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Andorra national football team

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Andorra
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) Tricolors (The Tricolours)
Association Andorran Football Federation
(Federació Andorrana de Futbol)
Confederation UEFA (Europe)
Head coach Koldo Álvarez
Captain Óscar Sonejee
Most caps Óscar Sonejee (106)[1]
Top scorer Ildefons Lima (10)
Home stadium Estadi Nacional, Andorra la Vella
FIFA code AND
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 205 Steady (5 November 2015)
Highest 125 (September 2005)
Lowest 206 (December 2011)
First international
 Estonia 6–1 Andorra 
(Andorra la Vella, Andorra; 13 November 1996)

The Andorra national football team (Catalan: Selecció de futbol d'Andorra) represents Andorra in association football and is controlled by the Andorran Football Federation, the governing body for football in Andorra. The team has enjoyed very little success due to the Principality's tiny population, the fifth smallest of any UEFA country (only Liechtenstein, San Marino, Gibraltar and the Faroe Islands are smaller).

Andorra's first official game was a 6–1 defeat in a friendly match to Estonia in 1996. Since the qualifying rounds for the UEFA Euro 2000 tournament, Andorra have competed in qualifying for every European Championship and World Cup but have had very little success. They have only ever won three matches, all at home. They have one win in competitive matches, a 1–0 win against Macedonia in the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying competition.

History

Though the Andorran Football Federation formed in 1994,[2] and the Andorra domestic league started in 1995, the national team could not participate in major championships until it gained affiliation with governing bodies FIFA and UEFA in 1996.[2][3] The national team played its first match against Estonia in Andorra La Vella and lost 6–1.[4]

Andorra's first match in a FIFA-sanctioned competition was a 3–1 loss to Armenia on 5 September 1998 in a qualifier for UEFA Euro 2000. Andorra lost all ten qualifiers for the tournament.[5] The team particularly struggled in away matches; each loss was by at least three goals.[5] Andorra scored only three goals, two of which were penalties,[5] and two of which were in the away matches.[5] Andorra conceded 28 goals,[5] and their biggest defeat of the qualifiers was a 6–1 away loss to Russia.[5]

For their first World Cup qualifying campaign, Andorra were drawn in a group with Cyprus, Estonia, Ireland, the Netherlands and Portugal.[6] They lost their opening match 1–0 loss to Estonia. In the next game, they lost 3–2 to Cyprus but scored their first World Cup qualifying goals.[6] They were again defeated by Estonia, this time 2–1.[6] They lost all their matches and their only away goal was in a 3–1 loss against Ireland.[6] Their worst defeat was 7–1 to Portugal on a neutral ground in Lleida, Spain.[6] Andorra finished the campaign with no points and conceded 36 goals in ten matches.[6]

In the team's qualification campaign for Euro 2004 they again lost every game. They scored their only goal in a 2–1 away loss to Bulgaria.[7] In this competition the scores were closer than before as they lost 3–0 to Bulgaria, Croatia and Belgium, 2–0 twice to Estonia, 2–0 to Croatia and 1–0 to Belgium.[7]

By Andorran standards, qualification for the 2006 World Cup was successful. They won their first competitive game 1–0 at home against Macedonia. Andorra midfielder Marc Bernaus, who played in the Spanish second division, received a long throw in off his chest and volleyed in a goal early in the second half.[8] After the game, Macedonia coach Dragan Kanatlarovski resigned and called the game "a shameful outcome, a humiliation."[9] Andorra also drew two matches, 0–0 in Macedonia and 0–0 at home against Finland.[10] This tournament has been the only one in which Andorra has scored points. In Euro 2008 qualifying, Andorra again lost every game.[11] The closest game was against Russia, a 1–0 defeat on 21 November 2007, which helped Russia qualify at the expense of England.[11] Their biggest defeat was a 7–0 loss to Croatia in Andorra La Vella, which is their worst defeat in UEFA competitions[12] and matched their loss to the Czech Republic as their largest losing deficit. Andorra scored only two goals and conceded 42 in a total of 12 games.[11]

In 2010 World Cup qualifying they lost all ten matches.[13] For the tournament, they scored three goals, in defeats to Belarus and Kazakhstan, and conceded 39 goals, including six in a defeat to England, the largest margin in the group.[13] Qualifying for UEFA Euro 2012 ended in a similar way; they lost all ten matches, scoring only one goal and conceding 25; their best results were two one-goal losses to Slovakia and a 3–1 loss in Ireland.[14] The 2014 World Cup qualifying was even more disastrous, Andorra losing all the matches, conceding 25 goals and not scoring.

