Gibraltar national football team

Gibraltar
Nickname(s) Team 54[1]
Association Gibraltar Football Association
Confederation UEFA (Europe)
Head coach Julio César Ribas
Captain Roy Chipolina
Most caps Liam Walker (32)
Top scorer Lee Casciaro, Jake Gosling, Liam Walker (2)
Home stadium Victoria Stadium
FIFA code GIB
First colours
Second colours
Third colours
FIFA ranking
Current 198 Decrease 3 (20 September 2018)[2]
Highest 195 (June 2018 – August 2018)
Lowest 206 (April 2017 – March 2018)
Elo ranking
Current 176 Increase 5 (13 October 2018)
Highest 174 (March 2011)
Lowest 188 (July 1995)
First international
 Gibraltar 0–0 Slovakia 
(Faro, Portugal; 19 November 2013)
Biggest win
 Gibraltar 1–0 Malta 
(Faro, Portugal; 4 June 2014)
 Gibraltar 1–0 Latvia 
(Gibraltar; 25 March 2018)
 Armenia 0–1 Gibraltar 
(Yerevan, Armenia; 13 October 2018)
Biggest defeat
 Belgium 9–0 Gibraltar 
(Liège, Belgium; 31 August 2017)

The Gibraltar national football team represents Gibraltar in football competitions and is controlled by the Gibraltar Football Association. Gibraltar applied for full UEFA membership and was accepted by the UEFA Congress in May 2013 and can therefore compete in the UEFA European Championship beginning with the 2016 tournament for which the team has been competing in UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group D. On 13 May 2016 Gibraltar became a member of FIFA at the governing body's 66th Congress which was held in Mexico City.[3] Gibraltar is the smallest UEFA member in terms of both area and population.[4][5]

Despite not being an island, Gibraltar set up its first official side for the football competition at the 1993 Island Games[6] and has been a regular in the tournament, winning the 2007 edition.[7]

History

Pre-UEFA

Gibraltar's first unofficial national match took place against Jersey in the 1993 Island Games in the Isle of Wight, although the team had previously played friendlies versus professional and amateur clubs. The result was a 2–1 loss for the Gibraltarians. Gibraltar's largest unofficial win was 19–0 versus Sark, in St. Martin, Guernsey, whilst their largest unofficial loss was 5–0 versus Greenland – an autonomous region of Denmark – which also took part on the Isle of Wight, in Freshwater.

Foundation

The history of the Gibraltarian national football side can be traced back to April 1923, when it travelled to Spain to play club side Sevilla in a friendly; two games were played and Gibraltar lost both.[6] The side also managed a draw with Real Madrid in 1949.[8][9]

Island Games

Before joining UEFA, Gibraltar competed in numerous football competitions, most regularly in the Island Games.

The first competition the team entered was the 1993 Island Games, despite Gibraltar not being an island. Gibraltar lost all of its matches, scoring only one goal and finishing in last place.

They had much more success in the 1995 Island Games, which they hosted. Despite losing their opening game against Greenland, Gibraltar bounced back to record their first competitive win, against the Isle of Man. Another victory over Anglesey saw Gibraltar finish second in the group, ahead of Anglesey only on goal difference, and qualify for the semi finals. There, they beat Jersey 1–0, before losing the final to the Isle of Wight by the same scoreline.

In the 1997 Island Games, two wins and two losses in the group stage, followed by a defeat to Shetland in a playoff, saw Gibraltar finish 6th out of 9 teams. Another poor performance in 1999 saw them finish 11th.

Island Games results improved slightly in 2001, as they came 5th, and in 2003 Gibraltar recorded their biggest win ever, defeating Sark 19–0. Other good results against Greenland and Orkney saw them finish 6th out of 12. Despite these minor successes, Gibraltar did not enter the 2005 tournament.

A football team represented Gibraltar at the 2015 edition of the games even after Gibraltar was accepted by UEFA. However, the squad was a development team composed of under-19s and over-aged players with no first team senior squad members taking part.[10] The team will be coached by John Moreno.

Year Round Position GP W D L GS GA
1989–1991Did not enter
Isle of Wight 19937th Place Match8400419
Gibraltar 1995Runners-Up2540153
Jersey 19975th Place Match65203138
Gotland 199911th Place Match114103911
Isle of Man 20015th Place Match5430172
Guernsey 20035th Place Match65302295
Shetland 2005Did not enter
Rhodes 2007Champions1431092
Åland Islands 20099th Place Match94211123
Isle of Wight 20115th Place Match53201147
Bermuda 2013Did not enter
Jersey 2015[nb 1]9th Place Match10411236
Total10/141 Title422131810256
*Gold background colour indicates that the tournament was won. Red border colour indicates tournament was held on home soil.

