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Italy will finish 2007 in third place in FIFA’s World Rankings as Argentina end the year in pole position.
The Azzurri’s successful Euro 2008 qualification campaign hasn’t been enough to lift Roberto Donadoni’s men back to the top.
Copa America runners-up Argentina stole first place from the World champions in October and remain there despite their 3-0 defeat to Brazil in the Final.
Although December's ranking is relatively unchanged, the leadership of the rankings changed six times with the Albiceleste now ending the year as 'Team of the Year'.
Italy’s Euro 2008 Group C opponents France and the Netherlands are in seventh and eighth respectively and Romania are thirteenth.
The next ranking will be published on 16 January 2008.
World Top 10 (December 2007):
[1] Argentina, 1523 points
[2] Brazil, 1502
[3] Italy, 1498
[4] Spain, 1349
[5] Germany, 1298
[6] Czech Republic, 1290
[7] France, 1243
[8] Portugal, 1241
[9] Netherlands, 1170
[10] Croatia, 1129
[Full Rankings]
Source: FIFA
Italy have been handed a tough group for the UEFA Euro 2008 finals in Austria & Switzerland after being drawn with the Netherlands, Romania and France in Group C.
The draw for next years tournament was made in the Culture and Convention Centre on the shores of Lake Lucerne, Switzerland today.
The full draw
[Group A] Switzerland, Czech Republic, Portugal and Turkey.
[Group B] Austria, Croatia, Germany and Poland.
[Group C] Netherlands, Italy, Romania and France.
[Group D] Greece, Sweden, Spain and Russia.
The World champions, as second seeds, always knew they were in danger of being drawn in a 'group of death', as all the top nations were spread across four seeding pots for the draw.
The Netherlands, who finished behind Romania in qualification Group G, were amongst the top seeds.
The Azzurri reached the finals by topping qualification Group B ahead of rivals France, and the all-too familiar rivals have been drawn together again.
The World champions open their tournament against the Dutch - winners in 1988 - on June 9 in Berne. Adrian Mutu's Romania take on Roberto Donadoni's men on June 13 in Zurich and the final group match will be a repeat of the 2006 FIFA World Cup final in Zurich on June 21 against France, who have won the European crown twice in 1984 and in 2000 - against the Azzurri in the final.
Switzerland were already placed in Group A and they have been joined by the Czech Republic, Portugal and Turkey. Co-hosts Austria are drawn with Croatia, Germany and Poland in Group B.
Reigning European champions Greece will play Sweden, Spain and Russia in Group D.
Switzerland will face the Czech Republic in the opening match of the 13th European Championship on 7 June in Basle. The tournament will reach a climax in the Austrian capital of Vienna on 30 June.
The rest of the matches will be held in Swiss cities Berne, Zurich and Geneva and the Austrian host cities of Innsbruck, Klagenfurt and Salzburg.EURO 2008 DRAW: [Draw in full] - [Match Schedule] - [Reaction] - [Record] - [Azzurri base]
The seedings for the Euro 2008 finals draw has thrown up the possibility of the Netherlands, Italy, Germany and France all being drawn in a single group.
The teams are spread across four pots for Sunday's draw, which takes place at 1100 (UK Time) in Lucerne, Switzerland.
Hosts Switzerland and Austria, Greece and the Netherlands are the top seeds, while Italy are placed in the second pot of seeds.
France coach Raymond Domenech has spoken out against the seeding system, ridiculing the fact that World Champions Italy are seeded in the second pot, and the runners-up are in the last pot.
"It's laughable if the world champions don't get the final top seeding," he said. "Who does deserve to be on top if not Italy? I do not understand this."
However, Azzurri coach Roberto Donadoni was more philosophical, explaining: "There is no point making a fuss about it, we will wait for the draw and assess it."
Benvenuto signor Donadoni, Dobro dosli gospodine Bilic, Bienvenido senor Aragones read some of the welcome messages outside the Culture and Convention Centre where the draw takes place on the shores of Lake Lucerne.
For the first time the coaches of the 16 competing nations are gathered together on Swiss soil. The next time they meet, Euro 2008 will be under way and Greece will have begun the defence of their title.
Kick off may still be 189 days away but it will feel a lot closer for the 16 competing nations come Sunday when they discover who they will meet in the group stage and where they will be playing.
Basel, Berne, Zurich and Geneva will be staging games in Switzerland, with co-hosts Austria holding matches in Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Salzburg and Vienna between 7 and 29 June.
Seven hundred and fifty journalists will be descending on Lucerne as well as a host of footballing luminaries and dignatories, not least tenor Jose Carreras, who along with the Vienna Boys' Choir will be performing prior to the draw.
Switzerland and Austria are already allocated into positions A1 and B1 respectively. The draw will begin with the placement of the other top two seeds in positions C1 and D1. The draw will then continue with Pot 4, Pot 3 and ends with Pot 2.
The seeding in full (Coefficient):
[Pot 1] Switzerland (1.800), Austria (1.500), Greece (2.167), Netherlands (2.417).
[Pot 2] Croatia (2.409), Italy (2.364), Czech Republic (2.333), Sweden (2.273).
[Pot 3] Romania (2.250), Germany (2.250), Portugal (2.192), Spain (2.182).
[Pot 4] Poland (2.167), France (2.091), Turkey (1.958), Russia (1.958).
Source: UEFA
