Togo national football team

Togo
Nickname(s) Les Éperviers
(The Sparrowhawks)
Association Fédération Togolaise de Football (FTF)
Confederation CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation WAFU (West Africa)
Head coach Claude Le Roy
Captain Emmanuel Adebayor
Top scorer Emmanuel Adebayor (31)[1]
Home stadium Stade de Kégué
FIFA code TOG
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 123 Increase 1 (20 September 2018)
Highest 46 (August 2006)
Lowest 129 (April 2018)
Elo ranking
Current 110 Decrease 1 (20 August 2018)
Highest 56 (November 2005, January 2006)
Lowest 128 (4 September 1994)
First international
France French Togoland 1–1 Gold Coast  and Trans-Volta Togoland United Kingdom
(French Togoland; 13 October 1956)
Biggest win
 Togo 6–0 Swaziland 
(Accra, Ghana; 11 November 2008)
 Togo 6–0 Mauritius 
(Lomé, Mauritius; 12 November 2017)
Biggest defeat
 Morocco 7–0 Togo Togo
(Morocco; 28 October 1979)
 Tunisia 7–0 Togo Togo
(Tunis, Tunisia; 7 January 2000)
World Cup
Appearances 1 (first in 2006)
Best result Group stage, 2006
Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances 8 (first in 1972)
Best result Quarter-finals, 2013
Members of the Togolese national football team before a warm-up match in Biberach/Riss a few days before the 2006 World Cup

The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Éperviers (The Sparrowhawks), is controlled by the Fédération Togolaise de Football. The national football team of Togo made their debut in the FIFA World Cup in 2006. Their team bus underwent a fatal attack in Angola prior to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. They withdrew and were subsequently banned from the following two tournaments by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). In 2013 for the first time in history, Togo reached the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations.

History

They made their first FIFA World Cup appearance in their history in 2006, having been coached throughout the qualifying campaign by Stephen Keshi; German coach Otto Pfister managed the team at the finals, despite having resigned three days before their first match over a players' bonuses dispute, only to be persuaded by the players to return. Prior to gaining independence in 1960, the team were known as French Togoland.

2006 World Cup

Togo lost their opening game of the World Cup, despite having taken the lead against South Korea through a goal by Mohamed Kader. In the second half, Jean-Paul Abalo was sent off after 55 minutes, and goals from Lee Chun-Soo and Ahn Jung-Hwan sealed a 2–1 defeat for Togo.

Togo's next opponents in Group G were Switzerland, with the match scheduled for the afternoon of 19 June. However, the Togo squad and manager Pfister threatened to refuse to fulfill the fixture and take strike action. The squad and manager had been quoted as requesting payments from the Fédération Togolaise de Football for participating in the tournament of around €155,000 (US$192,000) with added bonuses for victories or draws. FIFA negotiated with the squad and manager on 17 June, persuading them to travel to Dortmund in time to fulfill the fixture;[2] goals from Alexander Frei and Tranquillo Barnetta resulted in a 2–0 defeat. FIFA subsequently imposed a CHF100,000 fine on the Togolese federation for "behaviour unworthy of a participant in the World Cup."[3]

Togo's final group game against France ended in 2–0 defeat.

Sierra Leone air disaster

After a 2008 African Nations Cup qualifier away to Sierra Leone on 3 June 2007, 20 members of a delegation of sports officials from Togo, including Togolese Sports Minister Richard Attipoe, were killed when their helicopter exploded and crashed at Lungi International Airport. No players of the Togo national team were among the victims. The Togo players and officials of the team had been waiting to take the next helicopter flight to the island on which the airport is located.

2010 bus ambush and ban

On 8 January 2010, the Togo team bus was attacked by gunmen as it travelled to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, killing three and injuring several others. The separatist group Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC) claimed responsibility for the attack. Goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale was reported dead a day after the attack.[4] Such reports were later dismissed by his club GSI Pontivy in a press announcement, stating the player was actually undergoing surgery in South Africa.[5]

Following the bus ambush attack, the Fédération Togolaise de Football stated that they would withdraw from the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations; despite claims that the team had since reversed the decision and would compete "to show our national colours, our values and that we are men" (as announced by Thomas Dossevi),[6] the government later ordered that the team return home.[7]