FIFI "Wild Cup"

In early summer 2006 Gibraltar participated in the 2006 FIFI Wild Cup where it was ranked 3rd. The tournament was an alternative World Cup for non-FIFA members, which was only held once. In Gibraltar's opening match, they drew 1–1 with the hosts, the 'Republic of St. Pauli', before beating Tibet 5–0 in their second group game to qualify for the semi-finals. There they lost 2–0 to eventual champions Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. In the third place playoff, Gibraltar had a rematch against St. Pauli. This time Gibraltar were able to defeat the hosts, to finish in third place out of the six teams.[11]

Year Round Position GP W D L GS GA
Hamburg 20063rd Place Playoff3421184
Total1/10 Titles421184

2008 Four Nations

In 2008 Gibraltar accepted an invitation to participate in The Four Nations Tournament, the most prominent senior football tournament that Gibraltar had ever participated in. The 2008 Four Nations Tournament, won by England C, was played in North Wales, and was contested between Wales Semi-Pro, England C, Scotland B and guest nation Gibraltar after Northern Ireland decided not to take part. Though Gibraltar eventually finished bottom of the group, they pushed tournament winners England C close.[12]

Year Round Position GP W D L GS GA
Wales 2008Group43003411
Total1/10 Titles3003411

Record of matches

Opponent P W D L GF GA
 Åland Islands 100112
 Ynys Môn 410336
England England C 210132
 Faroe Islands 210144
 Frøya 3300171
 Greenland 420277
 Guernsey 101000
Isle of Man Isle of Man 220031
 Isle of Wight 420263
 Jersey 7115815
 Madeira 100102
 Menorca 110021
 Monaco 211062
 Northern Cyprus 100102
 Orkney 220091
 Rhodes 220060
 Sark 1100190
Scotland Scotland Semi-Pro 100124
 Shetland 410356
 Tibet 110050
Wales Wales Semi-Pro 100126

Honours

FIFA membership

After becoming a member of UEFA (see below), the GFA aimed to become a full FIFA member in time to participate in 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification.[13] On 26 September 2014, it was announced that Gibraltar's application for FIFA membership was denied, with president Sepp Blatter stating that Gibraltar is ineligible because it is not an independent country. This was despite FIFA at the time including 22 members that are not independent countries, including five in UEFA (Faroe Islands and the four Home Nations of the United Kingdom). The Gibraltar Football Association then announced that it planned to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the same process by which Gibraltar successfully gained UEFA membership in 2013.[14] The CAS heard Gibraltar's case on 21 May 2015. At which time no time frame for a verdict was announced and further legal arguments would still be heard. It was expected that no decision would be reached before the FIFA congress coming the following week.[15] A ruling was announced on 2 May 2016, nearly a year after the CAS heard Gibraltar's case. As part of the ruling, FIFA was ordered to transmit Gibraltar's application for membership to the FIFA congress which was set to take place the following week in Mexico City. Additionally, FIFA was ordered to take "all necessary steps to admit the Gibraltar Football Association as a full member of FIFA without delay." If the vote held at the congress was successful, it was believed that Gibraltar would be a last-minute addition to 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification.[16] In FIFA's official statement regarding the ruling, the organization said that the it expected to discuss the matter at the upcoming congress and discuss a course of action, including potentially altering the congress agenda to submit Gibraltar's application for membership.[17] On 13 May 2016, Gibraltar was accepted as a member of FIFA with a vote of 172 to 12 in favour. Gibraltar became FIFA's 211th member immediately after the Football Federation of Kosovo was voted member 210.[18]

FIFA World Cup

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 to 2014 Not a FIFA memberNot a FIFA member
Russia 2018 Did not qualify 100010347
Qatar 2022 To be determined
United StatesCanadaMexico 2026 To be determined
Total 0/21 - 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 10 3 47

