Bolivia national football team

The Bolivia national football team (Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Bolivia), also known as La Verde, has represented Bolivia in international football since 1926. Organized by the Bolivian Football Federation (FBF),[upper-alpha 1] it is one of the 10 members of FIFA's South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL).

Bolivia
Nickname(s)La Verde (The Green)[1]
AssociationBolivian Football Federation (FBF)
ConfederationCONMEBOL (South America)
Head coachCésar Farías
CaptainMarvin Bejarano
Most capsRonald Raldes (102)
Top scorerJoaquín Botero (20)
Home stadiumEstadio Hernando Siles
FIFA codeBOL
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 75 (9 April 2020)[2]
Highest18 (July 1997)
Lowest115 (October 2011)
Elo ranking
Current 59 8 (2 April 2020)[3]
Highest22 (June 1997[4])
Lowest86 (July 1989[4])
First international
 Chile 7–1 Bolivia 
(Santiago, Chile; 12 October 1926)
Biggest win
 Bolivia 7–0 Venezuela 
(La Paz, Bolivia; 22 August 1993)
 Bolivia 9–2 Haiti 
(La Paz, Bolivia; 3 March 2000)
Biggest defeat
 Uruguay 9–0 Bolivia 
(Lima, Peru; 6 November 1927)
 Brazil 10–1 Bolivia 
(São Paulo, Brazil; 10 April 1949)
World Cup
Appearances3 (first in 1930)
Best resultGroup stage (1930, 1950, 1994)
Copa América
Appearances27 (first in 1926)
Best resultChampions (1963)
Confederations Cup
Appearances1 (first in 1999)
Best resultGroup stage (1999)

After playing in the 1930 and 1950 World Cups, they qualified just once — in 1994 where they lost 1–0 to defending champions Germany in the tournament's opening game in Chicago. Bolivia have never advanced past the first round of any World Cup, and have only scored one goal, in 1994. However, they did win the Copa América at home in 1963, and finished as runners-up in their following tournament as hosts in 1997. In the Copa América 2015 in Chile, after defeating Ecuador 3–2, they advanced to the quarter-finals for the first time since 1997. This also ended a non-winning streak in the Copa América, with their last win being on 28 June 1997, when they defeated Mexico 1–0 in the semi-finals.[5]

History
Bolivia national team at the 1930 FIFA World Cup before their match against Yugoslavia.

Bolivia debuted in international football in 1926, one year after the Bolivian Football Federation was founded. As participants at the 1926 South American Championship in Chile, Bolivia scored first against the hosts, but wound up being defeated by the Chileans 7–1. Bolivia also lost their following three matches, 0–5 against Argentina, 1–6 against Paraguay and 0–6 against Uruguay.[6]

In 1930, Bolivia was one of the teams invited to the inaugural edition of the World Cup, held in Uruguay. Drawn in Group 2 of the 1930 World Cup, Bolivia lost both its games 4–0, first to Yugoslavia at the Estadio Parque Central, and then to Brazil in the Estadio Centenario.[7] The match versus the Yugoslavs would be the last match against non-South American opposition for Bolivia until 1972 – when they again met Yugoslavia.[8] They returned in the 1950 World Cup, where Argentina's withdrawal from the qualifiers led Bolivia to an automatic berth. With three teams declining to play in Brazil, Bolivia was put in a group of two along with Uruguay. The Bolivians' only game was an 8–0 defeat to Uruguay at the Estádio Independência in Belo Horizonte.[9]

The Bolivian squad that won its first and only Copa América title.

Bolivia's greatest football achievement was the 1963 South American Championship title, which they hosted and had the advantage of being better used to the higher altitudes.[10] Afterwards, the country only started to resurge at an international level with the creation of the Academia Tahuichi Aguilera in Santa Cruz de la Sierra in 1978, a football school that revealed players such as Marco Etcheverry, Erwin Sánchez and Luis Cristaldo. Under Spanish coach Xabier Azkargorta and featuring nine players from Tahuichi, Bolivia surprisingly became the first team to beat Brazil in the South American qualifiers while playing them in La Paz, and qualified for the 1994 World Cup finishing second in Group B of the CONMEBOL qualifiers behind the Brazilians themselves.[11] Bolivia was drawn into the tournament's Group C, and got selected as the adversary of defending champions Germany in the tournament's opening match. Bolivia played a great first half, outplaying Germany. In the second half, Lothar Matheus took a 40-yard run and with a high elbow to the jaw leveled Marco El Diablo Etcheverry. Etcheverry retaliated and was sent off. Eventually, Bolivia lost on an offside goal by Klinsman. Following a goalless draw with South Korea at Foxboro Stadium, Bolivia returned to Chicago and lost 3–1 to Spain, with Sánchez scoring the first ever Bolivian goal in the World Cup.[12] Following that Bolivia again hosted the South American Championship, now known as Copa América, in 1997. Again, the team reached the final, to finish as runner-up to Brazil.[13]