Andorra all-time record against all nations

As of 12 November 2015
Against Played Won Drawn Lost GF GA GD  % Won
 Albania 3 1 0 2 2 4 −2 33.33%
 Armenia 8 0 1 7 2 20 −18 0%
 Azerbaijan 4 0 3 1 1 2 −1 0%
 Belarus 4 1 0 3 4 11 −7 25%
 Belgium 4 0 0 4 1 14 −13 0%
 Bosnia and Herzegovina 2 0 0 2 0 6 −6 0%
 Brazil 1 0 0 1 0 3 −3 0%
 Bulgaria 2 0 0 2 1 5 −4 0%
 China PR 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0%
 Croatia 6 0 0 6 0 24 −24 0%
 Cyprus 5 0 0 5 3 17 −14 0%
 Czech Republic 3 0 0 3 1 13 −12 0%
 England 4 0 0 4 0 16 −16 0%
 Equatorial Guinea 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1 0%
 Estonia 11 0 0 11 5 26 −21 0%
 Faroe Islands 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0%
 Finland 2 0 1 1 0 3 −3 0%
 France 3 0 0 3 0 7 −7 0%
 Gabon 1 0 0 1 0 2 −2 0%
 Hungary 2 0 0 2 0 7 −7 0%
 Iceland 5 0 0 5 0 14 −14 0%
 Indonesia 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1 0%
 Israel 4 0 0 4 2 14 −12 0%
 Kazakhstan 2 0 0 2 1 6 −5 0%
 Latvia 3 0 0 3 1 9 −8 0%
 Liechtenstein 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1 0%
 Lithuania 2 0 0 2 1 7 −6 0%
 Macedonia 6 1 1 4 1 9 −8 17%
 Malta 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 0%
 Moldova 3 0 1 2 2 6 −4 0%
 Netherlands 6 0 0 6 0 21 −21 0%
 Poland 1 0 0 1 0 4 −4 0%
 Portugal 3 0 0 3 1 14 −13 0%
 Republic of Ireland 4 0 0 4 2 11 −9 0%
 Romania 4 0 0 4 1 15 −14 0%
 Russia 6 0 0 6 2 21 −19 0%
 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1 0%
 Slovakia 2 0 0 2 0 2 −2 0%
 Spain 1 0 0 1 0 4 −4 0%
 Turkey 2 0 0 2 0 7 −7 0%
 Ukraine 4 0 0 4 0 17 −17 0%
 Wales 2 0 0 2 1 4 −3 0%
Total 132 3 11 118 37 370 −333 2.27%

° FIFA-unofficial match on February 19th 1998: Andorra – Czech Republic 0–1

Stadium

File:Estadi Comunal Aixovall.jpg
Andorra's former home stadium, Estadi Comunal d'Andorra la Vella.

From 1996 until 2014 Andorra played their home matches at the Comunal d'Andorra la Vella, in the capital city of Andorra la Vella. This stadium has a capacity of 1,800 and also hosts the matches of club sides FC Andorra and the Andorran Premier League.[15] On 9 September 2014, the national team began playing at the new Estadi Nacional with a capacity of 3,306.

Andorra have occasionally played "home" matches outside their borders. For example, Andorra hosted France and England in the 2000 European Championship, 2008 European Championship and 2010 World Cup qualifiers in the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Barcelona, which was the home of RCD Espanyol between 1997 and 2009.[16][17]

Kit suppliers

Kit provider Period
Germany Reusch 1996–2004
England Reebok 2000–2004
Italy Diadora 2004–2006
Spain Joma 2006–2008
Germany Adidas 2008 – present

Reputation

Andorra's dismal record gives them a lowly reputation in world football. The nation has only won one competitive fixture, a 1–0 World Cup qualifying win against Macedonia, and two exhibition games against Belarus (2–0) and Albania (2–0). All matches were played at home.

