former Argentina age-grade international has now registered four-or-more shots in four MLS career matches.
To put that in perspective, the two other players to have done so in the club's history - Conor Casey and Andrew Wenger - have done so in a combined two games (one each).
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Philadelphia have won 12 matches against the Revs across all MLS competitions, which includes MLS is Back, since 2018 - their best return against any single opponent across that period.
New England's tally of seven points from their opening 11 games is their worst-such return at this stage of a campaign in club history, with only two out of 17 teams in the post-shootout era (since 2000) managing to reach the playoffs from this position.
However, there is some hope for them this weekend as the Union's one point across their past five matches is their fewest across any five-game span within a single season since April 2017.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
New England Revolution - 36.1%
Draw - 28.8%
Philadelphia Union - 35.1%
Arteta hoping for 'something beautiful' as Arsenal target title
Mikel Arteta retains faith that "something beautiful" could occur on Sunday to make Arsenal Premier League champions, despite Manchester City being heavy favourites.
After City's 2-0 win over Tottenham on Tuesday, Arsenal need Pep Guardiola's champions to drop points at home to West Ham to have any chance of leapfrogging them.
The Gunners must also beat Everton, whose 14 final-day losses are the most of any team in Premier League history.
Ahead of Sunday's fixtures, the Opta supercomputer gives Arsenal just a 15.9 per cent chance of becoming champions to City's 84.1 per cent, but Arteta will not give up hope.
Asked how he will assess Arsenal's season if they fall short, Arteta said on Friday: "I can't think like this.
"We have to win the game and we hope something beautiful is going to happen. If I don't believe today, imagine how much I could believe in August!
"From August, 38 games against Man City after what they've done in 12 or 13 years, and what we've done in that time... we can't think like this."
Arsenal have won their final game of the Premier League season more often than any other club, doing so on 22 occasions including the last 12 in a row.
Though many have already written the Gunners off, Arteta says simply ensuring a Premier League trophy will be present at the Emirates Stadium on the final day represents a major success.
"We are on the last day of the season playing for the Premier League trophy, which has not been at the Emirates since it was built 20 years ago," Arteta said.
"The trophy is going to be there, it's possible. We have to do our duty, then hope what happens. Let's wish that's the case."
Guardiola expects repeat of 2022 as Man City and Arsenal face title race finale
Pep Guardiola has warned Manchester City to expect a repeat of the dramatic final day of 2021-22 when the Premier League title race goes to the wire on Sunday.
After beating Tottenham 2-0 in midweek, City know a victory at home to West Ham will secure a fourth straight title – a feat never previously achieved in English top-flight history.
Should City fail to win, Arsenal will leapfrog them and claim their first title since 2003-04 if they beat Everton at the Emirates Stadium.
Two of City's previous five title wins under Guardiola were decided on the final day, as they edged out Liverpool at the death in 2018-19 and 2021-22.
On the latter occasion, they went 2-0 down at home to Aston Villa before three goals in five second-half minutes – two from Ilkay Gundogan and one from Rodri – completed a stunning turnaround.
While many onlookers have already written West Ham off, Guardiola does not think a repeat is out of the question on Sunday.
"I have the feeling it will be like the Aston Villa game again," Guardiola said at Friday's pre-match press conference.
"We would like to be 3-0 up after 10 minutes but it's not going to happen. I've seen enough [West Ham matches].
"I'm ready for it to be a tough, tough game. I want to put in the minds of my players, 'Look at Tottenham, how they fight for every ball, the aggression they had.' I didn't have any doubts about that.
"The 11 players of West Ham will be ready to beat us. Like Aston Villa two seasons ago, they didn't play for anything but I know what happened.
"Ourselves and our people have to be ready from the first minute, to be with us and do it together."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