    UEFA acceptance

    Gibraltar starting XI in UEFA debut against Slovakia

    Gibraltar first applied for UEFA membership in 1999 but was rejected because of intense opposition from Spain. Spain's opposition stemmed not only from claiming ownership of the territory but from fear that Gibraltar's acceptance would set a precedent that would inspire the separatist Basque national football team and Catalan national football teams to apply for UEFA membership as well. The issue was voted on again in 2007 but only three member nations (England, Scotland, and Wales)[9] supported Gibraltar's bid after Spain threatened to withdraw Spanish teams from all UEFA competitions. UEFA then established rules, which were introduced following pressure from Spain, restricting membership to sovereign states recognised as such by the United Nations. The Gibraltar FA then went to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in 2007 and again in 2011 after an appeal and it was ruled that Gibraltar could not be refused membership because the sovereignty rules were not established until after Gibraltar's 1999 and 2007 applications. At this time, Gibraltar was named a provisional member of UEFA and was granted permission to enter national teams in under-17 and under-19 tournaments for the first time.[19][20]

    The GFA was accepted as a full UEFA member by resolution of the UEFA congress held in London on 24 May 2013, with only Spain and Belarus opposed.[21][22] This meant Gibraltar became the smallest UEFA member by population, behind San Marino, then Liechtenstein and the Faroe Islands. As a result of the vote, the Gibraltar national team became eligible to enter the qualification tournaments for UEFA's premier national team competition, the European Championship. The first such opportunity was the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, which would kick off in September 2014. Following the examples of Armenia-Azerbaijan and Russia-Georgia, it was confirmed that Gibraltar and Spain would be kept apart in qualifying groups.[5]

    After being accepted into UEFA, the GFA outlined adjusted eligibility criteria for the selection of players for the national squad. To be eligible, a player must be a British passport holder who was born in Gibraltar, or has Gibraltarian parents or grandparents, or has attended school for five years locally.[23] Former Manchester United, Derby County, Southampton and Stoke City defender Danny Higginbotham, whose uncle Allen Bula was the team manager, was eligible to be called up because of this criteria adjustment.[24][25] On 18 September 2013, Higginbotham announced that he agreed in "principle" to play for Gibraltar.[26][27] Recruiting of English-born players by manager Allen Bula was unpopular with some fans,[28] and in 2015 Bula's successor Jeff Wood said he would use more home-based players and develop local talent while still searching for eligible players elsewhere.[29]

    Gibraltar's first official international match was a 0–0 friendly draw against Slovakia, on 19 November 2013 at the Estadio Algarve in Portugal.[30][31] On 23 February 2014, Gibraltar was drawn in Group D for the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying alongside Germany, Poland, Georgia, Republic of Ireland and Scotland. Initially, Gibraltar were drawn into the same group as Spain for the tournament but the previous decision to keep the two teams apart in qualifying rounds was upheld and Gibraltar was immediately moved into another group. This was their first time participating in an official European competition.[32] In June 2014, Gibraltar recorded their first ever victory under UEFA with a 1–0 win against Malta, the goal coming from Kyle Casciaro.[33]

    Euro 2016 qualifying

    On 7 September 2014, Gibraltar played their first competitive match – a Euro 2016 qualifier against Poland. Despite coming into the game with optimism and excitement, they were still massive underdogs[34] and although the half time score was only 1–0 to Poland, it ended 7–0.[35] On 11 October 2014, they were defeated once again by 7–0, this time by Republic of Ireland, in their second Euro 2016 qualifier. In their third match, they were beaten for the third time by Georgia 3–0.

    On 29 March 2015, Gibraltar scored their first ever goal in a full international competitive match. Lee Casciaro scored against Scotland at Hampden Park, Glasgow during the first half to level the match at 1–1. However, Scotland went on to win 6–1.[36] In July 2015, Englishman Jeff Wood was appointed manager, succeeding caretaker Dave Wilson who took over from Gibraltar's first manager Allen Bula in March 2015.[37] Gibraltar could not repeat their performance of scoring a goal in the next two matches; losing 7–0 away against Germany[38] and 4–0 against Republic of Ireland.[39] On 7 September 2015, Jake Gosling scored Gibraltar's second-ever competitive goal; netting a late consolation goal as his team was defeated 8–1 by Poland.[40] Gibraltar finished its maiden qualifying campaign last in its group with zero points.[41] With a 0–6 defeat to Scotland in the final match of qualifying, Gibraltar allowed 56 total goals throughout qualification, surpassing San Marino's previous record of 53 in a 10-match qualification process.[42]

    UEFA European Football Championship

    UEFA Euro RecordUEFA European Championship qualifying record
    Year Round Pos Pld W D L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA
    1960–2012 Not a UEFA memberNot a UEFA member
    France 2016 Did not qualify 100010256
    Europe 2020 To be determined  — — — — — —
    Germany 2024 To be determined  — — — — — —
    Total 0/16 - 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 10 2 56

    Record of matches

    The following table shows Gibraltar's all-time international record, correct as of 13 October 2018. Only official matches are included.

