Syria national football team

The Syria national football team (Arabic: منتخب سوريا لكرة القدم‎) represents Syria in association football and is controlled by the Syrian Arab Federation for Football, the governing body for football in Syria. Syria has never qualified for the World Cup finals but did reach the fourth qualification round in 2018.

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Syria women's national football team.

Syria
Nickname(s)Nosour Qasioun[1]
(Arabic: نسور قاسيون‎, lit. 'Qasioun Eagles')
AssociationSyrian Arab Federation for Football
ConfederationAFC (Asia)
Sub-confederationWAFF (West Asia)
UAFA (Arab world)
Head coachNabil Maâloul
CaptainOmar Al Soma
Most capsMosab Balhous (88)
Top scorerFiras Al Khatib (36)
Home stadiumAbbasiyyin Stadium
Aleppo International Stadium
FIFA codeSYR
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 79 (11 June 2020)[2]
Highest73 (June–August 2018)
Lowest152 (September 2014, March 2015)
Elo ranking
Current 85 11 (2 April 2020)[3]
Highest53 (October 1974)
Lowest125 (September 1984)
First international
 Turkey 7–0 Syria
(Ankara, Turkey; 20 November 1949)
Biggest win
Official
Syria 12–0 Maldives 
(Damascus, Syria; 4 June 1997)
 Maldives 0–12 Syria
(Tehran, Iran; 9 June 1997)
Syria 12–0 Philippines 
(Aleppo, Syria; 30 April 2001)
Unofficial
Syria 13–0 Muscat and Oman
(Cairo, Egypt; 6 September 1965)[note 1]
Biggest defeat
 Greece 8–0 Syria
(Athens, Greece; 25 November 1949)
 Egypt 8–0 Syria
(Alexandria, Egypt; 16 October 1951)
Asian Cup
Appearances6 (first in 1980)
Best resultGroup stage, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1996, 2011 and 2019
WAFF Championship
Appearances8 (first in 2000)
Best resultChampions, (2012)

History

Syria participated in the 1950 and 1958 World Cup qualifiers, one of the first teams in the region to do so. Between 1958 and 1961, the team combined with Egypt to form the United Arab Republic national football team, although the team's records are attributed only to Egypt by FIFA. In the 1966 World Cup qualifiers they were one of two teams from the Asian zone (the other being Israel) to be allocated to the European qualifying zone and were originally placed with Spain and the Republic of Ireland. However, they joined the Asian and African boycott of the 1966 qualifiers, due to the decision of FIFA to allocate just one place between Asia and Africa.

Syria has never qualified for the World Cup. The farthest they've gone in qualification was in the 1986 qualifiers when they reached the final qualifying round only to lose to Iraq. They were disqualified from the 2014 World Cup due to the use of an ineligible player.[5]

In December 2012, Syria beat Iraq in the final of West Asia Cup to collect its first major trophy. Syria has, however, competed in six Asian Cups, the last being 2019, but on each occasion were eliminated at the group stage.

Ever since civil war broke out in the country, Syria have been banned from playing home games in their own country and in fact were one day away from being thrown out of the 2018 World Cup only for Malaysia to swoop in at the last minute and offer to host all of Syria's home games. Syria had a large upturn in fortune as they made it to 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC Fourth Round but were eliminated by Australia.[6]

Competition history
Syria national football team in Tehran – 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification

FIFA World Cup record
FIFA World Cup record FIFA World Cup qualification
Year Round Pld W D * L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA
1930 Did not enter Did not enter
1934
1938
1950 Withdrew 1 0 0 1 0 7
1954 Did not enter Did not enter
1958 Did not qualify 2 0 1 1 1 2
1962 Withdrew Withdrew
1966
1970 Did not enter Did not enter
1974 Did not qualify 6 3 1 2 6 6
1978 Withdrew 4 1 0 3 2 6
1982 Did not qualify 4 0 0 4 2 7
1986 8 4 3 1 8 4
1990 4 2 1 1 7 5
1994 6 3 3 0 14 4
1998 5 2 1 2 27 5
2002 6 4 1 1 40 6
2006 6 2 2 2 7 7
2010 10 6 2 2 23 10
2014 Disqualified 2 0 0 2 0 6
2018 Did not qualify 20 9 5 6 36 22
2022 To be determined 5 5 0 0 14 4
2026 To be determined
Total 0/21 – – – – – – 89 41 20 28 188 101
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

