Everything You Need to Know About Somalia Football National Team: History, Players, Matches, Stats, Records

Football, being the most popular sport in Somalia, has had its fair share of moments in history, and with our comprehensive guide, we delve into the dynamic world of the Somalia Football National Team.

From its intriguing history to standout players, memorable matches, and remarkable statistics and records, this article serves as your ultimate resource.

Gain insights into the players who have left an indelible mark on Somali football and explore the team’s performance on the international stage.

While the love of Somalians for football is widely known, delve deeper into its origins as we journey back to its early roots.

Key Takeaways

Historical Roots: Established in the 1940s; official federation formed in 1951.

Influential Players: Standout contributions from players like Mohamed Shangole and Liban Abdi.

Current Leadership: Faid Ilmi as head coach, with Ahmed Said Ahmed as captain.

Current Squad: Players from various global clubs set for upcoming challenges.

Key Fixtures: Important upcoming matches in Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifiers.

Statistics: Historical difficulty in major tournaments but showing signs of improvement.

Records: Competitive history, especially against Uganda and Djibouti.

Somalia Football National Team History

The Somalia Football National Team’s origins are closely linked with the nation’s history and aspirations. Football was introduced in Somalia during the 1940s amidst the country’s struggle against colonization. The sport’s organized form began with the formation of a local team by the Somali Youth League (SYL), a leading political party, to compete against Italian exile teams. The establishment of the Somali Football Federation (SFF) in 1951, followed by the appointment of the first Somali national as the commissioner for sport in 1958, marked significant steps in formalizing football in Somalia.

Despite participating in preliminary matches, the Somalia Football National Team has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup. The team’s efforts were further hindered by political instability and the outbreak of civil war in the early 1990s, forcing them to play FIFA-sanctioned matches in foreign countries. However, the passion for football in Somalia remained undiminished. Following the pacification of Mogadishu in 2011, efforts were renewed to reintegrate the team into the international soccer community.

Somalian Football has continued its journey passionately towards improvements over the years. After a decent amount of struggles and obstacles, Somalia finally defeated Kenya 1-0 to win its first-ever Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match in almost four decades. Similarly, the Ocean Stars defeated Zimbabwe in the World Cup qualifiers, showing where the trajectory of Somalian Football is heading and indicating exciting times ahead.

During this journey, notable players have greatly supported them and left their imprints on the game. Some of these individuals include Mohamed Shangole, the team’s inaugural captain and Hasan Babay, who served as its captain for the longest time in history. Other standout figures include Liban Abdi, Ayub Daud, and Abdisalam Ibrahim, whose prowess and achievements have earned them recognition both locally and globally. These players epitomize what Somali Football stands for – tenacity and persistence – thus being the perfect role models for the younger generations.

Somalia is currently ranked 198th in the FIFA Rankings. However, Faid Ilmi has been appointed as the head coach to change the fortunes of the team, and Ahmed Said Ahmed takes charge as the captain. Expectations are high for the duo, and under the Ilmi-Ahmed era, one anticipates the team progressing beyond their current position. With a crucial 2024 on the horizon, it will be a significant test for this duo and the new era of Somali football.

Somalia Football National Team Players

Introducing the 2024 Somalia Football National Team Players: From seasoned defenders to dynamic midfielders and goal-scoring strikers, the team has got it all. Let’s have a look at the current Somalia Football National Team players one by one.