    Opponents P W D L GF GA GD Win % First Last
     Armenia 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 100.00 20182018
     Belgium 2 0 0 2 0 15 −15 000.00 20162017
     Bosnia and Herzegovina 2 0 0 2 0 9 −9 000.00 20172017
     Croatia 1 0 0 1 0 4 −4 000.00 20152015
     Cyprus 2 0 0 2 2 5 −3 000.00 20162017
     Estonia 4 0 1 3 1 13 −12 000.00 20142017
     Faroe Islands 1 0 0 1 1 4 −3 000.00 20142014
     Georgia 2 0 0 2 0 7 −7 000.00 20142015
     Germany 2 0 0 2 0 11 −11 000.00 20142015
     Greece 2 0 0 2 1 8 −7 000.00 20162017
     Latvia 2 1 0 1 1 5 −4 050.00 20162018
     Liechtenstein 2 0 1 1 0 2 −2 000.00 20162018
     Macedonia 1 0 0 1 0 2 −2 000.00 20182018
     Malta 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 100.00 20142014
     Poland 2 0 0 2 1 15 −14 000.00 20142015
     Portugal 1 0 0 1 0 5 −5 000.00 20162016
     Republic of Ireland 2 0 0 2 0 11 −11 000.00 20142015
     Scotland 2 0 0 2 1 12 −11 000.00 20152015
     Slovakia 1 0 1 0 0 0 +0 000.00 20132013
    Total 33 3 3 27 10 128 −118 009.09 20132018

    2018 FIFA World Cup – qualification

    Gibraltar was drawn to face Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Greece, Estonia and Cyprus during the qualifying stage.[43] {{2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group H table |show_matches=yes|showteam=GIB}}

    Notable results

    Wins

    Gibraltar have won 3 full international matches.

    Draws

    Gibraltar have drawn 3 matches.

    Heaviest defeat

    Recent results and forthcoming fixtures

    Players

    Current squad

    The following players were called up to the squad for the UEFA Nations League games against  Armenia and  Liechtenstein on 13 and 16 October 2018.[49]

    Caps and goals are correct as of 13 October 2018 after the game against  Armenia.

    No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
    1 1GK Kyle Goldwin (1985-04-24) 24 April 1985 4 0 Gibraltar Gibraltar United
    13 1GK Matt Cafer (1994-09-27) 27 September 1994 0 0 Gibraltar Gibraltar Phoenix
    3 2DF Joseph Chipolina (Vice-captain) (1987-12-14) 14 December 1987 30 1 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps
    14 2DF Roy Chipolina (Captain) (1983-01-20) 20 January 1983 29 1 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps
    2 2DF Jean-Carlos Garcia (1992-07-05) 5 July 1992 26 0 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps
    4 2DF Jack Sergeant (1995-02-27) 27 February 1995 15 0 England West Didsbury & Chorlton
    12 2DF Jayce Olivero (1998-07-02) 2 July 1998 15 0 England Abingdon United
    15 2DF Erin Barnett (1996-09-02) 2 September 1996 13 0 Gibraltar Gibraltar United
    6 2DF Louie Annesley (2000-05-30) 30 May 2000 2 0 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps
    20 2DF Ethan Britto (2000-11-30) 30 November 2000 1 0 Gibraltar Mons Calpe
    5 2DF Ethan Jolley (1997-03-29) 29 March 1997 0 0 Gibraltar Europa
    10 3MF Liam Walker (1988-04-13) 13 April 1988 32 2 Gibraltar Europa
    16 3MF Kyle Casciaro (1987-12-02) 2 December 1987 23 1 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps
    8 3MF Anthony Bardon (1993-01-19) 19 January 1993 22 0 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps
    11 3MF Alain Pons (1995-09-16) 16 September 1995 7 0 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps
    17 3MF Andrew Hernandez (1999-01-10) 10 January 1999 1 0 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps
    18 3MF Scott Ballantine (1996-04-12) 12 April 1996 0 0 Gibraltar Gibraltar Phoenix
    7 4FW Lee Casciaro (1981-09-29) 29 September 1981 22 2 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps
    21 4FW Jamie Coombes (1996-05-27) 27 May 1996 10 0 England West Didsbury & Chorlton
    19 4FW George Cabrera (1988-12-14) 14 December 1988 7 0 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps
    9 4FW Reece Styche (1989-05-03) 3 May 1989 4 0 England Darlington

    Stand-by list

    The following players are on stand-by in the event of injury to another member of the squad.

