Galicia national football team

Galicia (Spain) Galicia
Nickname(s) A Irmandiña[1][2] (The Fellowship)
Association Galician Football Federation
Head coach Fran González & Míchel Salgado
Captain Álex Bergantiños
First colours
Second colours
First international
 Galicia 4–1 Central Spain
(Vigo, Galicia; 19 November 1922)
Biggest win
 Galicia 8–2 Royal Navy XI
(Vigo, Galicia; 21 January 1923)
Biggest defeat
 Galicia 1–3 Asturias 
(Vigo, Galicia; 25 February 1923)

The Galicia national football team is the official football team of Galicia. It is organised by the Galician Football Federation. The team is not affiliated with FIFA or UEFA and is, therefore, only allowed to play friendly matches.

History

Early years

The first game of the Galician national football team took place on 19 November 1922 in Coia, Vigo as part of official tournament Copa del Príncipe de Asturias organised by RFEF – This was at a time when there was no national club championship per se, Galician teams would play each other in the Galician Championship and the winner would then go on to face the other regional champions in the Spanish Championship. However, later political developments in Spain made it impossible for Galicia national football team to take part at official competitions. Hence, after Copa del Príncipe de Asturias was discontinued all games were merely friendlies. The Galician national football team as such ceased all activity during the time of the Spanish Civil War and the subsequent dictatorship (1936–1975).

Revival in 2000s

The project was retaken in the early 1980s, although Galicia's first recent game only happened on 29 December 2005. It was a 3–2 win over Uruguay, and it was played at the packed stadium of San Lázaro, Santiago de Compostela. In December 2006, another game was contested against Ecuador, played in Riazor, A Coruña. The teams tied 1–1. Against Cameroon, on the next year, the result was the same, 1–1. Once again, in 2008, the Irmandiña played another friendly game, this time against Iran. The result was 3–2.

Amateur era

Changes in the composition of the Galician Government after the 2009 elections resulted in a lack of official support for the national team. However, the supporters' group Siareiros Galegos managed to organise a number of non-official international games involving Galician players from lower categories as a sign of protest, giving continuation to the project. These efforts were supported by a number of local governments, which would allow the use of their facilities. Galicia played teams representing Palestine, Western Sahara, Iraqi Kurdistan and Occitania in 2013. Siareiros Galegos announced at that time that it would be the last match until further notice due to the financial situation.[3] On 26 December 2015, however, Siareiros Galegos did set up yet another game, where Galicia faced players representing Senegal.[4]

Second revival

Galicia vs. Venezuela.

The current president of the FGF, Mr Louzán, days after the Senegal game, announced that the Federation would organise a first-level game again in 2016. It was mentioned that players from the top professional Galician teams, Deportivo and Celta, had lobbied in favour.[5][6] A game was eventually held on 20 May in Riazor, where Galicia met Venezuela to a 1-1 draw. After the game, the Galician coaches mentioned the keen interest expressed by players to continue with the project and play more games on a regular basis.[7]

Official matches

Friendly matches

Current squad

The following players were called up for the friendly against Venezuela on 20 May 2016.[8]
Age, caps and goals updated as of 21 May 2016 after the match against Venezuela.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Sergio Álvarez (1986-08-03)3 August 1986 (aged 29) 1 0 Spain Celta
13 1GK Diego Mariño (1990-05-09)9 May 1990 (aged 26) 1 0 Spain Sporting Gijón
3 2DF Angeliño (1997-01-04)4 January 1997 (aged 19) 1 0 Netherlands NAC
12 2DF Diego Alende (1997-08-25)25 August 1997 (aged 18) 1 0 Spain Celta B
4 2DF Álex Bergantiños (1985-06-07)7 June 1985 (aged 30) 2 0 Spain Sporting Gijón
19 2DF Jonny Castro (1994-03-03)3 March 1994 (aged 22) 1 0 Spain Celta
2 2DF Hugo Mallo (1991-06-22)22 June 1991 (aged 24) 1 0 Spain Celta
24 3MF Pape Cheikh Diop (1997-08-08)8 August 1997 (aged 18) 1 0 France Lyon
15 3MF Juan Domínguez (1990-01-08)8 January 1990 (aged 26) 1 0 Spain Reus
27 3MF Jota (1991-06-06)6 June 1991 (aged 24) 1 0 England Birmingham City
5 3MF Pedro Mosquera (1988-04-21)21 April 1988 (aged 28) 1 0 Spain Deportivo La Coruña
16 3MF Fran Rico (1987-08-03)3 August 1987 (aged 28) 1 0 Spain Eibar
6 3MF Denis Suárez (1994-01-06)6 January 1994 (aged 22) 1 0 Spain Barcelona
10 4FW Iago Aspas (1987-08-01)1 August 1987 (aged 28) 1 1 Spain Celta
14 4FW Iago Falque (1990-04-04)4 April 1990 (aged 26) 1 0 Italy Torino
21 4FW Joselu (1990-03-27)27 March 1990 (aged 26) 1 0 England Newcastle United
23 4FW Daniel Limeres (1989-08-31)31 August 1989 (aged 26) 1 0 Switzerland CD Cerceda
7 4FW Lucas Pérez (1988-09-10)10 September 1988 (aged 27) 1 0 England West Ham United

List of Galician players who also represented FIFA international teams in International and Olympic matches

Players in bold have won a continental championships
Players in underlined have won a continental championships
Players in italics have won the gold medal at the Olympic Games

 Spain

  Switzerland

 Uruguay

Estimated Elo

The Elo rating system was adapted for football by adding a weighting for the kind of match, an adjustment for the home team advantage, and an adjustment for goal difference in the match result. Its estimated Elo is 1709 (current fantasy rank: 35th). Its highest Elo were 1715 points (after winning against Iran on 27 December 2008)

See too

Galicia women's national football team

References

  1. ↑ O camiño que trae de volta a selección
  2. ↑ A Irmandiña (nickname of the team)
  3. ↑ "2015 Nin amigábel nin partido pola oficialidade" (in Galician). Praza.gal. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  4. ↑ "Siareir*s Galeg*s recupera jogo da nossa selecçom nacional de futebol: Galiza-Senegal" (in Galician). diarioliberdade.org. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  5. ↑ "Louzán anuncia un partido de la selección gallega en el 2016" (in Spanish). lavozdegalicia.es. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  6. ↑ "Louzán anuncia que tamén haberá partido da selección galega feminina en 2016" (in Galician). crtvg.gal. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  7. ↑ "Os dous seleccionadores destacan a calidade do combinado galego" (in Galician). FGF. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  8. ↑ A Selección Galega xa está concentrada na Coruña con 17 xogadores
  9. ↑ [http://www.cihefe.es/cuadernosdefutbol/2015/07/sobre-el-origen-de-pedro-cea-y-lorenzo-fernandez/ "Sobre el origen de Pedro Cea y Lorenzo Fernández"; Authors: Antonio Paniagua Pérez y Pablo Gregorio Taboada; 2015]
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