The U.S. is ranked fifth, it's highest-ever slot

FIFA's new rankings are out from February and the U.S. moves to fifth place from sixth.

According to FIFA:

But in 2002, in Korea/Japan, the Americans showed their true colours with a young and exciting team that sparkled through to the quarter-finals, raising more than few eyebrows along the way.

Now with a thriving professional league in 11-year-old Major League Soccer, one of the CONCACAF region's best tacticians in Bruce Arena (who has held the reins since 1998) and a host of scintillating talents beginning to make waves abroad, the North Americans are quickly establishing themselves as a power in the world of football.

Still, why wasn't the U.S. given one of the top 8 seeds for this summer's tournament in Germany? Or The Netherlands?

The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be April 19.

At this point, it's fair to ask whether Group E is the 'Group of Death' with FIFA's #5 (U.S.) and #2 (Czech) playing each other in the first round, or whether that title is better suited to Group C, with #3 (Netherlands) playing #4 (Argentina).