    No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
    1GK Jamie Robba (1991-10-26) 26 October 1991 8 0 Gibraltar St Joseph's
    1GK Dayle Coleing (1996-10-23) 23 October 1996 0 0 Gibraltar Europa
    3MF Graeme Torrilla (1997-09-03) 3 September 1997 0 0 Gibraltar Mons Calpe
    3MF Kevagn Robba (1994-09-20) 20 September 1994 0 0 Gibraltar Mons Calpe
    3MF Michael Negrette (1998-08-14) 14 August 1998 0 0 Gibraltar Gibraltar United
    4FW Tjay De BarrSUS (2000-03-13) 13 March 2000 3 0 Gibraltar Europa
    4FW Leon Clinton (1998-07-19) 19 July 1998 0 0 Gibraltar Lynx

    Recent call-ups

    The following players have been called up within the past twelve months or withdrew from the current squad due to injury or suspension.

    Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
    GK Bradley Banda (1998-01-20) 20 January 1998 0 0 Gibraltar Glacis United v.  Latvia, 25 March 2018
    DF Sheigh Wilson (2000-11-28) 28 November 2000 0 0 Gibraltar Manchester 62 Training camp, 3-8 October 2018
    DF Jason Pusey (1989-02-18) 18 February 1989 4 0 Gibraltar Gibraltar Phoenix Training camp, 17-18 September 2018
    DF Kenneth Chipolina (1994-04-08) 8 April 1994 1 0 Gibraltar Lynx Training camp, 30 July-4 August 2018
    DF Brad Power (1992-10-29) 29 October 1992 0 0 Gibraltar St Joseph's Training camp, 30 July-4 August 2018
    DF Jayce Consigliero (1997-08-03) 3 August 1997 0 0 Gibraltar Gibraltar Phoenix Training camp, 30 July-4 August 2018
    DF Ryan Casciaro (1982-12-11) 11 December 1982 24 0 Gibraltar St Joseph's v.  Latvia, 25 March 2018
    MF Anthony Hernandez (1995-02-03) 3 February 1995 15 1 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps v.  Armenia, 13 October 2018 INJ
    MF Isaac Vinet (2001-04-20) 20 April 2001 0 0 Gibraltar Mons Calpe Training camp, 24-25 September 2018
    MF Sykes Garro (1993-02-26) 26 February 1993 3 0 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps v.  Liechtenstein, 9 September 2018
    MF Jeremy Lopez (1989-07-09) 9 July 1989 8 0 Gibraltar Gibraltar Phoenix v.  Macedonia, 6 September 2018
    MF Jamie Bosio (1991-09-29) 29 September 1991 12 0 Gibraltar Gibraltar United v.  Macedonia, 6 September 2018 PRE
    MF Julian Valarino (2000-06-23) 23 June 2000 0 0 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps v.  Macedonia, 6 September 2018 WD
    MF Tyson Ruiz (1988-03-10) 10 March 1988 1 0 Gibraltar Glacis United Training camp, July 30-August 4 2018
    MF Shaun De Los Santos (1998-01-26) 26 January 1998 0 0 Gibraltar Gibraltar United Training camp, July 30-August 4 2018
    MF Ethan Llambias (2000-11-23) 23 November 2000 0 0 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps Training camp, July 23-29 2018
    MF Jake Gosling (1993-08-11) 11 August 1993 12 2 Unattached v.  Latvia, 25 March 2018
    FW Dylan Peacock (2001-08-24) 24 August 2001 0 0 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps Training camp, 3-8 October 2018
    FW Michael Yome (1994-08-29) 29 August 1994 9 0 Gibraltar Europa Training camp, 24-25 September 2018
    FW John-Paul Duarte (1987-01-11) 11 January 1987 11 0 Gibraltar St Joseph's v.  Macedonia, 6 September 2018 PRE
    • INJ Withdrew from the squad due to an injury.
    • PRE Preliminary squad.
    • RET Retired from the national team.
    • WD Withdrew for other reasons.