AFC Asian Cup Record

Olympic Games record
Olympic Games record Olympic Games qualifications record
Hosts/Year Result GP W D* L GS GA GP W D* L GS GA
1900 to 1968 Did not enter
1972Did not qualify201101
1976Did not enter
1980Round 1301208420231
1984Did not qualify6213610
1988200205
1992 – present See Syria national under-23 team
Total0 Titles30120814428917
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

WAFF Championship Record

Al Salih
Al Mawas
Jafal
Al Soma
2012 WAFF Championship Final starting lineup on 20 December 2012, in Kuwait City (Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium).
WAFF Championship Record
Year Round GP W D* L GS GA
2000Runners-up521252
2002Fourth place411256
2004Runners-up4112613
2007Semi-Finals320123
2008Semi-Finals311123
2010Group Stage201123
2012Champions422053
2014Withdrew
2019Group Stage402257
Total1 Title2999113240
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Arab Nations Cup record
Arab Nations Cup
Year Round GP W D* L GS GA
1963Runners-up430194
1964Did not enter
1966Runners-up531194
1985Did not enter
1988Runners-up622255
1992Fourth Place403123
1998Group Stage200216
2002Group Stage420286
2012Did not enter
Total0 Title2510693428
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Pan Arab Games record
Pan Arab Games
Year Round GP W D* L GS GA
1953Runners-up311135
1957Champions5221126
1961Did not enter
1965Group Stage4202208
1976Third Place631264
1985Group Stage200204
1992Fourth Place403123
1997Runners-up540195
1999Group Stage404055
2007Did not enter
2011Withdrew
2021To be determined
Total1 Title331211105740
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Mediterranean Games record
Mediterranean Games
Year Round GP W D L GS GA
1951Third Place2002012
1955Fourth Place3003010
1959Did not enter
1963Group Stage3003110
1967Did not enter
1971Group Stage300314
1975Did not enter
1979
1983Group Stage200202
1987Champions5410133
1991–present See Syria national under-20 team
Total1 Title1841131541

Asian Games record
Asian Games
Year Round GP W D* L GS GA
1951Did not enter
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982Group Stage302135
1986Did not enter
1990
1994
1998
2002–present See Syria national under-23 team
Total0 Title301235
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

West Asian Games record
West Asian Games
Year Round GP W D* L GS GA
1997Runners-up
2002Third Place[7]413054
2005Runners-up413075
Total0 Titles
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Honours
Mosab Balhous is Syria's most-capped player with 88 caps.
Firas Al-Khatib is Syria's all-time record goalscorers with 36 goals.
  • West Asian Football Federation Championship
Winners (1): 2012
Runners-up (2): 2000, 2004
Fourth place (1): 2002
Semi-finals (2): 2007, 2008
Runners-up (3): 1963, 1966, 1988
Fourth place (3): 1992
Winners (1): 1957
Runners-up (2): 1953, 1997
Third place (1): 1976
Fourth place (1): 1992
Winners (1): 1987
Third place (1): 1951
Fourth place (1): 1955
Runners-up (2): 1997, 2005
Third place (1): 2002

Kit suppliers
Kit supplier Period Notes
Diadora 2007–2011
Adidas 2012–2013
Lotto 2014–2016
Jako 2017–

Schedule and recent results
See also: Syria national football team results (2020–present)

