São Tomé and Príncipe national football team

São Tomé and Príncipe
Nickname(s)Seleção dos Falcões e Papagaios
(The Falcons and True Parrots Team)
AssociationFederação Santomense de Futebol
ConfederationCAF (Africa)
Sub-confederationUNIFFAC (Central Africa)
Head coachAdriano Eusébio
CaptainLuís Leal
Most capsJoazhifel Soares (29)
Top scorerLuís Leal (8)
Home stadiumEstádio Nacional 12 de Julho
FIFA codeSTP
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 183 6 (31 March 2022)[1]
Highest115 (March 2012)
Lowest200 (September – October 2007)
First international
 Gabon 6–1 São Tomé and Príncipe 
(Libreville, Gabon; 2 May 1976)
Biggest win
 Mauritius 1–3 São Tomé and Príncipe 
(Belle Vue Harel, Mauritius; 9 October 2019)
 São Tomé and Príncipe 2–0 Equatorial Guinea 
(Libreville, Gabon; 14 November 1999)
 São Tomé and Príncipe 2–0 Sierra Leone 
(São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe; 8 April 2000)
Biggest defeat
 Congo 11–0 São Tomé and Príncipe 
(Libreville, Gabon; 7 July 1976)
This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see São Tomé and Príncipe women's national football team.

The São Tomé and Príncipe national football team is the national association football team of São Tomé and Príncipe and is controlled by the São Toméan Football Federation. It is a member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA.[2]

History

São Tomé and Príncipe's first ever match was a friendly against Gabon in May 1976. They lost by a score of 6–1. Their next game, during the 1976 Central African Games, was a horrendous 11–0 loss to Congo, São Tomé's largest loss to date. São Tomé rounded off the competition with a 2–1 loss to Central African Republic and a 5–0 loss to Chad.

The following year, São Tomé picked up their first win, in a friendly versus Rwanda. In both 1978 and 1987 they achieved a draw at home to Angola.

The Green and Yellows took an eleven year break, before a string of matches including their first entry to a FIFA sanctioned tournament. At the UNIFAC Cup in 1999, they achieved their second win, 2–0 against Equatorial Guinea. They won the next game after that, against Sierra Leone, 2–0. This two-in-a-row streak accompanied with a draw a few matches later placed them at their highest FIFA ranking to date, 179.

In 2003, São Tomé lost to Libya 1–0 and 8–0, which was a major blow to their previous success.[3] São Tomé did not participate in the qualification for the 2010 World Cup, withdrawing before their first match, leaving them unranked in the FIFA rankings because they did not play any matches for four years.

On 11 November 2011, after an eight-year hiatus, São Tomé and Príncipe participated in the qualification for the 2014 World Cup, losing to Congo 5–0, then drawing 1–1 with the same team four days later. São Tomé were reinstated in the FIFA rankings on 23 November 2011, entering at number 192.

In January 2012, in the preliminary round of 2013 AFCON Qualifiers, São Tomé achieved their first ever aggregate win, defeating Lesotho 1–0 at home then successfully defending a 0–0 draw in Maseru seven days later. In the next round, São Tomé only narrowly lost 5–4 on aggregate to Sierra Leone. In the following years, São Tomé continued to show promise with impressive wins at home to Ethiopia and Libya but poor away results prevented them from advancing again.

On 9 October 2019, São Tomé defeated Mauritius 1–3 away from home in the first leg of their preliminary round tie of 2021 AFCON Qualifiers. This was São Tomé and Príncipe's first away win in a competitive match ever. Four days later, São Tomé won 2–1 at home to advance 5–2 on aggregate and enter Group C where they will face Ghana, South Africa and Sudan.

Results and fixtures
Main article: São Tomé and Príncipe national football team results

2022
24 March 2023 AFCON Q preliminary round São Tomé and Príncipe  1–0  Mauritius São Tomé, São Tomé and Principe
Leal 36' Stadium: Estádio Nacional 12 de Julho
27 March 2023 AFCON Q preliminary round Mauritius  3–3
(3–4 agg.)		  São Tomé and Príncipe Belle Vue Harel, Mauritius
Stadium: Anjalay Stadium
Note: São Tomé and Príncipe won 4–3 on aggregate.