    Player history

    The Gibraltar national football team at the Victoria Stadium in March 2014
    The Gibraltar most capped player Liam Walker

    Most capped

    As of 13 October 2018

    # Name Career Caps Goals
    1 Liam Walker 2013– 32 2
    2 Joseph Chipolina 2013– 30 1
    3 Roy Chipolina 2013– 29 1
    4 Jean-Carlos Garcia 2014– 26 0
    5 Ryan Casciaro 2013– 24 0
    6 Kyle Casciaro 2013– 23 1
    7 Lee Casciaro 2014– 22 2
    Anthony Bardon 2014– 22 0
    9 Jordan Perez 2013–2016 17 0
    10 Anthony Hernandez 2014– 15 1
    Jayce Olivero 2016– 15 0
    Jack Sergeant 2013– 15 0

    Jake Gosling (left) and Lee Casciaro (right) are joint top scorers for Gibraltar with two goals each.

    Most goals

    As of 13 October 2018

    Players with an equal number of goals are ranked in order of average.

    # Name Career Goals Caps Average
    1 Jake Gosling 2014– 2 12 0.167
    Lee Casciaro 2014– 2 22 0.091
    Liam Walker 2013– 2 32 0.063
    4 Anthony Hernandez 2014– 1 15 0.067
    Kyle Casciaro 2013– 1 23 0.043
    Roy Chipolina 2013– 1 29 0.034
    Joseph Chipolina 2013– 1 30 0.033

    Captains

    As of 13 October 2018

    # Player Career Captain Caps Total Caps
    1 Roy Chipolina 2013– 29 29
    2 Joseph Chipolina 2013– 2 30
    3 Liam Walker 2013– 1 32
    Ryan Casciaro 2013– 1 24

    Goalkeepers

    As of 13 October 2018

    # Player Career Games Wins GA GAA
    1 Jordan Perez 2013–2016 17 1 52 3.059
    2 Deren Ibrahim 2016– 8 0 39 4.875
    3 Jamie Robba 2014– 8 1 25 3.125
    4 Kyle Goldwin 2018– 4 2 4 1
    • ^1 Players in bold are still actively competing and are available for selection

    International goals

    Gibraltar has scored very few goals in competitive internationals; the list below is comprehensive.

    No. Comp.[a] Date Opponent Scorer(s) Final Score[b]
    1 ECQ 29 March 2015  Scotland Lee Casciaro 1–6
    2 ECQ 7 September 2015  Poland Jake Gosling 1–8
    3 WCQ 6 September 2016  Greece Liam Walker 1–4
    4 WCQ 13 November 2016  Cyprus Lee Casciaro 1–3
    5 WCQ 9 June 2017  Cyprus Anthony Hernandez 1–2

    a ECQ = UEFA European Football Championship qualification match, WCQ = FIFA World Cup qualification match, UNL = UEFA Nations League.
    b The Gibraltar score is always listed first.

    Gibraltar managers

    Up to date as of 13 October 2018
    Manager Nation Gibraltar career Played Won Drawn Lost GF GA Win %
    Allen Bula Gibraltar 2013–2015 9 1 2 6 3 28 011.11
    David Wilson (interim) Scotland 2015 3 0 0 3 1 17 000.00
    Jeff Wood England 2015–2018 17 0 1 16 4 79 000.00
    Desi Curry (interim) Northern Ireland 2018 1 1 0 0 1 0 100.00
    Julio Cesar Ribas Uruguay 2018– 3 1 0 2 1 4 033.33

    Personnel

    Allen Bula, Gibraltar's head coach between 2010 and 2015

    Current technical staff

    As of 29 June 2018[50][51]

    Position Name
    Head Coach Uruguay Julio César Ribas
    Assistant Coach Gibraltar Stephen Head
    Assistant Coach Gibraltar David Ochello
    Goalkeeper Coach England Michael Leonard
    Goalkeeper Coach England Lee Harrison
    Technical Director Northern Ireland Desi Curry
    Match Analyst Gibraltar Jansen Moreno
    Team Doctor Gibraltar Vanessa Robba
    Team Physiotherapist Gibraltar Iain Latin
    Team Osteopath England Paul Knight
    Massage Therapist Gibraltar Gareth Henwood

