Gambia national football team

The Gambia national football team,represents The Gambia in men's international football and is controlled by the Gambia Football Federation. Until 1965, the team and the country, were known as British Gambia. It has never qualified for the World Cup or the Africa Cup of Nations finals. The team represents both FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF).

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Gambia women's national football team.
Gambia
Nickname(s)The Scorpions
AssociationGambia Football Federation
ConfederationCAF (Africa)
Sub-confederationWAFU (West Africa)
Head coachTom Saintfiet
CaptainPa Modou Jagne
Most capsPa Modou Jagne (32)
Top scorerAssan Ceesay (6)
Home stadiumIndependence Stadium
FIFA codeGAM
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 159 (11 June 2020)[1]
Highest65 (June 2009)
Lowest179 (March 2017)
Elo ranking
Current 123 8 (2 April 2020)[2]
Highest93 (January 1984)
Lowest145 (22 November 1993)
First international
British Gambia 2–1 Sierra Leone
(Gambia; 9 February 1953)
Biggest win
 Gambia 6–0 Lesotho 
(Banjul, Gambia; 12 October 2002)
Biggest defeat
 Guinea 8–0 Gambia 
(Guinea; 14 May 1972)

History

Under the name British Gambia, the team played their first ever game on 9 February 1953 against Sierra Leone, winning 2–1 at home in a friendly.[3] In April 1963, the team entered the L'Amitié tournament in Senegal, a competition mainly for French-speaking nations. They were drawn in a group with France's amateur team, the Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) and Gabon. Their first match was lost 5–1 to the French amateurs on 11 April. The Gambia drew 2–2 with the Upper Volta on 13 April, and had the same result the very next day versus Gabon. The Gambia did not advance to the next round.

After the tournament in Senegal, The Gambia did not play another match until 16 November 1968, when they travelled to Sierra Leone to play its team in a friendly and lost 2–1. They played again in Sierra Leone in The Gambia's next match on 24 April 1971, and the hosts won 3–1. On 2 May 1971, The Gambia travelled to Guinea for a friendly and lost 4–2. On 14 May 1972, The Gambia returned to Guinea for their first African Games qualifier and lost 8–0 and were knocked out.

In 1975, The Gambia entered its first qualification campaign for the 1976 Summer Olympics in Canada. They were drawn in a qualifier against Guinea, and lost the first leg 1–0 at home on 27 April 1975. The second leg was lost 6–0 in Guinea on 1 June as Guinea advanced 7–0 on aggregate.

In August 1975, The Gambia entered their first qualification for the African Cup of Nations, with the aim of reaching the 1976 finals in Ethiopia. They were drawn in a two-legged qualifier against Morocco and lost the first leg 3–0 away on 10 August. They lost by the same score in their home leg on 24 August and Morocco advanced 6–0 on aggregate.

After the qualification campaign for the 1976 finals, The Gambia played their first match against a full European side, losing a home friendly 4–1 to Denmark on 30 January 1977.[4]

In May 2014, The Gambia was banned from all CAF competitions for two years after deliberately falsifying players' ages.[5]

The nation's fortunes improved in qualification for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. Although they failed to qualify, they took it to the final round of games, including drawing twice with African giants Algeria.

On 13 November, in their first Group D match of 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification, Gambia defeated Angola 1–3 in Luanda. This was The Scorpions first away win in an AFCON or FIFA World Cup qualifier ever, at their 40th attempt.

Home stadium
Football fans watching Gambia v Guinea

Independence Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Bakau, Gambia. It is currently used mostly for football matches, although it is also used for music concerts, political events, trade fairs and national celebrations. The stadium holds 30,000 people.[6]

Competitive record

Gambia Football Achievements
Amilcar Cabral Cup :
  • 3 Times Runners-up

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
1930 to
1978		 Did not enter Did not enter
1982 Did not qualify 2 0 1 1 2 1
1986 2 1 0 1 3 6
1990 Did not enter Did not enter
1994 Withdrew Withdrew
1998 Did not qualify 2 1 0 1 2 5
2002 2 0 0 2 0 3
2006 2 1 0 1 2 3
2010 6 2 3 1 6 3
2014 6 1 1 4 4 11
2018 2 0 1 1 2 3
2022 2 0 0 2 1 3
2026 To be determined To be determined
Total––––––––2666142238