Following the team's withdrawal, The Confederation of African Football (CAF) banned Togo from participating in the next two editions of the Cup of Nations and fined them $50,000 because of the "decision taken by the political authorities".[8][9][10] The CAF executive Committee considered that the Togolese team was in "forfeit notified less than twenty days before the start or during the final competition" (Art. 78 of the Regulations for the Africa Cup of Nations),[8][11] rather than having withdrawn (Art. 80), and refused to consider the circumstances as force majeure (Art. 87). Togo's government immediately said they would sue as CAF "have no consideration for the lives of other human beings" and this is further "insulting to the family of those who lost their lives and those traumatized because of the attack".[9] FIFA has yet to comment on the issue.[9] Togo footballer Thomas Dossevi said "We are a group of footballers who came under fire and now we can't play football any more. They are crushing us".[9] Togolese captain Emmanuel Adebayor described the decision as "outrageous" and said that CAF President Issa Hayatou had "completely betrayed" the Togo squad.[12]

As a result of the events, Emmanuel Adebayor announced his retirement from international football on 12 April 2010. But on 22 March 2011 Adebayor announced that he was again available for the national team.

Fake Togo Team

On 7 September 2010, Togo allegedly played Bahrain in a friendly losing the match 3–0. However, on 14 September, the Togo FA claimed that a fake team had played against Bahrain. Togo's Sport Minister Christophe Tchao said to the Jeune Afrique magazine that nobody in Togo had "ever been informed of such a game".[13] On 20 September 2010, it was revealed that former Togo manager Bana Tchanilé was the culprit and the Togo FA have given him a three-year ban in addition to the two-year ban he got in July 2010 for taking Togo players to play a tournament in Egypt.[14] The match fixing has been linked to Wilson Raj Perumal and the Singaporean match-fixing syndicate allegedly run by Tan Seet Eng.[15]

2014 World Cup Qualification

Togo began qualification for the 2014 World Cup on November 11, 2011 against Guinea-Bissau. They drew in the first leg 1–1. On November 15, 2011, they won the return leg 1–0. On June 3, 2012, they played Libya in Lome and drew 1–1. Shortly after on June 10, they played Congo DR at Kinshasa and lost 2–0. They resumed on March 3, 2013 and played Cameroon in Yaounde and lost 2–1. They met again on June 9 in Lome and Togo won 2–0. In the end, Togo failed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Competition records

World Cup record

FIFA World Cup record FIFA World Cup Qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA
Uruguay 1930 Did not enter Declined participation
Italy 1934
France 1938
Brazil 1950
Switzerland 1954
Sweden 1958
Chile 1962
England 1966
Mexico 1970
West Germany 1974 Did not qualify 2 0 0 2 0 4
Argentina 1978 4 1 1 2 3 5
Spain 1982 2 1 0 1 2 2
Mexico 1986 Withdrew Withdrew
Italy 1990
United States 1994 Did not qualify 5 0 0 5 2 11
France 1998 8 2 2 4 9 16
South Korea Japan 2002 10 3 4 3 13 13
Germany 2006 Group stage 30th 3 0 0 3 1 6 12 8 2 2 22 9
South Africa 2010 Did not qualify 10 4 2 4 11 10
Brazil 2014 8 2 2 4 6 12
Russia 2018 2 0 0 2 0 4
Qatar 2022 To be determined To be determined
Canada Mexico United States 2026 To be determined To be determined
Total Group stage 1/21 3 0 0 3 1 6 63 21 13 29 68 86

Africa Cup of Nations record

Africa Cup of Nations record
Host nation(s) / Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA
Sudan 1957Did not enter
United Arab Republic 1959
Ethiopia 1962
Ghana 1963
Tunisia 1965
Ethiopia 1968Did not qualify
Sudan 1970
Cameroon 1972 Group stage 7th 3 0 2 1 4 6
Egypt 1974Withdrew
Ethiopia 1976Did not qualify
Ghana 1978
Nigeria 1980
Libya 1982
Ivory Coast 1984 Group stage 8th 3 0 1 2 1 7
Egypt 1986Did not qualify
Morocco 1988
Algeria 1990Withdrew
Senegal 1992Did not qualify
Tunisia 1994Withdrew during qualifying
South Africa 1996Did not qualify
Burkina Faso 1998 Group stage 12th 3 1 0 2 3 3
Ghana Nigeria 2000 10th 3 1 1 1 2 3
Mali 2002 12th 3 0 2 1 0 3
Tunisia 2004Did not qualify
Egypt 2006 Group stage 16th 3 0 0 3 2 7
Ghana 2008Did not qualify
Angola 2010Withdrew due to rebel attack
Equatorial Guinea Gabon 2012Did not qualify
South Africa 2013 Quarter-finals 8th 4 1 1 2 4 4
Equatorial Guinea 2015Did not qualify
Gabon 2017 Group stage 16th 3 0 1 2 2 6
Cameroon 2019 To be determined
Ivory Coast 2021 To be determined
Guinea 2023 To be determined
Total Quarter-finals 8/31 25 3 8 14 18 39