  Win   Draw   Loss


2019
8 July 2019 2019 Hero Intercontinental CupSyria 5–2 North KoreaAhmedabad, India
20:00 (UTC+5:30) Al Hamwi  40', 60'
Marmour  55', 66'
Al Khatib  90+2'		 Report Jong Il-gwan  3'
Ri Il-jin  78'		 Stadium: The Arena
Referee: Venkatesh Ramachandran (India)
10 July 2019 2019 Hero Intercontinental CupTajikistan 2–0 SyriaAhmedabad, India
20:00 (UTC+5:30) Tursunov  46'
Barotov  67'		 Report Stadium: The Arena
Attendance: 732
Referee: Rahul Kumar Gupta (India)
16 July 2019 2019 Hero Intercontinental CupIndia 1–1 SyriaAhmedabad, India
20:00 (UTC+5:30) Gahlot  52' Report Al Khatib  78' (pen.) Stadium: The Arena
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Jasur Mukhtarov (Uzbekistan)
2 August 2019 2019 WAFF ChampionshipLebanon 2–1 SyriaKarbala, Iraq
22:30 (UTC+3:00) Matar  81'
Moni  90+1'		 Report Al Douni  48' Stadium: Karbala International Stadium
Attendance: 500
Referee: Mohammad Arafah (Jordan)
5 August 2019 2019 WAFF ChampionshipSyria 1–1 YemenKarbala, Iraq
19:30 (UTC+3:00) Al Khatib  61' Report Qarawi  45+2' Stadium: Karbala International Stadium
Referee: Mahmood Al-Majarafi (Oman)
8 August 2019 2019 WAFF ChampionshipSyria 0–0 IraqKarbala, Iraq
22:30 (UTC+3:00) Report Stadium: Karbala International Stadium
Referee: Mohammad Arafah (Jordan)
11 August 2019 2019 WAFF ChampionshipPalestine 4–3 SyriaKarbala, Iraq
19:30 (UTC+3:00) Batran  45+4'
Dabbagh  60' (pen.), 61'
Yamin  89'		 Report Al Mobayed  3'
Al Khatib  66' (pen.)
Mardikian  73'		 Stadium: Karbala International Stadium
Referee: Saad Khalefah (Kuwait)
5 September 2019 2022 FIFA World Cup qualificationPhilippines 2–5 SyriaBacolod, Philippines
19:30 (UTC+8:00) Patiño  7'
Mi. Ott  84'		 Report Al Somah  15', 56'
Mobayed  31'
Al-Khatib  49' (pen.)
Al-Mawas  86'		 Stadium: Panaad Stadium
Attendance: 2,645
Referee: Jumpei Iida (Japan)
10 October 2019 2022 FIFA World Cup qualificationSyria 2–1 MaldivesDubai, United Arab Emirates
18:00 (UTC+4:00) Al Somah  26', 60' Report Ashfaq  70' Stadium: Rashid Stadium
Attendance: 5,500
Referee: Nazmi Nasaruddin (Malaysia)
15 October 2019 2022 FIFA World Cup qualificationSyria 4–0 GuamDubai, United Arab Emirates
18:00 (UTC+4:00) Al Somah  3', 44', 83'
Al-Mawas  90+5'		 Report Stadium: Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium
Attendance: 2,050
Referee: Dmitriy Mashentsev (Kyrgyzstan)
14 November 2019 2022 FIFA World Cup qualificationSyria 2–1 China PRDubai, United Arab Emirates
18:00 (UTC+4:00)
Report
Stadium: Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium
Attendance: 6,950
Referee: Kim Dae-yong (South Korea)
19 November 2019 2022 FIFA World Cup qualificationSyria 1–0 PhilippinesDubai, United Arab Emirates
18:00 (UTC+4:00)
Report Stadium: Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium
Attendance: 2,445
Referee: Rowan Arumughan (India)

2020
13 October 2020 2022 FIFA World Cup qualificationMaldives v SyriaMalé, Maldives
Stadium: National Football Stadium
12 November 2020 2022 FIFA World Cup qualificationGuam v SyriaDededo, Guam
Stadium: GFA National Training Center
17 November 2020 2022 FIFA World Cup qualificationChina PR v SyriaChina

Players

Current squad

Squad selected for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against China on 14 November 2019 and Philippines on 19 November 2019.