Ibrahim Ahmed Hussein:

Club: Waxool FC
Position: Goalkeeper
Birth Date: December 23, 2005

Mustaf Yuusuf:

Club: IFK Berga
Position: Goalkeeper
Birth Date: January 1, 1998

Isse Abdulkadir:

Club: Elman FC
Position: Centre Back
Birth Date: July 1, 1999

Saadiq Faisal Elmi:

Club: Moss FK
Position: Left Back
Birth Date: November 11, 2000

Ahmed Abdullahi ‘Banu’ Hirabe:

Club: Horseed SC
Position: Centre Back
Birth Date: December 12, 1997

Ahmed Isse:

Club: Balompédica Linense B
Position: Centre Back
Birth Date: February 3, 2001

Abdi Shekuna Mohamed:

Club: Columbus Crew 2
Position: Left Back
Birth Date: October 25, 1996

Fahad Mohamed:

Club: Ekenäs IF
Position: Left Back
Birth Date: March 21, 2000

Abdi Salim:

Club: Orlando City
Position: Centre Back
Birth Date: April 1, 2001

Ayman Mohamed Hussein:

Club: Horseed SC
Position: Defender
Birth Date: December 12, 2000

Maxamuud Cali Ibraahim:

Club: Horseed SC
Position: Defender
Birth Date: Not available

Abdulwali Abdulrahman Mohamed:

Club: Elman FC
Position: Defender
Birth Date: January 1, 2000

Suliman Sallu:

Club: Dekedaha Naadiga
Position: Defender
Birth Date: Not available

Haji Abdikadir:

Club: Athlone Town
Position: Defensive Midfielder
Birth Date: October 15, 1998

Muqtar Ahmed:

Club: FC Winterthur II
Position: Centre Midfielder
Birth Date: April 15, 2005

Isse Ismail:

Club: IFK Stocksund
Position: Centre Midfielder
Birth Date: March 8, 1999

Omar Jama:

Club: JäPS Järvenpää
Position: Centre Midfielder
Birth Date: May 21, 1998

Ousman Okocha:

Club: Dekedaha Naadiga
Position: Centre Midfielder
Birth Date: December 9, 2003

Abdi Sharif:

Club: Wigan Athletic
Position: Centre Midfielder
Birth Date: January 1, 2001

Sak Hassan:

Club: Hashtag United Pitsea
Position: Midfielder
Birth Date: March 21, 2001

Osman Mohamed:

Club: Gaadiidka FC
Position: Midfielder
Birth Date: April 10, 2007

Issa Adim Abatari:

Club: Mogadishu City Club
Position: Right Winger
Birth Date: February 13, 2002

Yusuf Ahmed:

Club: Avondale FC
Position: Centre Forward
Birth Date: April 24, 1997

Mohamed Awad:

Club: Sliema Wanderers
Position: Right Winger
Birth Date: May 7, 1994

Hussein Abdilkarim Mohamed:

Club: JäPS Järvenpää
Position: Left Winger
Birth Date: March 20, 1997

Bilal Njie:

Club: FK Haugesund
Position: Left Winger
Birth Date: June 13, 1998

Mahad Shine:

Club: Horseed SC
Position: Centre Forward
Birth Date: August 19, 2001

Mukhtar Suleiman:

Club: SV Spakenburg
Position: Left Winger
Birth Date: August 10, 1998

Aweys Adan:

Club: Dekedaha Naadiga
Position: Striker
Birth Date: June 14, 1995

Hassan Mohamed Adan:

Club: Elman FC
Position: Striker
Birth Date: September 14, 1994

Farhan Mohamed Ahmed:

Club: Horseed SC
Position: Striker
Birth Date: November 15, 2000

Ibrahim Ilyas Mao:

Club: KMC Kinondoni
Position: Striker
Birth Date: March 5, 2000

Seyga Ruushka:

Club: Elman FC
Position: Striker
Birth Date: January 1, 1995

Somalia Football National Team Matches

Somalia began its World Cup Qualifiers journey around the end of 2023, albeit experiencing hard results. Their first match, on November 16, 2023, saw them go against Algeria, a difficult opponent and resulted in a 3-1 loss. Undeterred by this setback, Somalia persevered, only to suffer a tight 1-0 defeat against Uganda on November 21.