African Games record

Football at the African Games has been an under-23 tournament since 1991.
African Games record
Year Result GP W D L GS GA
Republic of the Congo 1965-000000
Nigeria 1973-000000
Algeria 1978-000000
Kenya 1987-000000
1991–present See Togo national under-23 football team
Total4/4000000

Results and fixtures

  Win   Draw   Loss

2017

2018

2019

Players

Current squad

The following players have been selected for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier match against Benin on 9 September 2018.[16]

Caps and goals updated as of 24 March 2018 after the game against Ivory Coast.[17]

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Sabirou Bassa-Djeri (1987-07-09) 9 July 1987 9 0 Cameroon Coton Sport
1GK Yorgan Agblémagnon (1999-06-17) 17 June 1999 2 0 Spain Ponferradina
1GK Fadil Soumanou 0 0 Togo Koroki
2DF Djené Dakonam (1991-12-31) 31 December 1991 43 0 Spain Getafe
2DF Maklibè Kouloum (1987-10-05) 5 October 1987 18 0 Togo Dynamic Togolais
2DF Hakim Ouro-Sama (1997-12-28) 28 December 1997 15 0 France Lille B
2DF Simon Gbegnon (1992-03-27) 27 March 1992 7 0 France Béziers
2DF Tevi Lawson (1994-08-08) 8 August 1994 6 0 Switzerland Neuchâtel Xamax
2DF Adewale Olufadé (1994-08-21) 21 August 1994 0 0 Cameroon Union Douala
2DF Messan Toudji (1997-05-15) 15 May 1997 0 0 Togo Agnes
3MF Floyd Ayité (1988-12-15) 15 December 1988 37 10 England Fulham
3MF Lalawélé Atakora (1990-11-09) 9 November 1990 37 2 Azerbaijan Gabala
3MF Mathieu Dossevi (1988-02-12) 12 February 1988 23 5 France Toulouse
3MF Razak Boukari (1987-04-25) 25 April 1987 18 1 France Châteauroux
3MF Ihlas Bebou (1994-04-23) 23 April 1994 15 0 Germany Hannover 96
3MF Franco Atchou (1995-12-03) 3 December 1995 12 0 Denmark Fremad Amager
3MF Elom Nya-Vedji (1997-11-24) 24 November 1997 2 1 Togo Planète Foot Lomé
3MF Samuel Asamoah (1994-03-23) 23 March 1994 0 0 Belgium Sint-Truidense
3MF Bilal Akoro (1999-12-14) 14 December 1999 0 0 Togo OTR
3MF Amevi Gadjabo (1998-12-12) 12 December 1998 0 0 Togo Espoir Tsevie
3MF Thomas Wogodo (2000-01-28) 28 January 2000 0 0 Togo Agoè
3MF Marco Bocco 0 0 Togo Agaza Lomé
4FW Emmanuel Adebayor (1984-02-26) 26 February 1984 84 31 Turkey İstanbul Başakşehir
4FW Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba (1992-01-27) 27 January 1992 19 10 Morocco Nahdat Berkane
4FW Kevin Denkey (2000-11-30) 30 November 2000 0 0 France Nîmes
4FW Ayi Kissimbo (1995-08-05) 5 August 1995 0 0 Togo Togo-Port
4FW Kossi Koudagba 0 0 Togo ASCK

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up for Togo in the last 12 months.[18]