Caps and goals updated as 19 November 2019, after the match vs. Philippines.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Ibrahim Alma (1991-10-18) 18 October 1991 60 0 Al-Jaish
1GK Khaled Ibrahim (1996-01-10) 10 January 1996 1 0 Al-Ittihad
1GK Ahmad Al Sheikh (1994-06-21) 21 June 1994 0 0 Al-Nawair
2DF Moayad Ajan (1993-02-16) 16 February 1993 54 1 Al-Wahda
2DF Ahmad Al Salih (1990-05-20) 20 May 1990 54 2 Al-Arabi
2DF Omar Midani (1994-01-26) 26 January 1994 41 1 Al Ittihad
2DF Amro Jenyat (1993-01-15) 15 January 1993 28 1 Mesaimeer
2DF Hussein Jwayed (1993-01-01) 1 January 1993 29 0 Hutteen
2DF Abdullah Al Shami (1994-03-02) 2 March 1994 10 0 Al-Fahaheel
2DF Khaled Kurdaghli (1997-01-31) 31 January 1997 5 0 Tishreen
2DF Youssef Mohammad (1999-07-01) 1 July 1999 0 0 Al-Wahda
3MF Mahmoud Al-Mawas (1993-01-01) 1 January 1993 66 10 Umm Salal
3MF Osama Omari (1992-01-10) 10 January 1992 35 6 Al-Kharaitiyat
3MF Mohammad Marmour (1995-09-17) 17 September 1995 18 3 Tishreen
3MF Ward Al Salama (1994-07-15) 15 July 1994 12 1 Al-Jaish
3MF Kamel Hmeisheh (1998-07-23) 23 July 1998 4 0 Tishreen
3MF Mazen Al Ees (1993-01-28) 28 January 1993 3 0 Al-Wahda
4FW Omar Kharbin (1994-01-15) 15 January 1994 44 18 Al-Hilal
4FW Mardik Mardikian (1992-03-14) 14 March 1992 32 4 Hutteen
4FW Omar Al Soma (1989-03-28) 28 March 1989 26 15 Al-Ahli
4FW Nasouh Nakdali (1993-06-15) 15 June 1993 13 0 Al-Karamah
4FW Shadi Al Hamwi (1995-08-08) 8 August 1995 5 2 Al-Manama

Recent call-ups

The following players have also been called up to the Syria squad within the last 12 months.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Khaled Haj Othman (1987-05-01) 1 May 1987 3 0 Al-Taliya v.  Philippines, 5 September 2019
GK Ahmad Madania (1990-01-01) 1 January 1990 10 0 Tishreen 2019 WAFF Championship
DF Abdulrazzak Al Mohammad (1995-01-16) 16 January 1995 3 0 Tishreen 2019 WAFF Championship
DF Fares Arnaout (1997-01-31) 31 January 1997 3 0 Al-Jaish 2019 WAFF Championship
DF Youssef Al Hamwi (1997-02-01) 1 February 1997 4 0 Al-Jaish v.  India, 16 July 2019
DF Hasan Abo Zainab (1989-04-07) 7 April 1989 1 0 Tishreen v.  India, 16 July 2019
DF Hasan Khaddour (1991-09-01) 1 September 1991 0 0 Al-Sahel v.  North Korea, 8 July 2019 INJ
MF Khaled Al Mobayed (1993-01-10) 10 January 1993 38 4 Tishreen v.  China PR, 14 November 2019 INJ
MF Ahmad Ashkar (1996-12-12) 12 December 1996 17 0 Al-Ittihad v.  China PR, 14 November 2019 INJ
MF Ahmad Al Ahmad (1996-10-18) 18 October 1996 6 0 Al-Ittihad v.  Guam, 15 October 2019
MF Kamel Kawaya (1998-06-06) 6 June 1998 0 0 Al-Shorta v.  Guam, 15 October 2019
MF Mohammad Anz (1995-05-14) 14 May 1995 6 0 Al-Ittihad v.  Maldives, 10 October 2019 INJ
MF Zaher Midani (1987-04-13) 13 April 1987 58 2 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya v.  Philippines, 5 September 2019
MF Tamer Haj Mohamad (1990-04-03) 3 April 1990 36 1 Al-Salmiya 2019 WAFF Championship
MF Mohammad Al Ahmad (1994-01-08) 8 January 1994 4 0 Al-Ittihad 2019 WAFF Championship
MF Anas Balhous (1986-08-03) 3 August 1986 2 0 Al-Wahda 2019 WAFF Championship
MF Maher Daaboul (1993-12-04) 4 December 1993 2 0 Al-Wathba v.  India, 16 July 2019
MF Ali Hasan (1992-03-12) 12 March 1992 1 0 Al-Sahel v.  India, 16 July 2019
FW Ahmad Al Douni (1989-02-04) 4 February 1989 25 8 Mesaimeer v.  Philippines, 5 September 2019
FW Basel Mustafa (1990-09-13) 13 September 1990 2 0 Tishreen 2019 WAFF Championship

SUS Player suspended.
INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury.
RET Retired from the national team.
WD Player withdrew from the squad for non-injury related reasons.