With the fourth smallest population of any UEFA country,[18] until the admission of Gibraltar, the talent pool is small. Also Andorra is one of the youngest UEFA member association along with Kazakhastan, both founded in 1994. Players are predominantly amateurs because the Andorra domestic league is only part-time. Although, since Andorra began playing in 1996 their average FIFA ranking is 163.[19]

Players and managers

Ildefons Lima is the only Andorran player to have scored more than three career goals for the team; he has nine goals. Lima is also the second-most caped player with 91 appearances. Óscar Sonejee's 99 appearances are the most for the Andorra national team. Koldo has the second-most with 78 caps between 1998 and 2009.[20]

Manuel Miluir was the first coach of the team and managed their first three matches of European Championship qualifying. He departed in 1999 to make way for David Rodrigo, whose first competitive match was a 2–0 European Championship qualifying defeat at home to Iceland on 27 March of that year. Rodrigo had been in charge of the team until February 2010, when it was announced that Koldo took over this role.[21]

In January 2006, the Andorran Football Association named Koldo, their goalkeeper from 1998 to 2009, as their greatest ever player.[22]

Manager history

Player history

Recent results and fixtures

2014

2015

2016

2017

World Cup record

FIFA World Cup record Qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA
1930 to 1998 Did not enter - - - - - - - - - - - - -
South Korea Japan 2002 Did not qualify - - - - - - - 10 0 0 10 5 36
Germany 2006 Did not qualify - - - - - - - 12 1 2 9 4 34
South Africa 2010 Did not qualify - - - - - - - 10 0 0 10 3 39
Brazil 2014 Did not qualify - - - - - - - 10 0 0 10 0 30
Russia 2018 To be determined - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Qatar 2022 To be determined - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Total 0/20 42 1 2 39 12 139

European Championship record

European Championship record Qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA
1960 to 1996 Did not enter - - - - - - - - - - - - -
BelgiumNetherlands 2000 Did not qualify - - - - - - - 10 0 0 10 3 28
Portugal 2004 Did not qualify - - - - - - - 8 0 0 8 1 18
AustriaSwitzerland 2008 Did not qualify - - - - - - - 12 0 0 12 2 42
PolandUkraine 2012 Did not qualify - - - - - - - 10 0 0 10 1 25
France 2016 Did not qualify - - - - - - - 10 0 0 10 4 36
Total 0/15 50 0 0 50 11 149

Current squad

Andorra manager Koldo Álvarez named a 18-man squad for the Friendly Match against Saint Kitts and Nevis on November 12, 2015.
Caps and goals correct as of November 12, 2015, after the match against Saint Kitts and Nevis.

0#0 Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Josep Gómes (1985-12-03) 3 December 1985 (age 39) 34 0 Spain Illescas
1GK Ferran Pol (1983-02-28) 28 February 1983 (age 41) 21 0 Andorra Andorra
2DF Óscar Sonejee (Captain) (1976-03-26) 26 March 1976 (age 48) 106 4 Andorra Lusitans
2DF Ildefons Lima (1979-12-10) 10 December 1979 (age 45) 97 10 Andorra FC Santa Coloma
2DF Cristian Martínez (1989-08-23) 23 August 1989 (age 35) 35 1 Andorra FC Santa Coloma
2DF Jordi Rubio (1987-11-01) 1 November 1987 (age 37) 30 0 Andorra UE Santa Coloma
2DF Moisés San Nicolás (1993-09-17) 17 September 1993 (age 31) 17 0 Andorra Lusitans
2DF Jesús Rubio (1994-09-09) 9 September 1994 (age 30) 1 0 Andorra UE Santa Coloma
3MF Josep Ayala (1980-04-08) 8 April 1980 (age 44) 81 1 Andorra UE Santa Coloma
3MF Marc Pujol (1982-08-21) 21 August 1982 (age 42) 66 2 Andorra FC Santa Coloma
3MF Márcio Vieira (1984-10-10) 10 October 1984 (age 40) 64 0 Spain Atlético Monzón
3MF Carlos Peppe (1983-01-28) 28 January 1983 (age 41) 22 0 Andorra Sant Julià
3MF Víctor Moreira (1982-10-05) 5 October 1982 (age 42) 15 0 Andorra Andorra
3MF Marc Rebés (1994-07-03) 3 July 1994 (age 30) 6 0 Andorra FC Santa Coloma
4FW Juli Sánchez (1978-06-20) 20 June 1978 (age 46) 66 2 Andorra Andorra
4FW Gabi Riera (1985-06-05) 5 June 1985 (age 39) 34 1 Andorra FC Santa Coloma
4FW Sebastián Gómez (1983-11-01) 1 November 1983 (age 41) 27 0 Andorra Andorra
4FW Ludovic Clemente (1986-05-09) 9 May 1986 (age 38) 12 0 Andorra Andorra