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Fatau Alhassani Dida (1997-08-11) 11 August 1997 1 0 Ghana Liberty Professionals v.  Benin, 9 September 2018 PRE
GK Dové Abotchi (1992-09-20) 20 September 1992 0 0 Togo Togo-Port v.  Iran, 5 October 2017
DF Issifou Bourahana (1991-12-31) 31 December 1991 3 0 Togo Togo-Port v.  Benin, 9 September 2018 PRE
DF Ablanvi Djadja 0 0 Togo Togo-Port v.  Benin, 9 September 2018 PRE
DF Sadat Ouro-Akoriko (1988-02-01) 1 February 1988 39 1 South Africa AmaZulu v.  Mauritius, 12 November 2017
DF Donou Kokou (1991-04-24) 24 April 1991 18 1 Togo Sèmassi v.  Mauritius, 12 November 2017
DF Wilson Akakpo (1992-10-10) 10 October 1992 0 0 Egypt Al Ittihad v.  Iran, 5 October 2017
MF Komlan Agbégniadan (1991-03-26) 26 March 1991 15 3 Ivory Coast ASEC Mimosas v.  Ivory Coast, 24 March 2018
MF Guillaume Yenoussi (1997-06-02) 2 June 1997 7 0 Togo Dynamic Togolais v.  Ivory Coast, 24 March 2018
MF Charles Acolatse (1995-05-05) 5 May 1995 1 0 Romania Foresta Suceava v.  Mauritius, 12 November 2017
MF Dové Womé (1991-06-08) 8 June 1991 37 7 Latvia Ventspils v.  Iran, 5 October 2017
MF Sérge Seko Atsou (1993-07-10) 10 July 1993 2 0 Cameroon Union Douala v.  Iran, 5 October 2017
FW Kodjo Sewonou (1996-03-11) 11 March 1996 5 2 Togo Togo-Port v.  Benin, 9 September 2018 PRE
FW Peniel Mlapa (1991-02-20) 20 February 1991 5 0 Netherlands VVV v.  Benin, 9 September 2018 PRE
FW Thibault Klidje (2001-07-10) 10 July 2001 0 0 Togo Espoir Tsevie v.  Benin, 9 September 2018 PRE
FW Euloge Placca Fessou (1994-12-31) 31 December 1994 11 1 Belgium Beerschot Wilrijk v.  Ivory Coast, 24 March 2018

DEC Player refused to join the team after the call-up.
INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury.
PRE Preliminary squad.
RET Player has retired from international football.
SUS Suspended from the national team.


Previous squads

FIFA World Cup

Africa Cup of Nations

Coaches

References

  1. ↑ Mamrud, Roberto; Stokkermans, Karel. "Players with 100+ Caps and 30+ International Goals". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 2011-06-28. Retrieved 2010-12-16.
  2. ↑ "Sky Sports | Football News". Home.skysports.com. Archived from the original on 2007-01-25. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
  3. ↑ https://www.fifa.com/en/media/index/0,1369,120470,00.html?articleid=120470. Retrieved August 30, 2006. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ↑ Reuters (2010-01-09). "African Cup of Nations — NoConfusion over Togo death toll". Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  5. ↑ "Kodjovi Obilalé n'est pas décédé des suites de ses blessures (Agence AFP)" (in French). Archived from the original on 2007-02-22. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  6. ↑ Nick Reeves (2010-01-10). "Togo in dramatic African Nations Cup u-turn". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  7. ↑ "Togo officially disqualified from Africa Cup of Nations". BBC Sport. BBC. 2010-01-11. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  8. 1 2 Togo's withdrawal, Confederation of African Football, 30 January 2010
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Togo banned from next two Africa Cups of Nations". BBC Sport. BBC. 30 January 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
  10. ↑ "Togo suspended for next two Africa Nations Cup". Xinhua. Retrieved 31 January 2010.
  11. ↑ Regulations of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations (PDF), Confederation of African Football
  12. ↑ Togo captain Emmanuel Adebayor slams 'outrageous' ban, BBC Sport, 31 January 2010
  13. ↑ 'Fake' Togo football team at Bahrain match being investigated, BBC News, 15 September 2010
  14. ↑ Fake mastermind behind fake Togo team revealed!, Yahoo, 20 September 2010, archived from the original on 26 September 2010
  15. ↑ Buncombe, Andrew (29 March 2013). "Dan Tan: the man who fixed football". The Independent. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
  16. ↑ http://www.afrik-foot.com/togo-la-liste-definitive-de-claude-le-roy-contre-le-benin
  17. ↑ "Togo".
  18. ↑ http://m.afrik-foot.com/togo-adebayor-de-retour-contre-l-ile-maurice
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