Coaching history

Players

Current squad

The following players were selected for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match against Mauritius on 23 and 27 March 2022 respectively.[4]

Caps and goals are correct as of 27 March 2022, after the game against Mauritius.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Primo (1989-09-09) 9 September 1989 12 0 Praia Cruz
1GK Anastácio (1997-02-16) 16 February 1997 1 0 BU FC Grande
1GK Mendes (2004-01-27) 27 January 2004 0 0 Estrela da Amadora
2DF Ivonaldo (1993-05-05) 5 May 1993 22 0 UDRA
2DF Vavá Pequeno (1994-02-05) 5 February 1994 11 0 Praia Cruz
2DF Soares (1992-08-07) 7 August 1992 11 0 GD Fabril
3MF Lúcio Oliveira (1992-11-26) 26 November 1992 5 0 Ferreiras
2DF Viegas (1999-10-08) 8 October 1999 4 0 Moncarapanchense
2DF Jardel Nazaré (1995-05-16) 16 May 1995 3 0 Uniao Desportiva Santarèm
2DF Borja (1993-01-31) 31 January 1993 0 0 Evreux FC 27
3MF Jocy (captain) (1991-01-19) 19 January 1991 31 1 UDRA
3MF Marcos Barbeiro (1995-07-29) 29 July 1995 10 1 Real Sport Clube
3MF Iniesta (1992-10-21) 21 October 1992 10 2 UDRA
3MF Tinho (1992-09-08) 8 September 1992 8 0 6 de Septembro
3MF Joel Neves (1996-05-01) 1 May 1996 6 0 Loures
3MF Aldair Santos (1989-09-04) 4 September 1989 6 0 RSD Jette
3MF Ricardo Cordoso (2001-09-23) 23 September 2001 4 2 HJK Helsinki
3MF Adjeil Neves (1996-10-07) 7 October 1996 4 0 Moncarapanchense
3MF Joel Leal (2003-01-02) 2 January 2003 0 0 LZS Starowice
4FW Luís Leal (1987-05-29) 29 May 1987 19 8 Sol de América
4FW José Semedo (1992-07-15) 15 July 1992 2 0 Grupo Sportivo Loures
4FW Vander Pinto (1995-12-12) 12 December 1995 1 0 UDRA
4FW Valter Rocha (1991-08-19) 19 August 1991 0 0 Basildon United

Recent call ups
Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up

Player records
As of 27 March 2022
Players in bold are still active with São Tomé and Príncipe.

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
1930 Part of  Portugal Part of  Portugal
1934
1938
1950
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978 Not affiliated to CAF Not affiliated to CAF
1982
1986
1990 Did not enter Declined participation
1994 Withdrew Withdrew
1998 Did not enter Did not enter
2002 Did not qualify 2 1 0 1 2 4
2006 2 0 0 2 0 9
2010 Withdrew Withdrew
2014 Did not qualify 2 0 1 1 1 6
2018 2 1 0 1 1 3
2022 2 0 0 2 1 3
2026 To be determined
Total - 0/22 - - - - - - 10 2 1 7 5 25

Africa Cup of Nations record
Africa Cup of Nations record
Host nation(s) / Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA
1957 to 1974 Part of  Portugal
1976 to 1986Not affiliated to CAF
1988 to 1998 Did not enter
2000 to 2002Did not qualify
2004 Withdrew
2006 Did not qualify
2008 Did not enter
2010 Withdrew
2012 Did not enter
2013 to 2021Did not qualify
2023 To be determined
2025
Total - 0/33 - - - - - -

Head-to-head record
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD WPCT
 Angola 4 0 1 3 6 12 −6 0.00
 Benin 2 0 0 2 0 4 −4 0.00
 Cape Verde 2 0 0 2 2 9 −7 0.00
 Central African Republic 2 0 0 2 1 5 −4 0.00
 Chad 2 0 0 2 0 10 −10 0.00
 Congo 4 0 1 3 1 18 −17 0.00
 Equatorial Guinea 3 1 1 1 4 4 0 33.33
 Ethiopia 2 1 0 1 1 3 −2 50.00
 Gabon 4 0 1 3 3 12 −9 0.00
 Ghana 2 0 0 2 1 4 −3 0.00
 Guinea-Bissau 3 0 0 3 1 4 −3 0.00
 Lesotho 2 1 1 0 1 0 +1 50.00
 Libya 4 1 0 3 2 14 −12 25.00
 Madagascar 2 0 0 2 2 4 −2 0.00
 Mauritius 4 3 1 0 9 5 +4 75.00
 Morocco 2 0 0 2 0 5 −5 0.00
 Rwanda 2 1 1 0 1 0 +1 50.00
 Sierra Leone 4 2 0 2 5 8 −3 50.00
 South Africa 2 0 0 2 2 6 −4 0.00
 Sudan 2 0 0 2 0 6 −6 0.00
 Togo 2 0 0 2 0 6 −6 0.00
 Uganda 1 0 0 1 1 3 −2 0.00
Total 57 10 7 40 43 142 −99 17.54
Source: Results

References
  1. "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  2. "BBC Sport − São Tomé e Príncipe rocket up Fifa rankings". bbc.co.uk. BBC. 7 March 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  3. "São Tomé e Príncipe spring an unlikely surprise − World Soccer". worldsoccer.com. Time Inc. UK. 12 February 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  4. Squad for AFCON 2023 qualification
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