Africa Cup of Nations record
Africa Cup of Nations record
Host nation(s) / Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA
1957 to 1963 Part of United Kingdom
1965Not affiliated to CAF
1968 to 1974 Did not enter
1976 Did not qualify
1978 Did not enter
1980 to 1988 Did not qualify
1990 Withdrew
1992 Did not qualify
1994 Did not enter
1996 Withdrew during qualifying
1998 Banned for withdrawing in 1996
2000 Withdrew
2002 to 2013 Did not qualify
2015 Banned
2017Did not qualify
2019
2021To be determined
2023
2025
Total–0/32––––––

Recent schedule and results

The following is a list of match results from the previous 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

  Win   Draw   Loss

2019
7 June 2019 FriendlyGuinea 0–1 GambiaMarrakech, Morocco
Sohna  ?'
12 June 2019 FriendlyMorocco 0–1 GambiaMarrakech, Morocco
17:30 (UTC+1) Report Mu. Barrow  27' Stadium: Stade de Marrakech
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Boubou Traore (Mali)
6 September 2019 2022 FWCQGambia 0–1 AngolaBakau, Gambia
17:00 UTC±0 Report Gaspar  31' Stadium: Independence Stadium
Referee: Quadri Adebimpe (Nigeria)
10 September 2019 2022 FWCQAngola 2–1
(3–1 agg.)		 GambiaLuanda, Angola
16:00 UTC+1 Geraldo  41'
Abreu  68'		 Report Ceesay  65' Stadium: Estádio 11 de Novembro
Referee: Jean-Marc Ganamandji (Central African Republic)
1 October 2019 (2019-10-01) 2019 WAFUGhana 1–0 GambiaThiès, Senegal
 Stadium: Stade Lat-Dior
4 October 2019 (2019-10-04) 2019 WAFUMauritania 0–0
(2–4 p)		 GambiaThiès, Senegal
Stadium: Stade Lat-Dior
8 October 2019 (2019-10-08) 2019 WAFUGambia 0–1 Cape VerdeThiès, Senegal
  • Norta  32'
 Stadium: Stade Lat-Dior
9 October 2019 2021 AFCONQDjibouti 1–1 GambiaDjibouti City, Djibouti
19:00 UTC+3
Stadium: El Hadj Hassan Gouled Aptidon Stadium
Referee: Ibrahim Nour El Din (Egypt)
13 October 2019 2021 AFCONQGambia 1–1
(3–2 p)		 DjiboutiBakau, Gambia
16:00 UTC±0
Stadium: Independence Stadium,
Referee: Mahamadou Keita (Mali)
Penalties
13 November 2019 (2019-11-13) 2021 AFCONQAngola 1–3 GambiaLuanda, Angola
20:00 UTC+1
Stadium: Estádio 11 de Novembro
18 November 2019 (2019-11-18) 2021 AFCONQGambia 2–2 DR CongoBakau, Gambia
16:00 UTC±0
Stadium: Independence Stadium

Coaching staff

In July 2018, former Togo and Zimbabwe coach Tom Saintfiet, was appointed as head coach. Saintfiet took over from former international Sang Ndong who is now technical director of the Gambia Football Federation (GFF) following the end of his contract in January.[7]

Head Coach Tom Saintfiet
Technical Director Sang Ndong
Assistant Coach Mattar M'Boge
Goalkeeping Coach Alhagie Marong
Team Doctor Kalifa Manneh
Physiotherapist Pa Matarr Ndow
Equipment Manager Mustapha Kassama

Players

Current squad

The following players were called up for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches against Angola and DR Congo on 13 and 18 November 2019.

