Malta and Liechtenstein remain joint-third from bottom in Europe, ahead of San Marino (204) and Gibraltar (206). Lying ahead of Malta are Kosovo (180, down 3), Moldova (159, down 1), Luxembourg (136, down 1), FYR Macedonia (135, down 1) and Andorra (129).
The national team will be in action next month in two World Cup qualifiers against England on September 1 and Scotland three days later.
Meanwhile Brazil have returned to the top of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking after a one-month hiatus, replacing reigning FIFA World Cup™ champions Germany (2nd, down 1), who slipped back into second spot.
Argentina remain in third but the heavyweight trio are accompanied in the top five by two sides reaching unusually heady heights. Switzerland (4th, up 1) have reached their highest position since the very first month of the World Ranking (they were third in August 1993), while Poland (5th, up 1) are at an all-time high. Neither have dropped in the standings for 11 months.
Portugal (6th, down 2) make way for the pair, while Belgium (9th, up 1) are the only other climber within the top ten.
Photo: Copyright © Paul Zammit Cutajar