Looking ahead, Somalia is preparing for crucial matches in the coming months. The opening leg of the Africa Cup of Nations Qualifications – Preliminary Round will see Somalia go up against Eswatini on March 20th, 2024, with the second match taking place six days later. A couple of months later, Somalia faces significant FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Mozambique on June 3rd and Botswana seven days later.

Fixtures:

20th March 2024: Somalia vs Eswatini (Africa Cup of Nations Qualifications – Preliminary Round, 1st leg)
26th March 2024: Somalia vs Eswatini (Africa Cup of Nations Qualifications – Preliminary Round, 2nd leg)
3rd June 2024: Somalia vs Mozambique (FIFA World Cup Qualifier)
10th June 2024: Somalia vs Botswana (FIFA World Cup Qualifier)

Somalia Football National Team Stats

Somalia’s passion for football is amazing; however, its national team has failed to make significant progress internationally. Somalia has never made it to the FIFA World Cup, Africa Cup of Nations, Africa Nations Championship, Olympic Games, All Africa Games or FIFA Arab Cup. National level engagements have mostly been through the CECAFA Cup with involvement being restricted only to qualification rounds for other competitions like the FIFA World Cup.

FIFA World Cup Qualification Stats:

Played Matches: 15
Matches Won: 1
Matches Lost: 11
Drawn: 3
GF: 4
GA: 33

Africa Cup of Nations Qualification Stats:

Played Matches: 11
Matches Won: 3
Matches Lost: 7
Drawn: 1
GF: 5
GA: 19

African Nations Championship Qualification Stats:

Played Matches: 8
Matches Won: 1
Matches Lost: 7
Drawn: 0
GF: 5
GA: 20

CECAFA Cup Stats:

Played Matches: 80
Matches Won: 7
Matches Lost: 63
Drawn: 10
GF: 35
GA: 193

FIFA Arab Cup Qualification Stats:

Played Matches: 4
Matches Won: 0
Matches Lost: 4
Drawn: 0
GF: 4
GA: 20

Somalia Football National Team Records

The Somalia Football National Team has an impressive record in international football matches. Uganda has been their most regular opponent, with 23 games played. Somalia has won the most matches against Djibouti, with three. On the other hand, Uganda has proven to be their toughest opponent, with 18 defeats in all their clashes.

Has the Somalia National Football Team ever qualified for the Olympic Games?

No, the Somalia National Football Team has never qualified for the football event at the Olympic Games.

Who is responsible for managing and overseeing the Somalia National Football Teams attempts to qualify for international competitions like the Olympics?

The Somali Football Federation (SFF) is responsible for managing and overseeing the national teams endeavors, including attempts to qualify for international competitions such as the Olympics.

What are some of the challenges that have affected the Somalia National Football Teams performance and ability to compete at an Olympic level?

Some challenges include political instability in Somalia, lack of infrastructure and funding for sports, and limited resources dedicated to developing football talent and facilities.

How does one contact the Somali Football Federation regarding inquiries about their national team or potential support for their Olympic aspirations?

To contact them, you would need to obtain their official email address from their website or through related sports associations. As of my last update, I dont have a specific email address on hand.

What steps has the Somali Football Federation taken to improve its chances of qualifying for future Olympic Games?

The SFF has been working on initiatives such as improving youth development programs, investing in better training facilities, organizing more competitive matches with other national teams, and attempting to build a stronger domestic league system that can nurture local talent.

References:

“Somalia National Football Team.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somalia_national_football_team. (accessed March 16, 2024).
“Somalia Football Stats.” 11v11. https://www.11v11.com/teams/somalia/tab/stats/. (accessed March 16, 2024).
“Somalia National Team Fixtures.” Espn. https://www.espn.com/soccer/team/fixtures/_/id/5776/somalia. (accessed March 16, 2024).
“Somalia National Team Results.” Espn. https://www.espn.com/soccer/team/results/_/id/5776/som. (accessed March 16, 2024).
“Somali Football Federation.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_Football_Federation. (accessed March 16, 2024).

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