Previous squads
Asian Cup

Coaches
Name Nat Period Matches Wins Draws Losses Honours
Vinzenz Dittrich 1950s
Francisc Mészáros 1954
József Albert 1956–1959 1957 Pan Arab Games winners
Miklós Vadas 1960–1965
Cornel Drăgușin 1965–1966
Ezzat Abdel-Wahab 1969
Moussa Shammas 1980
Avedis Kavlakian 1983–1985
Valeriy Yaremchenko 1985–1987 1987 Mediterranean Games winners
Anatoliy Azarenkov 1987–1989
Anatoliy Azarenkov 1992
Virgil Dridea 1992–1993
Yuri Kurnenin 1996
Kevork Mardikian 1997
Mircea Rădulescu 1997–1998
Moussa Shammas March 1999 – September 1999
Dragoslav Popović September 1999 – February 2000
Dragoslav Sridović March 2000 – April 2000
Božidar Vukotić March 2001 – October 2001
Nizar Mahrous October 2011 – December 2011
Jalal Talebi November 2001 – September 2002 10 9 0 1
Janusz Wójcik March 2003 – August 2003
Božidar Vukotić September 2003 – November 2003
Ahmed Rifaat December 2003 – November 2004
Miloslav Radenović 2005 – August 2006
Fajr Ibrahim 5 August 2006 – April 2008 24 13 5 6
Mohammad Kwid 10 May 2008 – 20 August 2008 8 4 0 4
Fajr Ibrahim 13 November 2008 – 13 September 2010 28 13 9 6
Ayman Hakeem (Interim) 14 September 2010 – 20 December 2010 5 2 1 2
Ratomir Dujković 28 October 2010 – 8 December 2010 1 1 0 0
Valeriu Tiţa 21 December 2010 – 9 February 2011 6 1 0 5
Claude Le Roy 16 April 2011 – 4 May 2011 0 0 0 0
Nizar Mahrous 22 May 2011 – 18 August 2011 7 5 2 0
Marwan Khoury 7 July 2012 – 30 August 2012 4 1 1 2
Hussam Al Sayed 21 October 2012 – 10 April 2013 8 2 3 3 2012 WAFF Championship winners
Anas Makhlouf 13 April 2013 – 23 October 2013 3 0 1 2
Hussam Al Sayed (Interim) 9 November 2013 – 20 November 2013 3 1 0 2
Ahmad Al Shaar 13 February 2014 – 5 March 2014 1 0 0 1
Muhannad Al Fakeer 18 September 2014 – 5 January 2015 2 2 0 0
Fajr Ibrahim 6 January 2015 – 29 March 2016 14 10 1 3
Ayman Hakeem 9 May 2016 – 20 November 2017 21 6 11 4
Bernd Stange 31 January 2018 – 10 January 2019 11 3 5 3
Fajr Ibrahim 10 January 2019 – 31 December 2019 17 7 3 7
Nabil Maâloul 11 March 2020 – present 0 0 0 0

Head-to-Head records against other countries
Main article: Syria national football team all-time record

See also

Notes
  1. Football results of 1965 Pan Arab Games is not recorded by FIFA.[4]

References
  1. Smale, Simon. "Who the Socceroos are facing as the Asian Cup kicks off, and when to watch". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  2. "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. 11 June 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  3. Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 2 April 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  4. "4th Pan Arab Games, 1965 (Cairo, Egypt)". www.rsssf.com. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  5. FIFA.com (19 August 2011). "Syria disqualified from 2014 FIFA World Cup". fifa.com. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  6. Maasdorp, James (10 October 2017). "Australia v Syria World Cup qualifying play-off second leg in Sydney, as it happened". abc.net.au. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  7. "Second West Asian Games". West Asian Games Federation. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
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