Morocco were considered as one of the best African national football teams after they ranked 10th in the FIFA World Rankings in April 1998, and are also the only African national team to have been at the top of the FIFA World Rankings History for three consecutive years from 1997 to 1999. Internationally, they have participated in the FIFA World Cup five times. Their best result being in 1986 after they reached the round of 16, becoming the first African national team in History of Football to progress to the round of 16. Winners of the African Nations Cup in 1976, Morocco were the first African team to finish top of a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986, finishing ahead of England, Portugal and Poland. They were also the first African national team in the football history to make it to the round of 16, narrowly losing to eventual runners-up West Germany 1–0 in 1986.