Faroe Islands national football team

Faroe Islands

Nickname(s)	Landsliðið (National Team)
Association	Fótbóltssamband Føroya
Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
Head coach	Lars Olsen
Captain	Fróði Benjaminsen
Most caps	Fróði Benjaminsen (86)
Top scorer	Rógvi Jacobsen (10)
Home stadium	Tórsvøllur
FIFA code	FRO
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	89 4 (5 November 2015)
Highest	74 (July 2015)
Lowest	198 (September 2008)
First international
Iceland 1–0 Faroe Islands (Akranes, Iceland; 24 August 1988)

Faroe Islands national football team in March 2013

Faroe Islands playing against Italy on 2 September 2011. The match ended in a 1–0 defeat.

The Faroe Islands national football team (Faroese: Føroyska fótbóltsmanslandsliðið, Danish: Færøernes fodboldlandshold) represents the Faroe Islands in association football and is controlled by the Faroe Islands Football Association. The Faroe Islands became a member of FIFA in 1988 and UEFA in 1990 and is the fourth smallest UEFA country by population. Faroe Islands have never advanced to the finals of the FIFA World Cup or UEFA European Championship. They took part in the Island Games in 1989 and 1991 and won both tournaments. They also took part in the Nordic Football Championship for the first time in 2000–01, the last time the competition was played. In the Faroe Islands the team is known as the landsliðið. Home matches are played at the Tórsvøllur or Svangaskarð.

History

The Faroe Islands gained membership of FIFA on 2 July 1988 and joined UEFA on 18 April 1990.

Although the national team has been in existence since 1930, neither FIFA nor the Faroese FA considers matches before 1988 as official. The first official victory was a 1–0 win, in a friendly against Canada in 1989. Faroe Islands pulled one of the biggest upsets in footballing history when they beat Austria 1–0 in their first ever competitive international on 12 September 1990. The game, a Euro 92 qualifier, was played in Landskrona, Sweden, because there were no grass pitches on the Islands. Their only other point of the campaign was from a draw against Northern Ireland. During both the Euro 2000 qualifiers and Euro 2004 qualifiers, they also held Scotland to a draw at home (they also drew with Lithuania and Bosnia in 2000, while the draw against the Scots was their only point of the 2004 campaign). The nation's only other wins in European Championship qualifying were in the 1996 tournament, with two wins against San Marino until they won against Estonia in UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying on 7 June 2011.

The team has participated in FIFA World Cup qualifying since 1992. They finished the qualification rounds for the 1994 finals without scoring any points and with a 1–38 goal difference from 10 matches. In qualification for the 1998 finals, they improved their record with two victories against Malta, beating them 2–1 in both matches. Their most successful World Cup qualifying so far was the 2002 finals, where they held Slovenia to a 2–2 draw at home and beat Luxembourg twice, 2–0 on road and 1–0 at home. The 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying was, however, not a success for the team and they only earned a single point from a 2–2 away draw against Cyprus.

On 2 June 2007, in a Euro 2008 qualifier against Italy, the Faroes surprisingly took the sluggish world champions to the limit after netting a 77th-minute goal in a 2–1 loss. Overall, their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign was disastrous, as they conceded 43 goals and scored only four (all of which were scored by the same player, Rógvi Jacobsen, and half of which were against Italy) en route to losing all twelve matches.

During the summer of 2008 the Faroese side played two friendlies. First they lost 4–3 to Estonia on 1 June 2008, and this match has been credited as the only official international in which the Faroe Islands scored 3 goals and lost. Later they lost 5–0 to Portugal.

The Faroe Islands began the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying round with a 2–0 loss to Serbia. However, in the match against Romania a few days later, the Faroes' defence held out for almost an hour, but the match ended with a 1–0 defeat. Their next match, against Austria on 11 October 2008, ended 1–1, giving the Faroe Islands their first qualifying point for four years.

After announcing the squad to the matches against Austria and Lithuania, coach Jógvan Martin Olsen announced that he was to step down after three years in charge.

On 22 March 2009 the Faroe Islands beat Iceland 2–1 in a friendly match, their first victory over Iceland.

On 5 April 2009 former Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr was appointed new manager of the team. On 9 September 2009, Faroe Islands recorded their first competitive win since the 2002 World Cup qualification stage after beating Lithuania 2–1.

On 11 August 2010, the Faroe Islands came close to an away win in Estonia during the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifiers. The Faroes took the lead in the first half with a goal by Jóan Símun Edmundsson. The score was still 1–0 after 90 minutes played, but Estonia scored twice during stoppage time and Faroe Islands lost the match 2–1.

Two months later, on 12 October 2010, the Faroe Islands drew 1–1 with the higher ranked Northern Ireland at the Svangaskarð Stadion, Toftir. Striker Christian Holst scored for the Faroes in the 60th minute, before Kyle Lafferty equalised 16 minutes later for the visiting side, earning a point for both teams.