Bolivia before a match against Ecuador at the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

In the 2015 Copa América in Chile, Bolivia were in Group A, with Chile, Mexico, and Ecuador. In their match against Mexico, Bolivia drew 0–0. However, against Ecuador, Bolivia won 3–2, with goals from Raldes, Smedberg-Dalence, and Martins. From this victory against Ecuador, Bolivia made it to the next round, the quarter-finals, for the first time since the 1997 tournament, in which they hosted it.[14] Bolivia were defeated by Peru 1–3 in the quarter-finals of the tournament. Bolivia's only goal of the game was a penalty in the last minutes of the match by Marcelo Martins Moreno.

Team image

Kit history

Bolivia's first uniforms were all white. In the 1930 FIFA World Cup, Bolivia painted before the starting match with Yugoslavia one of the letters in "Viva Uruguay" in each of the eleven starters' jerseys to please the local crowd. In the following game with Brazil, given the adversary also wore white Bolivia instead borrowed Uruguay's own blue uniform to play. Bolivia again painted a message to the hosts in the 1945 South American Championship, with the players' jerseys reading "Viva Chile". In 1946, Bolivia changed their jersey colors to black and white stripes, like the colors of the Cochabamba region. FBF reverted to white the following year. In 1957, FBF decided to use one of the colors in the Flag of Bolivia. Given red and yellow were used by many of the other South Americans, green became the primary color, leading to the nickname "El Verde" ("The Green").[15]

Kit providers
Kit provider Period
Penalty 1977–1979
Adidas 1980–1982
Penalty 1983–1986
Adidas 1987–1988
El Palacio de las Gorras 1989-1990
Adidas 1991–1992
Umbro 1993–1999
Atletica 2000–2005
Marathon 2006–2010
Walon 2011–2014
Marathon 2015–present

Stadium

Bolivia play their home games at Estadio Hernando Siles, which has an altitude of 3,637 metres (11,932 ft) above sea level, making it one of the highest football stadiums in the world. Many visiting teams protest that the altitude gives Bolivia an unfair advantage against opponents. On 27 May 2007, FIFA declared that no World Cup Qualifying matches could be played in stadiums above 8,200 feet (2,500 m) above sea level. However, FIFA raised the altitude limit after months of campaigning against the ban, thus allowing the stadium to continue holding World Cup qualifying matches.

Competitive record

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 Group stage 12th 2 0 0 2 0 8 Qualified as invitees
1934 Did not enter Declined participation
1938
1950 Group stage 13th 1 0 0 1 0 8 Qualified automatically
1954 Did not enter Declined participation
1958 Did not qualify 4 2 0 2 6 6
1962 2 0 1 1 2 3
1966 4 1 0 3 4 9
1970 4 2 0 2 5 6
1974 4 0 0 4 1 11
1978 8 3 1 4 10 25
1982 4 1 0 3 5 6
1986 4 0 2 2 2 7
1990 4 3 0 1 6 5
1994 Group stage 21st 3 0 1 2 1 4 8 5 1 2 22 11
1998 Did not qualify 16 4 5 7 18 21
2002 18 4 6 8 21 33
2006 18 4 2 12 20 37
2010 18 4 3 11 22 36
2014 16 2 6 8 17 30
2018 18 4 2 12 16 38
2022 To be determined To be determined
2026
Total Group stage 3/21 6 0 1 5 1 20 150 39 29 82 177 284

