Brazil has ended Spain's one-year reign at the top of FIFA's rankings, rewarded for its comeback win over the United States in the Confederations Cup final. Brazil rose four spots to reach the top of the rankings – released Wednesday – for the first time since August 2007. European champion Spain, upset by the US in the semifinal last week, slipped to second. Netherlands fell back to third, Italy stayed fourth and Germany slipped two places to fifth. Russia, England, Argentina, France and Croatia rounded out the top 10. The US, beaten 3-2 by Brazil in a thrilling match Sunday, rose two spots to No. 12. But it was far from the biggest climber. North Korea jumped 23 spots to No. 83 after it qualified for its first World Cup since 1966. Higher up the rankings, Australia hopped over 13 teams to reach No. 16, its highest spot since FIFA began its rankings in 1993. Ivory Coast rose 20 places to become Africa's top team at No. 18. Benzema poised to join Real France striker Karim Benzema is set to join Real Madrid from Olympique Lyon after the two clubs reached agreement, French radio RMC said on Wednesday. A few details, notably salary and the length of his contract, still needed to be settled, RMC said, quoting Benzema's agent. Ronaldo angry at paparazzo Cristiano Ronaldo kicked a paparazzo's car in Lisbon last weekend following a car chase after acting to defend his mother, the Real Madrid winger was quoted as saying on Wednesday. “He (the photographer) chased me by car from the Ritz Hotel with my mother in the car with me, and they filmed all our actions. The chase so perturbed my mother that I had to stop and convince them to leave us,” Ronaldo said on the website of Gestifute, the agency that represents the Portugal player. Gestifute said Ronaldo lashed out because the paparazzo refused to leave him alone. Media reports said Ronaldo's kick broke the car window, which caused minor injuries to a 17-year-old woman who has filed a complaint with the police. A spokesperson for Lisbon police declined to comment.
