Bermuda made the third biggest leap of any country in FIFA?s/Coca-Cola World Rankings this month.

Following a successful Digicel Cup first round qualifying campaign in the US Virgin Islands in September, the Island?s national soccer team climbed 41 places from 163rd into a two-way tie for 122nd with Surinam.

The highest Bermuda have ever been ranked was 94th in 1992 after enjoying their most successful World Cup qualifying campaign under coach Gary Darrell.

?It?s good to see Bermuda moving up the rankings, and very positive,? commented Bermuda Football Association technical committee chairman Mark Trott yesterday.

National coach Kyle Lightbourne and his team accumulated 200 points from last month?s convincing victories over US Virgin Islands (6-0) and Dominican Republic (3-1) in the Caribbean, the Island?s first international back-to-back wins since beating Nicaragua in a pair of friendlies in 2004.

?Part of moving up the rankings is to play matches because when you play matches and win then obviously FIFA acknowledges your achievements,? Trott added.

?One of the problems we have had in Bermuda for many years is that we haven?t played international matches on a regular basis or in tournaments within our region.

?Once you start beating teams in your region that also helps to propel you up the rankings, and this is one of the things we hope to achieve next month.?

The senior national team are currently preparing to travel to Barbados next month to compete in the second round of the Digicel Cup with hopes of advancing from Group G, consisting of 85th-ranked St.Vincent and the Grenadines, 146th-ranked Bahamas and hosts Barbados who are currently ranked 100 in the world.

?We will be looking to carry onto the next round. Some of the teams we will play in the next round are ranked above us and so it won?t be an easy road,? Trott noted. ?But if we can take care of our business then when the next set of FIFA rankings come out we?ll probably make another big move.?

The top two countries from each of the four remaining Digicel Cup qualifying groups will automatically advance to the final round to be played in Trinidad and Tobago in late January/early February.

The third place finishers from each group will square off in a round robin play-off, with the top team advancing to January?s final round.

Bermuda depart for Barbados on November 17.

St.Vincent and the Grenadines (up 44 places) and Barbados (up 52 places) were the two other countries making even higher climbs than Bermuda in the latest FIFA rankings.

Bermuda?s Under-20 national team resume their bid to qualify for next year?s Under-20 World Cup when they take on host country Haiti today at the Stade Saint Marc in Port-au-Prince.

Efforts by both Bermuda Football Association and to contact Bermuda team officials in Port -au-Prince yesterday were unsuccessful.