The Sierra Leone national football team formed in 1967. The team also joined both FIFA and the Confederation of African Football in the same year. Sierra Leone has had little success on the international stage but English football fans may recognise defender Mustapha Dumbuya.
The team played their first international at home in 1949, some years before official organisation. Sierra Leone lost 2-0 to Nigeria. The team’s record winning margin is four goals, a feat they have achieved three times to date. The run includes two 4-1 wins over Niger, surely making them Sierra Leone’s favourite opponents. The teams biggest defeat is a 6-0 loss to Mali from 2007.
After many years of trying, Sierra Leone qualified for their first Africa Cup of Nations in 1994. The team followed this up with qualification in 1996 but has not returned to the competition since.
The world cup has been less kind to the Sierra Leone national football team, however they have had troubles entering qualification. The team first tried to qualify for the 1976 tournament and have entered most campaigns since. The exceptions were the 1990 world cup, which Sierra Leone did not enter, and a withdrawal from the 1994 tournament.
Ranked 54th by FIFA, Sierra Leone may find themselves dropping lower without greater success in competitive games.
World cup 2018
Fixtures to be announced.
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