Eritrea national football team
Template:Short description Template:About Template:Lead too short Template:Infobox National football team Template:Patronymic names
The Eritrea national football team represents Eritrea in men's international football and it is controlled by the Eritrean National Football Federation (ENFF). It is nicknamed the Red Sea Boys. It has never qualified for the finals of the FIFA World Cup or the Africa Cup of Nations. Asmara side Red Sea FC are the main supplier for the national team and the team represents both FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF). Out of 211 national teams in the FIFA men's team world rankings, they are the only one that is unranked.
History
An Eritrean team participated in a friendly tournament in Sudan in 1992, the year before Eritrea achieved independence.<ref name="rsssf-erit-intres">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Eritrea participated in the 1994 CECAFA Cup, organised by the Council for East and Central Africa Football Association,<ref name="rsssf-erit-intres" /> even though the ENFF was not founded until 1996.<ref name="fifa">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The first full international was in the 1999 CECAFA Cup,<ref name="rsssf-erit-intres" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> the year after the ENFF joined the CAF<ref name="cafinfo">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and FIFA.<ref name="fifa" /> They participated in the qualifying rounds of the 2000 African Cup of Nations and the 2002 World Cup, and subsequent editions until 2008.<ref name="rsssf-erit-intres" /> They have also appeared intermittently in the CECAFA Cup.<ref name="rsssf-erit-intres" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Eritrea managed a scoreless home draw versus Cameroon and a 1–0 home win over Mozambique. They finished second in their three team group, and advanced to a playoff round where they faced Senegal and Zimbabwe, but ultimately lost all four matches in that final stage.
In the first round of the qualifiers for the 2002 World Cup, they were drawn against Nigeria, and were defeated 4–0 in the away leg,<ref name="fifa2002-2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> after a goalless draw at home.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The coach was Yilmaz Yuceturk.<ref name="fifa2002-2"/>
In the first round of the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, Sudan was Eritrea's first round opponent. Eritrea lost the first leg 3–0,<ref name="fifa2006-1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> before another goalless draw in Asmara.<ref name="fifa2006-2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The coach was Eritrean Tekie Abraha.<ref name="fifa2006-1"/><ref name="fifa2006-2"/>
In group 6 of the qualifiers for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, under the guidance of Romanian Dorian Marin, Eritrea finished second behind Angola, failing to qualify for the final tournament. They beat Kenya twice and drew at home to Angola.
In the first round of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, Eritrea faced Rwanda. The first leg in Asmara ended in a 1–1 draw (and saw Eritrea's first ever goal in a World Cup qualification match), but Rwanda took the second leg by a score of 3–1.
In the first round of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, Eritrea faced Botswana. The first leg in Asmara saw Botswana win 2–0, and the second leg in Francistown saw Botswana win 3–1, with Botswana winning 5–1 on aggregate.
In the first round of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, Eritrea faced Namibia. The first leg in Asmara saw Namibia win 2–1, and the second leg saw Namibia win 2–0; Namibia won 4–1 on aggregate.
Eritrea withdrew from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers<ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref> and the 2026 World Cup qualifiers,<ref name="ERI withdrawal" /> and would not play a match for six years until May 2025, when they played two matches against the Niger A' team.
Withdrawals from major tournament qualifying
On 30 March 2014, Eritrea withdrew from the preliminary round of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> likely due to a rising number of the Eritrean national team players defecting from Eritrea during away matches.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> They were intended to play against South Sudan, who were awarded a walkover.<ref name="format2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
On 2 March 2022, Eritrea withdrew from the preliminary round of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers due to the lack of a stadium that meets the requirements set by CAF to host its international matches.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref name="ERI withdrawal" /> They were intended to play against Botswana.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Botswana were also awarded a walkover.