  • Caps and goals are correct as of: 18 November 2019, after the match against DR Congo
No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Modou Jobe (1988-10-27) 27 October 1988 26 0 El-Kanemi Warriors
1GK Baboucarr Gaye (1998-02-24) 24 February 1998 0 0 Arminia Bielefeld
22 1GK Sheikh Sibi (1997-08-08) 8 August 1997 0 0 Virtus Verona
13 2DF Pa Modou Jagne (C) (1989-12-26) 26 December 1989 32 2 Zürich
3 2DF Bubacarr Sanneh (1994-11-14) 14 November 1994 19 1 Oostende
5 2DF Omar Colley (1992-10-24) October 24, 1992 18 0 Sampdoria
2 2DF Sulayman Bojang (1997-09-03) 3 September 1997 4 0 Sarpsborg 08
16 2DF Mohammed Mbye (1989-06-18) 18 June 1989 4 0 Free Agent
2DF Alieu Jatta (1995-09-18) 18 September 1995 2 0 Casa Sports
2DF Ngine Njie (1995-02-12) 12 February 1995 1 0 Casa Sports
15 3MF Ebrima Sohna (1988-12-14) 14 December 1988 30 2 Keşla
3MF Sulayman Marreh (1996-01-15) 15 January 1996 17 1 Gent
3MF Hamza Barry (1994-10-15) 15 October 1994 15 0 Hajduk Split
4 3MF Dawda Ngum (1990-09-02) 2 September 1990 11 0 Brønshøj
19 3MF Ebrima Colley (2000-02-01) 1 February 2000 5 0 Atalanta
3MF Ablie Jallow (1998-11-14) 14 November 1998 6 2 Ajaccio
20 3MF Sheriff Sinyan (1996-07-19) 19 July 1996 4 0 Lillestrøm
3MF Alasana Manneh (1998-04-08) 8 April 1998 2 0 Górnik Zabrze
9 4FW Assan Ceesay (1994-03-17) 17 March 1994 15 6 VfL Osnabrück
7 4FW Lamin Jallow (1994-07-22) 22 July 1994 14 1 Salernitana
4FW Modou Barrow (1992-10-03) 3 October 1992 10 1 Denizlispor
10 4FW Musa Barrow (1998-11-14) 14 November 1998 7 1 Bologna
4FW Bubacarr Trawally (1994-11-10) 10 November 1994 7 0 Ajman
11 4FW Yusupha Njie (1994-01-03) 3 January 1994 2 0 Boavista
17 4FW Bubacarr Jobe (1994-11-21) 21 November 1994 9 2 Mjällby

Recent call ups

Following players have been selected in last months

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Alagie Nyabally (1991-11-15) 15 November 1991 7 0 Real Banjul vs.  Angola, 10 September 2019
DF Saidy Janko (1995-10-22) 22 October 1995 0 0 Young Boys vs.  Angola, 13 November 2019PRE
DF Mamadou Danso (1983-04-27) 27 April 1983 16 2 UiTM vs.  Angola, 10 September 2019
DF Simon Richter (1985-01-16) 16 January 1985 7 0 Brønshøj vs.  Angola, 10 September 2019
DF Ibou Touray (1994-12-24) 24 December 1994 4 0 Salford City vs.  Angola, 10 September 2019
MF Bun Sanneh (1999-04-04) 4 April 1999 0 0 Génération Foot vs.  Angola, 10 September 2019
MF Ebou Adams (1996-01-15) 15 January 1996 6 0 Forest Green Rovers vs.  Angola, 10 September 2019
MF Yusupha Bobb (1996-06-22) 22 June 1996 3 0 Lecco vs.  Morocco, 12 June 2019
FW Ali Sowe (1994-06-14) 14 June 1994 6 0 CSKA Sofia vs.  Angola, 13 November 2019PRE
FW Adama Jammeh (footballer) (2000-08-26) 26 August 2000 4 0 Étoile Sportive du Sahel vs.  Angola, 13 November 2019PRE
FW Bakery Jatta (1998-06-06) 6 June 1998 0 0 Hamburger SV vs.  Angola, 13 November 2019PRE
FW Musa Juwara (2001-12-26) 26 December 2001 0 0 Bologna vs.  Angola, 13 November 2019PRE
FW Kalifa Manneh (1998-09-02) 2 September 1998 0 0 Catania vs.  Angola, 13 November 2019PRE
FW Muhammed Badamosi (1998-12-27) 27 December 1998 1 0 FUS Rabat vs.  Angola, 10 September 2019
FW Nuha Marong (1993-06-16) 16 June 1993 1 0 Racing Santander vs.  Angola, 6 September 2019 PRE
FW Jibril Bojang (1994-09-13) 13 September 1994 2 0 FC Masr vs.  Morocco, 12 June 2019
FW Aboubakary Kanté (1994-08-11) 11 August 1994 0 0 Le Mans vs.  Morocco, 12 June 2019

References
  1. "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. 11 June 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  2. Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 2 April 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  3. "World Football Elo Ratings: Gambia". World Football Elo Rankings. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  4. "Gambia – List of International Matches". Rsssf.com. Retrieved 2012-04-20.
  5. "The Gambia disqualified from all Caf competitions". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-09-23. Retrieved 2013-08-27.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "Tom Saintfiet named new Gambia coach". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 18 July 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
    • GFF Official federation website
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