Copa América

     Champions       Runners-up       Third Place       Fourth Place  

South American Championship / Copa América record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA
1916 Did not participate
1917
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926 Fifth place5th4004224
1927 Fourth place4th3003319
1929 Did not participate
1935
1937
1939
1941
1942
1945 Sixth place6th6024316
1946 Sixth place6th5005423
1947 Seventh place7th7025621
1949 Fourth place4th74031324
1953 Sixth place6th6114615
1955 Did not participate
1956
1957
1959 Seventh place7th6015423
1959 Withdrew
1963 Champions1st430193
1967 Sixth place6th501409
1975 Group stage8th410339
1979 Group stage6th420247
1983 Group stage8th402246
1987 Group stage7th201102
1989 Group stage9th402208
1991 Group stage9th402227
1993 Group stage10th302112
1995 Quarter-finals8th411256
1997 Runners-up2nd6501105
1999 Group stage9th302112
2001 Group stage11th300307
2004 Group stage9th302134
2007 Group stage10th302145
2011 Group stage12th301215
2015 Quarter-finals8th4112410
2016 Group stage14th300327
2019 Group stage12th300327
2021Qualified
2024Qualified
Total1 Title27/4611318257096276

FIFA Confederations Cup
FIFA Confederations Cup record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad
1992 Did not qualify
1995
1997
1999 Group stage 6th 3 0 2 1 2 3 Squad
2001 Did not qualify
2003
2005
2009
2013
2017
Total Group stage 1/10 3 0 2 1 2 3 –

Pan American Games
Pan American Games record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA
1951 to 1971 Did not participate
1975Round 26th5203414
1979 to 1999 Did not participate
2003
2007Bronze medal3rd411236
2011 Did not participate
2015
2019
Total1 Bronze medal2/189315720

Team records

Most capped players

Players in bold are still active at international level.

As of 22 June 2019, the ten players with the most appearances for Bolivia are:
Ronald Raldes is the most capped player of the Bolivia national team, with 102 caps from 2001 to 2018.
# Name Career Caps Goals
1. Ronald Raldes 2001–2018 102 3
2. Luis Héctor Cristaldo 1989–2005 93 4
Marco Antonio Sandy 1993–2003 93 6
4. José Milton Melgar 1980–1997 89 6
5. Julio César Baldivieso 1991–2005 85 15
Juan Manuel Peña 1991–2009 85 1
7. Carlos Fernando Borja 1979–1995 82 1
8. Miguel Ángel Rimba 1989–2000 80 0
9. Óscar Sánchez 1994–2006 76 6
Marcelo Martins 2007– 76 18

Top goalscorers

Players in bold are still active at international level.

As of 18 June 2019, the ten players with the most goals for Bolivia are:
Joaquín Botero is the record all-time leading goalscorer in the history of Bolivian national team, with 20 goals in his international career.
# Name Career Goals
1. Joaquín Botero 1999–2009 20
2. Marcelo Martins 2007– 18
3. Víctor Agustín Ugarte 1947–1963 16
4. Julio César Baldivieso 1991–2005 15
Erwin Sánchez 1989–2005 15
6 Carlos Aragonés 1977–1981 14
7. Máximo Alcócer 1953–1963 13
Marco Antonio Etcheverry 1989–2003 13
9. Miguel Aguilar 1977–1983 11
Juan Carlos Arce 2004– 11

Results and fixtures

  Win   Draw   Loss

2019

2020
26 March 2022 FIFA World Cup qualificationBrazil Postponed BoliviaArena Pernambuco, Pernambuco
31 March 2022 FIFA World Cup qualificationBolivia Postponed ArgentinaEstadio Hernando Siles, La Paz