    Stadium

    Before being accepted into UEFA, the team played its home games at Victoria Stadium, the 5,000-seat national stadium of Gibraltar. There were plans to replace the stadium with the proposed 8,000-seat Europa Point Stadium which was expected to be completed for UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying.[52][53][54] Construction was expected to begin in October 2013.[55] While a new stadium is under construction, the team will play its home matches at Estádio Algarve about four hours away in Portugal since the Victoria Stadium does not meet UEFA standards for international matches. Former national team manager Allen Bula stated that the team would play at the stadium for "a few years" until the Europa Point Stadium is complete.[56] Although the Victoria Stadium cannot be used for qualifying matches, it can be used for friendlies when Gibraltar chooses to do so.[57] In December 2014 the GFA applied for an exemption from UEFA to allow for competitive matches to be held at the Victoria Stadium although it did not meet minimum requirements. The exemption was filed based upon UEFA regulations which allow for an exemption to be granted because of "hardship". At that time, UEFA said that all scheduled matches, such as those during Euro 2016 qualification, would take place in the already-determined locations but a determination would be made for future competitions.[58] In February 2016 the Gibraltar government announced that over the previous four years numerous improvements had been made to the Victoria Stadium including the installation of approved AstroTurf and lighting which surpassed the requirements for a Category 2 stadium but did not quite meet Category 3. These improvements allowed for UEFA Champions League and Europa League matches to be played at the stadium.[59] In September 2015 it was announced that the GFA was considering the site of the Lathbury Barracks as an alternative to Europa Point following strong opposition from some Gibraltarians. At the time it was also revealed that UEFA would not fund renovations to the Victoria Stadium but would fund the construction of a new stadium. Additionally UEFA backed down from its original demands for a Category 4 stadium and would allow for the construction and use of a 4,000 to 6,000 seat venue.[60] In February 2016 the Government of Gibraltar announced that it expected to be presented for plans at the Lathbury site very soon.[59]

    See also

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Development team from 2015 edition onward