In November 2023, Eritrea, who were drawn into Group E alongside Morocco, Zambia, Tanzania, Congo and Niger,<ref name="ExCon">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> pulled out of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, citing the reason as being the refusal of Zemede Tekle, who is the Eritrean Commissioner for Sports and Culture, to participate in the playoffs.<ref name="ERI withdrawal">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Defections
Recent years have seen a high number of refugees leaving Eritrea,<ref name="cnn15122009"/><ref name="odula"/> and some athletes travelling to competitions abroad have taken the opportunity to abscond.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In December 2012, 17 Eritrean footballers and the team's doctor vanished after the CECAFA championship tournament in Uganda and all applied for asylum in the country.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Four players of Red Sea FC defected after a CAF Champions League 2006 match in Nairobi, Kenya,<ref name="afp15122009">Template:Cite news</ref> and up to 12 members of the national side after the 2007 CECAFA Cup in Tanzania.<ref name="cnn15122009">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="cnn">Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref> Another 6 players sought asylum in Angola in March 2007 after a group 6 qualifying game for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.<ref name="angola">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="bbc-angola">Template:Cite news</ref> Three more players from the national team sought asylum in Sudan.<ref name="sudan">Template:Cite news</ref>
Eritrea withdrew from the 2008 CECAFA Cup,<ref name="standard09122009"/> and from the common qualifying tournament shared by the 2010 World Cup and the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} </ref> Given the number of players seeking asylum, the Eritrean government began requiring athletes to pay a 100,000 nakfa surety before traveling abroad.<ref name="afp15122009"/>
Eritrea returned to the 2009 CECAFA Cup in Nairobi. A young squad was assembled with just 12 days' training.<ref name="standard09122009"/> In Group B, they gained a surprise draw with Zimbabwe,<ref name="standard-zimbabwe">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> lost narrowly to Rwanda,<ref name="standard-rwanda">Template:Cite news</ref> and beat Somalia 3–1.<ref name="standard-somalia">Template:Cite news</ref> They were easily beaten 4–0 in the quarter-finals by Tanzania.<ref name="standard09122009">Template:Cite news</ref> Twelve squad members failed to report for the return flight, and sought the assistance of the Refugee Consortium of Kenya.<ref name="cnn15122009"/><ref name="odula"/> They were believed to be in hiding in Eastleigh, an eastern suburb of Nairobi home to many immigrants.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Nicholas Musonye, the secretary-general of CECAFA, feared that the government might react by refusing to let the team travel abroad in future.<ref name="odula">Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref> The twelve players were later granted interim asylum by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Kenya.<ref name="standard-asylum">Template:Cite news</ref> Eleven of these players have since travelled to Adelaide in Australia<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> with two of them, Samuel Ghebrehiwet and Ambes Sium, signing for Gold Coast United in the A-League in August 2011.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In the first round of the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup, ten players from the Eritrean football team refused to return home after playing a World Cup qualifying match in Botswana and were granted asylum there.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In September 2019, four members of the national Under-20 team sought asylum in Uganda after the team qualified for the semi-finals of a competition.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A few months later in December, a further seven players selected for the international team refused to return home and sought asylum in Uganda after a tournament.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In October 2021, five footballers from the country's under-20 women's team also disappeared when on international duty in Uganda.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Results and fixtures
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
Template:Legend2 Template:Legend2 Template:Legend2 Template:Legend2
2025
Template:Football box collapsible Template:Football box collapsible
Coaching history
- Template:Flagicon Tekie Abraha (1991–1996)
- Template:Flagicon Mushir Osman (1998–1999)
- Template:Flagicon Tekie Abraha (1999–2000)
- Template:Flagicon Yılmaz Yücetürk (2000–2002)
- Template:Flagicon Negash Teklit (2002, caretaker)
- Template:Flagicon Vojo Gardašević (2002)
- Template:Flagicon Tekie Abraha (2003)
- Template:Flagicon Mrad Abdul Tesfay (2004)
- Template:Flagicon Dorian Marin (2006–2007)
- Template:Flagicon René Feller (2007–2008)
- Template:Flagicon Negash Teklit (2009–2012)
- Template:Flagicon Omar Ahmed Hussein (2013–2015)
- Template:Flagicon Alemseged Efrem (2015–2019)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Ermias Tewelde (2024-)<ref name="back on the pitch"/>
Players
Latest squad
The following players were selected for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Namibia on 10 September 2019.Template:Citation needed
Caps and goals correct as of 10 September 2019, after the match against Namibia.
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Player records
Template:Updated<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Players in bold are still active with Eritrea.
