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How a Gareth Bale strike has fired Wales to top World Cup seeds

Gareth Bale celebrates after scoring against Belgium

On course for Euro 2016 qualification and set to be top seeds for the upcoming World Cup draw, we explain Wales' meteoric rise.

After enduring a difficult second season in Madrid, Gareth Bale once again stepped up to the fore to fire Wales to the brink of European Championship qualification for the first time.

The latest UEFA coefficient rankings confirm Wales as the biggest climbers after the recent round of results, a new score of 25.515 taking Chris Coleman's men up four places into 25th.

And, thanks to the FIFA coefficient points system, they are due to be ranked among the top nine sides in Europe for qualification for the 2018 World Cup.

July’s draw will see Coleman’s side among the best for the first time in World Cup qualification seedings, sitting one place below England, but incredibly above reigning European champions Spain - who have lost four of their last ten internationals, including a shock qualification defeat to Slovakia.

The Dragons’ have catapulted themselves up the FIFA world rankings thanks to their fine form in Euro 2016 qualification Group B.

Chris Coleman the Wales manager waves to the crowd during the UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying match between Wales and Belgium at the C
Image: Chris Coleman: Deserves huge credit for Wales form

Friday’s sensational 1-0 victory over a star-studded Belgium side, sitting second in FIFA’s world rankings, guaranteed Wales’ spot in pot 1 for July’s World Cup qualification draw.

The scale of the achievement cannot be underestimated. It is thought to be the first time in history that an international side have risen from pot 6 to the top seeds in successive World Cup qualification campaigns.

Having become accustomed to be seeded alongside San Marino, Luxembourg and Andorra, Wales’ buoyant following can now dream of reaching back-to-back competitive tournaments.

Wales' Aaron Ramsey celebrates after scoring against Israel
Image: Aaron Ramsey: Another key member of the squad

As recently as 2011, Wales were ranked 117th by FIFA but now, depending on results in the Copa America, they could rise to a lofty ninth.

Their path to the top has been aided by the way the FIFA coefficient system works.

Like Northern Ireland’s weekend opponents Romania, Wales sit unbeaten at top of their Euro 2016 qualification group – a recent record that has benefited both greatly, as competitive results matter most in the points system, where friendlies can actually be detrimental.

For example, Poland’s decision to play a friendly against Greece on Tuesday actually lowers their coefficient, seeing them slip into pot 3 for July’s draw.

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Gareth Bale's goal on his 50th cap gave Wales a famous 1-0 victory over Belgium in Cardiff

Wales’ lack of previous tournament action matters little to their coefficient. Teams who played in last summer’s World Cup will see the points they earned in Brazil halved.

With 13 European places for Russia 2018 up for grabs, Wales’ rise means that several big guns face an anxious draw, with France already confirmed as pot 2 seeds.

Officially, the seeds will be released on July 9, taking into account all matches up to July 5. Other than a few friendlies that can change things, most teams know their fate.

Wales fall into the latter category, and after years of international obscurity, a Gareth Bale-inspired side could be competing on the biggest stages at long last.

Latest UEFA national team coefficient rankings: 1 Germany, 2 Spain, 3 England, 4 Netherlands, 5 Portugal, 6 France,  7 Italy, 8 Belgium, 9 Croatia, 10 Ukraine, 11 Switzerland, 12 Slovakia, 13 Austria, 14 Sweden, 15 Poland, 16 Romania, 17 Czech Republic, 18 Denmark, 19 Bosnia, 20 Russia, 21 Hungary, 22 Iceland, 23 Republic of Ireland, 24 Greece, 25 Wales.

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