    References

    1. ↑ "Team 54". Gibraltar Football Association. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
    2. ↑ "FIFA Rankings". FIFA.com. FIFA. 18 January 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
    3. ↑ "Gibraltar Voted Into FIFA". FIFA.com. FIFA. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
    4. ↑ Montague, James (22 May 2013). "Gibraltar Moves Closer to Soccer Independence". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
    5. 1 2 "Gibraltar given full Uefa membership at London Congress". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
    6. 1 2 Stokkermans, Karel. "Gibraltar – List of International Matches". rsssf.com. RSSSF. Retrieved 29 June 2007.
    7. ↑ Brown, Colin. "NatWest Island Games XII – Rhodes 2007". International Island Games Association. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
    8. ↑ Owen, Graham. "Football in Gibraltar-". laliganews.tv. La Liga News. Archived from the original on 24 August 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
    9. 1 2 Kenny, Stuart. "From army games to a draw with Real Madrid: A history of Gibraltar football". sports.stv.tv. STV. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
    10. ↑ "Football: Gibraltar to send youth to Jersey 2015". Jersey Evening Post. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
    11. ↑ "FIFI Wild Cup 2006". rsssf.com. RSSSF. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
    12. ↑ "Four Nations Semi-professional Tournament". rsssf.com. RSSSF. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
    13. ↑ "International news: Gibraltar confirm new stadium plans". Sky Sports. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
    14. ↑ "Gibraltar to appeal FIFA decision over member application". pulse.ng. Pulse NG. 26 September 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
    15. ↑ "CAS hears Gibraltar's appeal to join FIFA". Washington Times. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
    16. ↑ Montague, James. "Ruling Moves Gibraltar Closer to FIFA Membership". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
    17. ↑ "FIFA Statement on CAS decision concerning Gibraltar". FIFA.com. FIFA. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
    18. ↑ "Gibraltar, Kosovo granted FIFA membership ahead of 2018 World Cup qualifying". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
    19. ↑ Doyle, Paul. "Gibraltar set to be new kids on the Rock as Uefa votes on its future". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
    20. ↑ "Background". Gibraltar Football Association. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
    21. ↑ "Congress decisions bring Gibraltar on board". UEFA.com (Press release). UEFA. 24 May 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
    22. ↑ Lafuente, Javier (24 May 2013). "Gibraltar mete un gol a España". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 November 2013.
    23. ↑ Culatto, John (14 November 2013). "GFA change squad rules for Slovakia friendly". panorama.gi. Panorama Daily Gibraltar. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
    24. ↑ "Stoke City: Danny Higginbotham confirms Gibraltar approach". The Sentinel. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
    25. ↑ "Danny Higginbotham: Gibraltar call-up was too good to refuse". The Sentinel. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
    26. ↑ "Danny Higginbotham agrees to play for Gibraltar". Sky Sports. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
    27. ↑ "Danny Higginbotham agrees to play for Gibraltar at international level". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
    28. ↑ Doyle, Garry (11 October 2014). "We can reach play-offs, insists Gibraltar manager". Irish Independent. Retrieved 7 September 2015. Higginbotham, who is Bula's nephew, is one of several English-born players who have been drafted in, much to the chagrin of some Gibraltarians, who have heaped abuse on the manager for doing so.
    29. ↑ Fitzmaurice, Aidan (3 September 2015). "'Green army not a worry for us', says Gibraltar boss Jeff Wood". The Herald. Retrieved 7 September 2015. Gibraltar, bottom of Group D, have changed their approach of late: they're not so keen to recruit eligible players via the 'granny rule' but instead are intent on bring through home grown talent.
    30. ↑ "Slovakia 0 Gibraltar 0". BBC Sport. 19 November 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
    31. ↑ Brennan, Rob (19 November 2013). "Rock solid: Gibraltar hold Slovakia to a goalless draw in their UEFA debut match". Daily Mail. London. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
    32. ↑ Fifield, Nicola (23 February 2014). "Gibraltar moves group in Euro 2016 qualifiers draw over political tensions". London: Telegraph. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
    33. ↑ "Gibraltar claim first win with 1–0 victory over Malta". BBC Sport. 5 June 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
    34. ↑ Lowe, Sid (2 September 2014). "Gibraltar head to Portugal to play Poland in first competitive match". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
    35. ↑ "Gibraltar 0–7 Poland: Robert Lewandowski scores four as Allen Bula's side endure predictably torrid evening". Mail Online. 7 September 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
    36. ↑ "Scotland 6 – 1 Gibraltar". BBC Sport. 29 March 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
    37. ↑ "Wood takes permanent Gibraltar role". UEFA.com. UEFA.
    38. ↑ "Germany 7 – 0 Gibraltar". BBC Sport. 13 June 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
    39. ↑ Hafez, Shamoon (4 September 2015). "Gibraltar 0 – 4 R. of Ireland". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
    40. ↑ Kozminski, Piotr. "Lethal Poland too strong for Gibraltar". UEFA.com. UEFA. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
    41. ↑ "Scotland ease past Gibraltar to end on a high". UEFA.com. UEFA. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
    42. ↑ "Steven Fletcher bags hat-trick as Scotland rout Gibraltar". asia.eurosport.com. Eurosport. 12 October 2015. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
    43. ↑ "Fixture List – Centralised friendlies" (PDF). UEFA.com. UEFA.
    44. ↑ Wood, Dave (4 June 2014). "Gibraltar 1-0 Malta: Kyle Casciaro the goal hero as UEFA newcomers claim first win". Mail Online. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
    45. ↑ Brennan, Rob (19 November 2013). "Rock solid: Gibraltar hold Slovakia to a goalless draw in their UEFA debut match". Mail Online. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
    46. ↑ "Head to head: Gibraltar vs. Estonia". Soccerbase.com. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
    47. ↑ "Gibraltar 0-0 Liechtenstein". Gibraltar Football Association. 23 March 2016. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
    48. ↑ Whaling, James (31 August 2017). "Eden Hazard scores on return to action as Chelsea winger helps Belgium to 9-0 win over Gibraltar". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
    49. ↑ "Gibraltar Squad - UEFA Nations League October 2018". gibraltarfa.com. Gibraltar Football Association. 8 October 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
    50. ↑ "Official Teamsheet". GibFootballTalk. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
    51. ↑ Franco, Liam. "Football: E – Day has dawned for Gibraltar in UEFA". Gibraltar Chronicle. Archived from the original on 5 March 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
    52. ↑ "Our new national stadium". team54.gi. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
    53. ↑ "'NO POLITICS, JUST FOOTBALL' – BEISO". Gibraltar Chronicle. 3 October 2012. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
    54. ↑ Doyle, Paul (23 May 2013). "Gibraltar set to be new kids on the Rock as Uefa votes on its future". London: Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
    55. ↑ Franco, Liam. "GIB's MAN IN UEFA FLAGS UP STADIUM PROJECT ON TWITTER". Gibraltar Chronicle. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
    56. ↑ "Algarve – temporary home for Gibraltar's international football matches". GBC News. Archived from the original on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
    57. ↑ Bailey, Graeme. "Slovakia to be Gibraltar's first opponents". Sky Sports. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
    58. ↑ Bolton, Ash. "Gibraltar's Victoria Stadium could host international football matches". Surin English. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
    59. 1 2 "Victoria Stadium Belongs to the Whole Community" (PDF). Government of Gibraltar. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
    60. ↑ "New GFA stadium – Lathbury Barracks could replace Europa Point". GBC. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
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