On 7 June 2011, the Faroe Islands defeated Estonia 2–0 at Svangaskarð. Captain Fróði Benjaminsen opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 43rd minute, before Arnbjørn Hansen then secured the win with a follow up after another Benjaminsen penalty. It was the Faroe Islands' first UEFA Euro qualification win since 1995.

Faroe Islands were drawn against Kerr's former employers, the Republic of Ireland, in Group C for the 2014 World Cup Qualifying. The other teams in the group are Germany, Sweden, Austria, and Kazakhstan.

On 26 October 2011 Brian Kerr stepped down as coach of the Faroe Islands national team, after the Faroe Islands Football Association (FSF) announced that "it was not possible to agree a new contract with Brian Kerr".

On 8 November 2011 the Faroese Football Association announced that an agreement had been reached with the 50-year-old former Denmark captain and European Champion from 1992, Lars Olsen, to become the next coach of the Faroe Islands. Lars Olsen is the third Dane to coach the Faroe Islands after Allan Simonsen and Henrik Larsen.

On 1 March 2014, for the first time in the Faroe Islands' history, they scored four goals in a match. In what was only Gibraltar's second match as an official UEFA member, the hosts lost their first ever home match by the score of 1–4. Faroe midfielder Christian Holst scored twice.

On 14 November 2014, the Faroe Islands caused a major international football upset by defeating hosts Greece 0–1 during the Euro 2016 qualifiers. The Guardian reckoned the win as the biggest upset ever in terms of FIFA Rankings; Greece were ranked 18th, the Faroe Islands 187th, a 169-place difference. On June 13, 2015, the Faroe Islands stunned the world yet again by defeating the same Greek side in their second meeting of the Euro 2016 qualifying tournament by a score of 2-1. The team eventually finished 5th of their group with 6 points with Greece being the last and never conceding over three goals in a match.

Achievements

• Island Games: Winners

1989, 1991

World Cup record

FIFA World Cup record										FIFA World Cup Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1930	Did Not Enter
1934
1938
1950
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994	Did Not Qualify									10	0	0	10	1	38
1998										10	2	0	8	10	31
2002										10	2	1	7	6	23
2006										10	0	1	9	4	27
2010										10	1	1	8	5	20
2014										10	0	1	9	4	29
2018	To be determined
2022
Total		0/20								60	5	4	51	30	168

European Championship record

UEFA European Championship record
Year	Round	Position	GP	W	D*	L	GS	GA
1960	Did Not Enter
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992	Did Not Qualify
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
Total		0/15

Coaches

Lars Olsen, manager of the Faroe Islands national football team.

Manager	Note	Year(s)
Páll Guðlaugsson		1988–93
Johan Nielsen & Jógvan Norðbúð	caretakers	1993
Allan Simonsen		1994–2001
Henrik Larsen		2002–05
Jógvan Martin Olsen		2006–08
Heðin Askham	caretaker	2009
Brian Kerr		2009–11
Lars Olsen		2011–

Team captains

• Jóannes Jakobsen
• Jens Martin Knudsen
• Jan Dam
• Jens Kristian Hansen
• Óli Johannesen
• Jákup Mikkelsen
• Fróði Benjaminsen (current)

Records

Source:

Most capped players

Rank	Player	Caps
1	Fróði Benjaminsen	86
2	Óli Johannesen	83
3	Jákup Mikkelsen	73
4	Jens Martin Knudsen	65
5	Julian Johnsson	62
6	Jákup á Borg	61
7	Hjalgrím Elttør	60
8	John Petersen	57
9	Allan Mørkøre	54
10	Rógvi Jacobsen	53
	Súni Olsen
12	Øssur Hansen	51
13	Christian Høgni Jacobsen	50
	Christian Holst

Top goalscorers

Rank	Player	Goals
1	Rógvi Jacobsen	10
2	Todi Jónsson	9
3	Uni Arge	8
	John Petersen
4	Fróði Benjaminsen	6
	Christian Holst
5	Jan Allan Müller	4
	Julian Johnsson
	Hallur Hansson
	Jóan Símun Edmundsson
6	Arnbjørn Hansen	3
	Kurt Mørkøre
	Jens Kristian Hansen
	Súni Olsen

Current squad

The following players were called up for the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying matches against Hungary on 8 October and Romania on 11 October 2015.
Caps and goals as of 11 October 2015 after the game against Romania.