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up to the Andorra squad in the last 12 months.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
DF Max Llovera (1997-01-08) 8 January 1997 (age 27) 3 0 Spain Lleida Esportiu B v.  Wales, 13 October 2015
DF Adri Rodrigues (1988-08-14) 14 August 1988 (age 36) 14 0 Spain Villarrobledo v.  Wales, 13 October 2015
DF Marc García (1988-03-21) 21 March 1988 (age 36) 28 0 Spain Rubí v.  Wales, 13 October 2015
DF Emili García (1989-01-11) 11 January 1989 (age 35) 30 0 France Le Pontet v.  Bosnia and Herzegovina, 6 September 2015
MF Sergi Moreno (1987-11-25) 25 November 1987 (age 37) 54 0 Spain Yeclano v.  Wales, 13 October 2015
MF Iván Lorenzo (1986-04-15) 15 April 1986 (age 38) 26 0 Spain Fraga v.  Wales, 13 October 2015
MF Víctor Rodríguez (1987-09-07) 7 September 1987 (age 37) 10 0 Andorra UE Santa Coloma v.  Bosnia and Herzegovina, 6 September 2015
MF Marc Vales (1990-04-04) 4 April 1990 (age 34) 38 0 Spain L'Hospitalet v.  Cyprus, 12 June 2015
MF Cristopher Pousa (1992-06-29) 29 June 1992 (age 32) 2 0 Andorra Ordino v.  Bosnia and Herzegovina, 28 March 2015
FW Aarón Sánchez (1996-06-05) 5 June 1996 (age 28) 6 0 Spain Lleida Esportiu B v.  Wales, 13 October 2015
FW Leonel Alves (1993-09-28) 28 September 1993 (age 31) 3 0 Andorra Andorra v.  Bosnia and Herzegovina, 6 September 2015

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2018 FIFA World Cup qualification

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Main article: 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group B

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  Team has qualified
  Team is assured of at least a play-off spot
  Team is assured of at least second place
  Team cannot qualify directly
  Team has no chance of qualifying

UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying

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Main article: UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group B

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International goals

Andorra has scored very few goals in competitive internationals (UEFA European Football Championship or FIFA World Cup matches); the list below is comprehensive.

No. Comp.[a] Date Opponent Scorer(s) Final Score[b]
1 ECQ 5 September 1998  Armenia Jesús Lucendo (pen) 1–3
2 ECQ 31 March 1999  Russia Emiliano González 1–6
3 ECQ 8 September 1999  Russia Justo Ruiz 1–2
4 WCQ 2 September 2000  Cyprus Emiliano González 2–3[c]
5 Ildefons Lima
6 WCQ 7 October 2000  Estonia Justo Ruiz 1–2
7 WCQ 25 April 2001  Republic of Ireland Ildefons Lima 1–3
8 WCQ 1 September 2001  Portugal Roberto Jonas 1–7
9 ECQ 16 October 2002  Bulgaria Antoni Lima 1–2
10 WCQ 8 September 2004  Romania Marc Pujol 1–5
11 WCQ 13 October 2004  Macedonia Marc Bernaus 1–0[d]
12 WCQ 26 March 2005  Armenia Fernando Silva 1–2
13 WCQ 4 June 2005  Czech Republic Gabriel Riera 1–8
14 ECQ 6 September 2006  Israel Juli Fernández 1–4
15 ECQ 22 August 2007  Estonia Fernando Silva 1–2
16 WCQ 10 September 2008  Belarus Marc Pujol (pen) 1–3
17 WCQ 6 June 2009  Belarus Ildefons Lima (pen) 1–5
18 WCQ 9 September 2009  Kazakhstan Óscar Sonejee 1–3
19 ECQ 7 September 2010  Republic of Ireland Cristian Martínez 1–3
20 ECQ 9 September 2014  Wales Ildefons Lima (pen) 1–2
21 ECQ 13 October 2014  Israel Ildefons Lima (pen) 1–4
22 ECQ 12 June 2015  Cyprus Dossa Júnior (o.g.) 1–3
23 ECQ 10 October 2015  Belgium Ildefons Lima (pen) 1–2

a ECQ = UEFA European Football Championship qualification match, WCQ = FIFA World Cup qualification match
b The Andorra score is always listed first.
c The Andorra-Cyprus match in 2000 is the only game Andorra has scored two goals in any competitive match.
d The Andorra-Macedonia match in 2004 is the only competitive match Andorra has won.

Notes

  1. ↑ Andorra Players → most appearances
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

References

External links

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