Puerto Rico national football team

Puerto Rico's first international match was against Cuba in 1940 in which they drew 1–1. They did not record a win until a 3–0 result in 1970 against the Bahamas. In 1972, Puerto Rico recorded a 1–0 win against Panama in a friendly. Wins between the 1980s and 1990s were mainly against the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, and Martinique.[3]

Chris Armas played for Puerto Rico in the 1993 Caribbean Cup. In the tournament, Puerto Rico established a 4-game win streak without conceding a goal.[3] The competition was not then recognized by FIFA, and so his five matches were considered friendlies. As a result, he was later allowed to switch his allegiance to the United States,[4] for whom he has since been capped over 50 times.

Between 1995 and 2007 Puerto Rico did not record a win, and had only four draws. During this time, the team dropped down in the FIFA Rankings to 202nd.[3]

Puerto Rico (in blue) playing Spain in 2012.

Over the past few years, Puerto Rico has begun to emerge as a contender, like they were in the 1990s. In 2008, they won two games as visitors against Bermuda (1–0 and 2–0), drew 2–2 with Trinidad and Tobago. They also won for the first time since 1994 when they beat the Dominican Republic in the first round of the World Cup qualifiers. Although they lost the first leg 4–0 to Honduras, they fought a 2–2 tie in the home leg in the second round. The Puerto Rican Football Federation has announced plans that would allow them to participate in the next editions of the Caribbean Cup and Gold Cup.[5] Most capped player Andres Cabrero is the only active player as of 2021 who participated in said 2010 World Cup qualifiers.

Puerto Rico was supposed to make their debut in the 21st Central American and Caribbean Games in 2010 on home soil in Mayagüez, but due to the controversy of CONCACAF not approving the stadiums, the team couldn't compete in the football event. The team was supposed to play in Venezuela instead but due to the lack of teams, the male event was canceled.[6]

Puerto Rico faced World and European champion Spain in a friendly on 15 August 2012, losing 2–1 in the Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium in Bayamón, Puerto Rico.

On 5 June 2015, Puerto Rico played a friendly against Bermuda, their last friendly before the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup ending in a 1–1 draw. After losing to Grenada 2–1 in the second round of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, Puerto Rico's Interim coach Jose 'Cukito' Martinez resigned and a few days later, the Uruguayan Carlos Avedissian solved his visa problems and could finally arrive as the head coach of the national team. On 11 December 2015, Puerto Rico played a friendly against MLS team New York City, losing 2–1.

Carlos Avedissian took charge of the team in 2015 forming a roster mainly of players from the Puerto Rico local leagues. On 22 May 2016, Puerto Rico played a friendly match against the United States for the first time ever ending in a 3–1 loss.[7] For discrepancies with the Federation, Avedissian was substituted by Jack Stefanowski for the second round on an interim basis. With this team mainly of local players, Puerto Rico advanced for the first time to the third round of the 2017 Caribbean Cup qualification when they defeated Grenada and Antigua and Barbuda in the second round, only two games away from reaching the CONCACAF Gold Cup for the first time. Stefanowski had to leave the technical director position because he was an assistant for Puerto Rico FC.

On 3 September 2016, Puerto Rico faced India for the first time in an international friendly match at the Mumbai Football Arena, but were defeated in the contest 1–4.[8]

After Stefanowski left the team to continue with Puerto Rico FC, Carlos Cantarero assumed as head coach of the national team with Jose Cukito Martinez (who had coached most of the local players in the Puerto Rico League) as assistant coach. The team played three friendlies, two against the Dominican Republic and one against India, prior to the third round matches against Antigua and Barbuda and Curaçao. Coach Cantarero couldn't coach in the friendlies due to VISA problems. After the second friendly against the Dominican Republic Assistant Coach Martinez left the team prior to the trip to India and David Guillemat assumed the position. Regardless of the administrative debacle, and coaching changes, Puerto Rico lost the decisive match against Curaçao after being 2–0 up front for which Curaçao as head of group advanced to the Gold Cup.