2021

Players

Current squad

The following 47 players have been called up for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Brazil on March 27th, 2020 and Argentina on March 31st, 2020.
Caps and goals updated as of 15 October 2019, after the game against Haiti.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Carlos Lampe (1987-03-17) 17 March 1987 29 0 San José
1GK Daniel Vaca (1978-03-06) 6 March 1978 16 0 The Strongest
1GK Rodrigo Banegas (1995-08-11) 11 August 1995 0 0 Oriente Petrolero
1GK Jhohan Gutiérrez (1996-09-27) 27 September 1996 0 0 Atlético Palmaflor
1GK Jimmy Roca (1999-05-04) 4 May 1999 0 0 Nacional Potosí
1GK Javier Rojas (1996-01-14) 14 January 1996 0 0 Nacional Potosí
2DF Luis Alberto Gutiérrez (1985-01-15) 15 January 1985 44 0 Bolívar
2DF Marvin Bejarano (1988-03-06) 6 March 1988 40 0 The Strongest
2DF José Sagredo (1994-03-10) 10 March 1994 17 0 Blooming
2DF Luis Haquin (1997-11-15) 15 November 1997 16 1 Puebla
2DF Alejandro Meleán (1987-06-16) 16 June 1987 16 0 Jorge Wilstermann
2DF Gabriel Valverde (1990-06-24) 24 June 1990 13 0 The Strongest
2DF Adrián Jusino (1992-07-09) 9 July 1992 10 0 Bolívar
2DF Óscar Ribera (1992-02-10) 10 February 1992 9 0 Bolívar
2DF Enrique Flores (1994-02-01) 1 February 1994 8 0 Bolívar
2DF Carlos Áñez (1995-07-06) 6 July 1995 6 0 Oriente Petrolero
2DF Saúl Torres (1990-03-22) 22 March 1990 3 0 Nacional Potosí
2DF Guimer Justiniano (1989-06-29) 29 June 1989 2 0 Royal Pari
2DF Sebastián Reyes (1997-03-12) 12 March 1997 1 0 Jorge Wilstermann
2DF Luis Demiquel (2000-01-15) 15 January 2000 0 0 The Strongest
2DF Julio César Pérez (1991-10-24) 24 October 1991 0 0 Oriente Petrolero
2DF Jairo Quinteros (2001-02-07) 7 February 2001 0 0 Bolívar
2DF Jesús Sagredo (1994-03-10) 10 March 1994 0 0 Blooming
3MF Jhasmani Campos (1988-05-10) 10 May 1988 54 5 The Strongest
3MF Alejandro Chumacero (1991-04-22) 22 April 1991 44 2 Puebla
3MF Rudy Cardozo (1990-02-14) 14 February 1990 42 6 The Strongest
3MF Danny Bejarano (1994-01-03) 3 January 1994 23 1 Lamia
3MF Leonel Justiniano (1992-07-02) 2 July 1992 23 1 Jorge Wilstermann
3MF Raúl Castro (1989-08-19) 19 August 1989 23 0 The Strongest
3MF Erwin Saavedra (1996-02-22) 22 February 1996 21 2 Bolívar
3MF Wálter Veizaga (1988-07-24) 24 July 1988 20 0 The Strongest
3MF Leonardo Vaca (1995-11-24) 24 November 1995 18 1 Blooming
3MF Diego Wayar (1993-10-15) 15 October 1993 15 0 The Strongest
3MF Fernando Saucedo (1990-03-15) 15 March 1990 10 0 Jorge Wilstermann
3MF Henry Vaca (1998-01-27) 27 January 1998 7 1 Atlético Goianiense
3MF Ramiro Vaca (1999-07-01) 1 July 1999 5 1 The Strongest
3MF Paul Arano (1995-02-23) 23 February 1995 4 0 Blooming
3MF Roberto Fernández (1999-07-12) 12 July 1999 4 0 Bolívar
3MF Erwin Junior Sánchez (1992-07-23) 23 July 1992 2 0 Blooming
3MF Christian Árabe (1991-12-25) 25 December 1991 1 0 Always Ready
3MF Moisés Villarroel (1998-09-07) 7 September 1998 1 0 Jorge Wilstermann
4FW Marcelo Martins (1987-06-18) 18 June 1987 76 18 Cruzeiro
4FW Juan Carlos Arce (1985-04-10) 10 April 1985 70 11 Bolívar
4FW Ricardo Pedriel (1987-01-19) 19 January 1987 20 3 Jorge Wilstermann
4FW Yasmani Duk (1988-03-01) 1 March 1988 15 1 Aurora
4FW Víctor Ábrego (1997-02-11) 11 February 1997 0 0 Bolívar
4FW César Menacho (1999-08-09) 9 August 1999 0 0 Blooming