0#0 Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club 1GK Gunnar Nielsen (1986-10-07) 7 October 1986 31 0 FH 1GK Tórður Thomsen (1986-07-11) 11 July 1986 2 0 B36 1GK Teitur Gestsson (1992-08-19) 19 August 1992 1 0 HB 2DF Jónas Þór Næs (1986-12-27) 27 December 1986 45 0 B36 2DF Atli Gregersen (1982-06-15) 15 June 1982 30 0 Víkingur 2DF Rógvi Baldvinsson (1989-12-06) 6 December 1989 24 2 Fredericia 2DF Viljormur Davidsen (1991-07-19) 19 July 1991 13 0 Vejle 2DF Odmar Færø (1989-11-01) 1 November 1989 12 0 B36 2DF Sonni Nattestad (1994-08-05) 5 August 1994 12 0 FC Midtjylland 2DF Gilli Rólantsson (1992-08-11) 11 August 1992 10 0 AaB 3MF Fróði Benjaminsen (Captain) (1977-12-14) 14 December 1977 86 6 HB 3MF Christian Holst (1981-12-25) 25 December 1981 51 6 Fremad Amager 3MF Pól Jóhannus Justinussen (1989-01-13) 13 January 1989 23 0 NSÍ 3MF Hallur Hansson (1992-07-08) 8 July 1992 21 4 Vendsyssel 3MF Brandur Hendriksson (1995-12-15) 15 December 1995 8 1 Copenhagen 3MF Sølvi Vatnhamar (1990-02-13) 13 February 1990 9 0 Víkingur 3MF Kaj Leo í Bartalsstovu (1991-06-23) 23 June 1991 7 0 Levanger 3MF René Joensen (1993-02-08) 8 February 1993 5 0 Vendsyssel 3MF Róaldur Jakobsen (1991-01-23) 23 January 1991 3 1 B36 3MF Árni Frederiksberg (1992-06-13) 13 June 1992 1 0 NSÍ 4FW Jóan Símun Edmundsson (1991-07-26) 26 July 1991 36 4 Vejle 4FW Andreas Olsen (1987-10-09) 9 October 1987 8 1 Víkingur 4FW Klæmint Olsen (1990-07-17) 17 July 1990 7 0 NSÍ

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up within the last 12 months.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
DF	Erling Jacobsen	(1990-02-13) 13 February 1990	4	0	Víkingur	v. Finland, 7 September 2015
DF	Hanus Jacobsen	(1985-05-25) 25 May 1985	0	0	Víkingur	v. Northern Ireland, 4 September 2015 PRE
DF	Jóhan Troest Davidsen	(1988-01-31) 31 January 1988	31	0	HB	v. Greece, 13 June 2015
DF	Einar Hansen	(1988-04-02) 2 April 1988	12	0	NSÍ	v. Greece, 13 June 2015
DF	Bárður Hansen	(1992-03-13) 13 March 1992	1	0	Víkingur	v. Greece, 13 June 2015
DF	Høgni Eysturoy	(1990-07-14) 14 July 1990	0	0	B36	v. Greece, 13 June 2015
FW	Finnur Justinussen	(1989-03-30) 30 March 1989	2	0	Víkingur	v. Finland, 7 September 2015
FW	Atli Gregersen	(1982-06-15) 15 June 1982	28	0	Víkingur	v. Northern Ireland, 4 September 2015 PRE
FW	Arnbjørn Hansen	(1986-02-27) 27 February 1986	18	3	HB	v. Romania, 29 March 2015

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• ^INJ = Withdrew due to an injury
• ^PRE = Preliminary squad
• ^RET = Retired from the national team

Recent results and upcoming fixtures

Competition	Date	Opponents	H / A	Result	Scorers	Referee	Attendance
UEFA Euro 2016 qualification	12 November 2014	Greece	A	1–0	Jóan Símun Edmundsson	Nicola Rizzoli
UEFA Euro 2016 qualification	29 March 2015	Romania	A	0-1		Artur Dias
UEFA Euro 2016 qualification	13 June 2015	Greece	H	2–1	H. Hansson, B. Olsen	Tom Harald Hagen	5,000
UEFA Euro 2016 qualification	4 September 2015	Northern Ireland	H	1-3	Jóan Símun Edmundsson	Felix Zwayer	5,000
UEFA Euro 2016 qualification	7 September 2015	Finland	A	0-1		Marcin Borski
UEFA Euro 2016 qualification	8 October 2015	Hungary	A	1-2	Róaldur Jacobsen	Robert Schörgenhofer	38,000
UEFA Euro 2016 qualification	11 October 2015	Romania	H	0-3		Ivan Kružliak	5,000
Friendly	28 March 2016	Liechtenstein	N

UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying

Main article: UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group F

2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying

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

Historical kits

Home

2006–2007

2008–2009

2010–2011

2011–2012

2012–2014

2014–present

Away

2006–2007

2008–2009

2010–2011

2011–2012

2012–2014

2014–present

See also

• Faroe Islands national football team results
• Faroe Islands national under-21 football team
• Faroe Islands women's national football team

External links

• Official website
• RSSSF archive of results 1930–2008
• UEFA.com
• Footballsupporters.fo (12. Maður – "12th Man", the supporters of the Faroe Islands national football team)