Puerto Rico didn't play an international match until the summer of 2017 when they played to a scoreless draw against Indonesia.[9]

After the devastation of Hurricane Maria in September that left the entire island powerless. On 7 October it was reported MLS club, Orlando City SC announced a Fuerza Puerto Rico’ Friendly for 4 November with all the net proceeds from the match going towards the United for Puerto Rico initiative to raise funds and aid recovery efforts for the island. Reactivating the national team for a 3rd time this year.[10] The friendly marked Orlando City’s last game of 2017, as well team captain, Kaká with the lions.[11] Puerto Rico lost the exhibition match 6–1.[12]

In May 2018, the Puerto Rican Football Federation announced that Carlos Cantarero would no longer continue as head coach of the national team, with former Honduran player Amado Guevara taking over as head coach.[13]

Caretaker managers are listed in italics.

• The following 30 players were called up to the squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Bahamas and Guyana on 2 and 8 June 2021, respectively.[17][18]
• Caps and goals correct as of 8 June 2021, after the match against Guyana.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Ángel Molinari	(2000-07-18) 18 July 2000	3	0	Puerto Rico Sol
18	1GK	Joel Serrano	(1999-05-17) 17 May 1999	2	0	Bayamón FC
12	1GK	Johan Rodríguez	(2002-02-03) 3 February 2002	0	0	FC Delco
2	2DF	Darren Ríos	(1995-10-14) 14 October 1995	11	0	FC Miami City
15	2DF	Rodolfo Sulia	(2002-08-08) 8 August 2002	8	0	Puerto Rico Sol
	2DF	Joshua Calderón	(1996-09-11) 11 September 1996	7	0	Metropolitan FA
3	2DF	Nicolás Cardona (captain)	(1999-02-11) 11 February 1999	6	0	Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
23	2DF	Giovanni Padrón	(1998-04-15) 15 April 1998	5	1	Nashville Knights FC
21	2DF	Daniel Rosario	(2002-04-10) 10 April 2002	5	0	Boston University Terriers
20	2DF	Giovanni Calderón	(2002-02-08) 8 February 2002	3	0	Fullerton Titans
14	2DF	Jan Mateo	(2003-01-31) 31 January 2003	3	0	CA San Cristóbal
	2DF	Callum Stretch	(1999-09-19) 19 September 1999	2	0	Ocean City Nor'easters
5	2DF	Zarek Valentin	(1991-08-06) 6 August 1991	2	0	Houston Dynamo
	2DF	Colby Quiñones	(2003-04-14) 14 April 2003	0	0	New England Revolution II
13	3MF	Gerald Díaz	(1999-03-23) 23 March 1999	12	2	Bayamón FC
6	3MF	Juan O'Neill	(1998-07-12) 12 July 1998	10	0	Santa Clara Broncos
11	3MF	Devin Vega	(1998-12-28) 28 December 1998	8	2	Unattached
10	3MF	Isaac Angking	(2000-01-24) 24 January 2000	6	2	Columbus Crew 2
19	3MF	Jaden Servania	(2001-07-16) 16 July 2001	6	1	North Carolina FC
4	3MF	Raúl González	(1994-09-23) 23 September 1994	6	0	Memphis 901
	3MF	Ryan López	(1998-04-12) 12 April 1998	3	0	Bayamón FC
16	3MF	Jordan Saling	(1996-03-15) 15 March 1996	1	0	Flower City Union
	3MF	Gadiel Santiago	(2001-10-27) 27 October 2001	0	0	Atletico Santo Domingo
9	4FW	Ricardo Rivera	(1997-04-17) 17 April 1997	13	4	Union Omaha
	4FW	Sidney Rivera	(1993-11-15) 15 November 1993	10	3	Doxa SC
7	4FW	Wilfredo Rivera	(2003-10-14) 14 October 2003	6	0	Orlando City
	4FW	Alec Díaz	(2001-12-07) 7 December 2001	5	0	Toronto FC II
17	4FW	Kevin Hernández	(1999-07-08) 8 July 1999	5	0	Bayamon FC
8	4FW	Lester Hayes	(1993-09-19) 19 September 1993	2	1	Middelfart Boldklub
22	4FW	Eli Carr	(2001-01-01) 1 January 2001	2	0	Longwood Lancers

The following players have been called up within the last 12 months.