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up during the last twelve months. Retired players are not included.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Romel Quiñónez (1992-06-25) 25 June 1992 15 0 Oriente Petrolero v.  Haiti, 15 October 2019
GK Jorge Araúz (1995-03-15) 15 March 1995 1 0 Royal Pari v.  Haiti, 15 October 2019
GK Rubén Cordano (1998-10-16) 16 October 1998 1 0 Blooming 2019 Copa América
GK Saidt Mustafá (1989-11-26) 26 November 1989 1 0 Bolívar 2019 Copa América PRE
DF Juan Pablo Aponte (1992-05-18) 18 May 1992 1 0 Jorge Wilstermann v.  Haiti, 15 October 2019
DF Jefferson Ibáñez (1995-02-12) 12 February 1995 0 0 Guabirá v.  Haiti, 15 October 2019
DF Gustavo Olguín (1994-11-13) 13 November 1994 0 0 Oriente Petrolero v.  Haiti, 15 October 2019
DF Diego Bejarano (1991-08-24) 24 August 1991 29 2 Bolívar v.  Ecuador, 10 September 2019
DF José María Carrasco (1997-08-16) 16 August 1997 2 0 Blooming v.  Ecuador, 10 September 2019
DF Ronny Montero (1991-05-15) 15 May 1991 1 0 Jorge Wilstermann v.  Ecuador, 10 September 2019
DF Sebastián Reyes (1997-03-12) 12 March 1997 1 0 Jorge Wilstermann v.  Ecuador, 10 September 2019
DF Mario Cuéllar (1989-05-05) 5 May 1989 2 0 Oriente Petrolero 2019 Copa América
MF Diego Hoyos (1992-09-29) 29 September 1992 1 0 Guabirá v.  Haiti, 15 October 2019
MF Carlos Melgar (1994-11-04) 4 November 1994 1 0 Jorge Wilstermann v.  Haiti, 15 October 2019
MF Samuel Galindo (1992-04-18) 18 April 1992 8 0 Always Ready 2019 Copa América
MF José Luis Vargas (1996-01-31) 31 January 1996 8 1 Blooming 2019 Copa América PRE
MF Juan Ribera (1995-08-15) 15 August 1995 7 0 Oriente Petrolero 2019 Copa América PRE
MF Daniel Camacho (1998-10-15) 15 October 1998 2 0 Aurora 2019 Copa América PRE
FW Gilbert Álvarez (1992-04-07) 7 April 1992 24 5 Jorge Wilstermann v.  Haiti, 15 October 2019
FW Rodrigo Ramallo (1990-10-14) 14 October 1990 15 2 San José v.  Haiti, 15 October 2019
FW Carlos Saucedo (1979-09-11) 11 September 1979 14 7 San José v.  Haiti, 15 October 2019
FW Vladimir Castellón (1989-08-12) 12 August 1989 5 0 Bolívar v.  Haiti, 15 October 2019
FW Carmelo Algarañaz (1996-01-27) 27 January 1996 4 0 Always Ready v.  Haiti, 15 October 2019

Bolivia managers

Notes
  1. The acronym FBF comes from the organization's Spanish name, Federación Boliviana de Fútbol.

See also
  • Bolivia national under-23 football team
  • Bolivia national under-20 football team
  • Bolivia national under-17 football team
  • Bolivia national futsal team

References
  1. "Famous Bolivian Footballers". Your Spanish Translation. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  2. "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. 9 April 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  3. Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 2 April 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  4. "World Football Elo Ratings: Bolivia". eloratings.net. World Football Elo Ratings. 29 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  5. "Ecuador 2 − Bolivia 3". futbol.univision.com. Univision Communications Inc. 15 June 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  6. Historia de Nuestro Fútbol, Capítulo 2. Nacen la FBF y la Selección 1925–1926
  7. Bolivia en la Copa del Mundo, Capítulo 1. Uruguay 1930
  8. "Bolivia- International Results". Archived from the original on 28 April 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  9. Bolivia en la Copa del Mundo, Capítulo 2. Brasil 1950
  10. Copa América 1963 -Bolivia: a new champion is born
  11. "TAHUICHI HISTORY". Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  12. 1994 FIFA World Cup Technical Report (p. 133)
  13. Copa América 1997 – Brazil Win their First Cup Away from Home
  14. http://www.conmebol.com/es/15062015-1911/grupo-bolivia-derrota-3-2-ecuador-y-acaricia-los-cuartos
  15. "World Cup Kits: When Bolivia wore Uruguayan shirts to ingratiate fans". Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
Preceded by
1959 – Uruguay		 South American Champions
1963 (First title)		 Succeeded by
1967 – Uruguay
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