Most appearances
| Rank | Name | Caps | Goals | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yidnekachew Shimangus | 23 | 6 | 1998–2007 |
| 2 | Yonas Fesehaye | 19 | 5 | 1999–2007 |
| 3 | Natnael Mesfun Zeru | 16 | 0 | 1998–2003 |
| 4 | Abel Afeworki | 13 | 0 | 1998–2002 |
| 5 | Efrem Bain Kaleb | 12 | 0 | 1998–2006 |
| 6 | Fassil Abreha | 11 | 3 | 1999–2003 |
| Berhane Aregai | 11 | 5 | 2002–2007 | |
| 8 | Elias Debesa | 9 | 0 | 1999–2007 |
| Amanuel Iyassu | 9 | 1 | 1998–2000 | |
| Kibrom Solomon | 9 | 0 | 2019–present | |
| Ali Sulieman | 9 | 3 | 2019–present | |
| Robel Teklemichael | 9 | 0 | 2019–present | |
| Ablelom Teklezghi | 9 | 0 | 2019–present | |
| Robel Tesfamichael | 9 | 0 | 1999–2000 | |
| Efrem Tewolde | 9 | 0 | 1998–1999 | |
| Filmon Tumzghi | 9 | 0 | 2019–present |
Top goalscorers
| Rank | Name | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yidnekachew Shimangus | 6 | 23 | {{#expr:6/23 round 2}} | 1998–2007 |
| 2 | Berhane Aregai | 5 | 11 | {{#expr:5/11 round 2}} | 2002–2007 |
| Yonas Fesehaye | 5 | 19 | {{#expr:5/19 round 2}} | 1999–2007 | |
| 4 | Testfaldet Goitom | 3 | 8 | {{#expr:3/8 round 2}} | 2003–2009 |
| Ali Sulieman | 3 | 9 | {{#expr:3/9 round 2}} | 2019–present | |
| Fassil Abreha | 3 | 11 | {{#expr:3/11 round 2}} | 1999–2003 | |
| 7 | Elmon Temekribon | 2 | 1 | {{#expr:2/1 round 2}} | 2007 |
| Robel Kidane | 2 | 7 | {{#expr:2/7 round 2}} | 2015–present | |
| Suleman Mohamed | 2 | 7 | {{#expr:2/7 round 2}} | 2003–2007 | |
| Abiel Okbay | 2 | 8 | {{#expr:2/8 round 2}} | 2019–present |
Competition records
Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2
FIFA World Cup
| FIFA World Cup | Qualification | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Template:Tooltip | Template:Tooltip | Template:Tooltip | Template:Tooltip | Template:Tooltip | Template:Tooltip | Template:Tooltip | Template:Tooltip | Template:Tooltip | Template:Tooltip | Template:Tooltip | Template:Tooltip | |
| 1930 to 1938 | Part of Template:Fb | Part of Template:Fb | |||||||||||||
| 1950 to 1990 | Part of Template:Fb | Part of Template:Fb | |||||||||||||
| 1994 to 1998 | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | |||||||||||||
| Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon 2002 | Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2006 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | |||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2010 | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2014 | Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2018 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | |||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2022 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | |||||||||
| Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon 2026 | Withdrew | Withdrew | |||||||||||||
| Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon 2030 | To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2034 | |||||||||||||||
| Total | – | Template:Tooltip | – | – | – | – | – | – | 10 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 20 | |
Africa Cup of Nations
CECAFA Cup
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}
All-time record
- Key
Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2
- Pld = Matches played
- W = Matches won
- D = Matches drawn
- L = Matches lost
- GF = Goals for
- GA = Goals against
- GD = Goal differential
- Countries are listed in alphabetical order
As of 28 May 2025<ref name="Elo List of Matches">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Template:Legend2 Template:Legend2 Template:Legend2
| Opponent |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Fb | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | −5 |
| Template:Fb | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | −4 |
| Template:Fb | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | +0 |
| Template:Fb | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 |
| Template:Fb | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | +4 |
| Template:Fb | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Template:Fb | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | −5 |
| Template:Fb | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 14 | −3 |
| Template:Fb | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | −3 |
| Template:Fb | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 |
| Template:Fb | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 |
| Template:Fb | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 |
| Template:Fb | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 |
| Template:Fb | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | −4 |
| Template:Fb | 10 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 16 | −9 |
| Template:Fb | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | −6 |
| Template:Fb | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | +1 |
| Template:Fb | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 |
| Template:Fb | 12 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 20 | −13 |
| Template:Fb | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 | −6 |
| Template:Fb | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 17 | −11 |
| Template:Fb | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | −3 |
| Template:Fb | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | −3 |
| Template:Fb | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 8 | −8 |
| Total | 86 | 14 | 20 | 52 | 57 | 140 | −83 |
References
External links
Template:Football in Eritrea Template:CECAFA Football {{#invoke:navbox|navbox | name = CAF teams | title = National football teams of Africa (CAF) |listclass = hlist |group1 = North Africa (UNAF) |list1 =
|group2 = West Africa (WAFU) |list2 =
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Cape Verde
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Ivory Coast
- Liberia
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Togo
|group3 = East Africa (CECAFA) |list3 =
|group4 = Central Africa (UNIFFAC) |list4 =
|group5 = Southern Africa (COSAFA) |list5 =
- Angola
- Botswana
- Comoros
- Eswatini
- Lesotho
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Seychelles
- South Africa
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
|group6 = Non-regional Members |list6 =
|below= 1 Regional team, an associate member of CAF but not a member of FIFA
{{#invoke:portal-inline|main|size=tiny|Football in Africa}} }} Template:National sports teams of Eritrea Template:Authority control