The Socceroos have sunk 14 places to 76th in the latest rankings released by football world governing body FIFA.

Ange Postecoglou's side failed to win a game in Group B at the World Cup in Brazil, conceding three goals in each of its three matches against Chile, Netherlands and Spain.

Joachim Low's Germany had sat second behind Spain for all but one month since April 2012, but its success in the final at the Maracana against Argentina puts it back to the top of the rankings for the first time since June 1994.

Beaten finalist Argentina climbed three places to sit just behind Germany in second.

Spain had led the way in every year since the side's 2008 UEFA European Championship triumph, but it slips to eighth after a disastrous World Cup campaign that saw it exit at the group stage.

Netherlands rose 12 spots to return to the top three for the first time in two years and Costa Rica's own 12-place jump leaves it in its best-ever position in 16th.

Colombia is fourth and Belgium rounds off the top five after its run to the quarter-finals also resulted in a record-high position.

France (10th) is back in the top 10 for the first time since its disastrous World Cup campaign in 2010, but three of Europe's biggest sides plummeted out after poor showings in Brazil.

Portugal dropped from fourth to 11th, Italy is 14th, its lowest placing in four years, while England's group-stage exit leaves it 20th, an 18-year low.

Algeria remains Africa's top-ranked nation, although its run to the last 16 in Brazil was not enough to prevent it slipping two places to 24th.

Japan is now Asia's highest-placed outfit. It sits 45th, improving by one place, while Iran has dropped six spots to 49th. Both finished bottom of their respective World Cup groups with just one point.