By Ibrahim Karim Bangura (Tanko)

The national senior men’s football team, the Leone Stars, have collapsed from 121st to a 129th position in the latest FIFA rankings, marking a new record lowest score for the country in the global football ranking arena.

This decline follows a poor campaign in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, which saw the team struggling both at home and at away in  matches played.

In the six AFCON qualifying games, Sierra Leone managed to score only five goals while conceding ten goals, accounting for key weaknesses in both attacking and in defensing areas.

The team’s performance resulted in wasted opportunities ending with no points secured.

This has ultimately contributed to their drop down in World’s soccer ranking.

The sinking trend has sparked widespread concerns among fans and football stakeholders, with many calling for full investigations into the management and team.

Fans say investigations should range from team planning, coaching system, backroom staff and player selections. “The present state of affairs of our national team requires urgent attention. We need to focus on building a stronger squad and by seeking to addressing tactical flaws which have been observed of late,” fans have suggested.

The current FIFA rankings serve as a wake-up call for Sierra Leone to reform and prepare for other upcoming tournaments. Onlookers are keenly awaiting the team’s next steps as they hope for a rebirth toward competiting in the international stage.