This article is about the men ‘s team. For the women ‘s team, see Lebanon women ‘s national football team
The Lebanon national football team, [a] controlled by the Lebanese Football Association ( LFA ), have represented Lebanon in association football since their origin in 1933. The team is governed by the Asian Football Confederation ( AFC ) continentally, and FIFA worldwide. While Lebanon have yet to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, they have qualified three times to the AFC asian Cup : they first gear participated in 2000, when they hosted the event. Lebanon ‘s main venue is the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in Beirut ; however they besides play in early locations such as the Saida Municipal Stadium in Sidon.
Reading: Lebanon national football team
In 1935, Lebanon played their first match against the romanian english CA Timișoara ( TAC ), but it was not ratified by FIFA. Lebanon played their inaugural FIFA-recognised game in 1940 against Mandatory Palestine. During their 2014 qualification crusade for the World Cup, Lebanon reached the final stipulate round for the first time thanks to a 2–1 victory against South Korea at home in 2011, but failed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup finishing penetrate of their group. At the 2019 asian Cup, Lebanon were close to qualifying to the knock-out stages for the first time. however, they lost a tiebreaker to Vietnam in the third-place rate on the fair play principle and were knocked out of the competition at the group stage. Lebanon besides compete in the arab Cup, the WAFF Championship, and the Pan Arab Games. As hosts, they have finished third—once at the arab Cup and twice at the Pan Arab Games. Inspired by their national symbol, the Lebanese team is known as “ the Cedars ” ( Arabic : رجال الأرز ) by fans and media. Their home kit is primarily red and their away kit white, a citation to their home ease up. After a steady decline in their FIFA rate from 1998 to 2016, Lebanon jumped 66 places ( from 147th in 2016 to 81st in 2018 ) and reached their highest rank to date—77th—in September 2018. This came after a 16-game unbeaten stripe, from 24 March 2016 to 11 October 2018, during which Lebanon won eight games and drew seven .
history [edit ]
1933–1957 : The beginning [edit ]
Lebanon was one of the beginning nations in the Middle East to establish an administrative body for association football. [ b ] On 22 March 1933, representatives of 13 football clubs gathered in the Minet El Hosn district in Beirut to form the Lebanese Football Association ( LFA ). [ 4 ] [ 5 ] The LFA was beginning headed by Hussein Sejaan, and joined FIFA in 1936. [ 5 ] [ 7 ] On 3 February 1934, 22 players from Beirut were called up to a educate camp by the LFA in see of a friendly game against the romanian side CA Timișoara ( TAC ) ; the players were divided into two teams, and played against each other at the American University of Beirut ‘s ( AUB ) playing field. [ 8 ] The match against TAC, scheduled to be played on 18 February, was cancelled due to fiscal disagreements between the LFA and the AUB, who organized the meet. [ 9 ] The Beirut choice team finally played against TAC on 21 November 1935 at AUB ‘s field, [ 10 ] losing 3–0. [ 11 ] Beirut XI played their beginning game against Syria ‘s Damascus XI in 1939 at the Habib Abou Chahla Stadium ; the match ended in a 5–4 personnel casualty. [ 12 ] The two teams played 16 unofficial games until 1963, winning seven, drawing two, and losing seven. [ 12 ]
The national team ‘s first base official FIFA game was a 5–1 loss to Mandatory Palestine on 27 April 1940. [ 13 ] Camille Cordahi, assisted by Muhieddine Jaroudi, scored for Lebanon in the second gear half, becoming his team ‘s first gear official international scorer. [ 14 ] Lebanon played their first official game against Syria on 19 April 1942 ; coached by Abed Traboulsi, Lebanon lost 2–1 in Beirut. [ 15 ] In 1947 Lebanon played two more friendlies against Syria : a 4–1 defeat in Beirut on 4 May, [ 16 ] and a 1–0 frustration in Aleppo on 18 May. [ 17 ] During the early-1950s, Lebanon were coached by Vinzenz Dittrich and Ljubiša Broćić. [ 18 ] [ 19 ] The side played four official games between 1953 and 1956, most notably hosting Hungary in 1956. [ 13 ] Lebanon lost the match 4–1, with Hungary ‘s Ferenc Puskás scoring two goals. [ 12 ] The team besides played unofficial games against top-level european clubs such as Dynamo Moscow, Leipzig, and Spartak Trnava in 1957. [ 12 ] Lebanon played Energia Flacăra Ploiești the same class in the open plot of the Sports City Stadium. [ 20 ] The match ended 1–0 for Lebanon thanks to a Joseph Abou Mrad goal. [ 20 ]
1957–1989 : early on history [edit ]
From 19 to 27 October 1957 Lebanon hosted the second version of the Pan Arab Games, and were drawn with Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Jordan in the group stages. [ 21 ] After two 1–1 draws against Saudi Arabia and Syria, Lebanon defeated Jordan 6–3 in their first official international gain thanks to two braces by Joseph Abou Mrad and Mardik Tchaparian, and one goal each by Robert Chehade and Levon Altounian ; this placed them first in their group. [ 21 ] In the semifinals, Lebanon lost 4–2 to Tunisia. [ 21 ] They finished in one-third put, however, since Morocco withdrew from the third-place match. [ 21 ] Joseph Nalbandian was appointed coach of the national team in 1958. [ 22 ] He was one of Lebanon ‘s most successful coaches, winning nine of 26 official matches during his 11-year tenure. [ 13 ] Under Nalbadian, Lebanon hosted the 1959 Mediterranean Games and were grouped with Italy B and Turkey B. [ c ] [ 23 ] They finished last in the group, after four losses to the two european teams. [ 23 ]
Lebanon hosted the inaugural edition of the arab Cup in 1963, and were grouped with Tunisia, Syria, Kuwait, and Jordan. [ 24 ] They won their first base match against Kuwait 6–0, thanks to a hat-trick by Tchaparian. [ 25 ] This six-goal winnings tied Lebanon ‘s biggest win to date, a 7–1 victory against Saudi Arabia in 1961. [ 26 ] After another winnings ( against Jordan ) and two losses ( to Syria and Tunisia ), Lebanon finished third in the tournament. [ 24 ] In the 1966 edition, Lebanon were drawn with Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain in Group A. [ 27 ] After three wins and a draw, they qualified to the semi-finals against Syria, where they lost 1–0. [ 27 ] In the third-place equal, Lebanon lost 6–1 to Libya, finishing the competition in fourth plaza. [ 27 ] Lebanon had besides played at the 1964 Tripoli Fair Tournament ; in a group with Libya, Sudan, Morocco, and Malta, they finished in beginning place with seven points. [ 28 ] Having joined the Asian Football Confederation ( AFC ) in 1964, [ 5 ] [ 7 ] Lebanon ‘s first asian Cup qualifying campaign was in 1971, coached by Joseph Abou Mrad. [ 22 ] In the first round they lost to hosts Kuwait 1–0, but defeated neighbours Syria 3–2 to qualify for the next round. [ 29 ] In a decisive semi-final match against Iraq, Lebanon lost 4–1 and were eliminated. [ 29 ] Due to the area ‘s civil war, Lebanon only played nine games between 1975 and 1990. [ 26 ] They appeared in the 1980 AFC asian Cup qualifiers held in Abu Dhabi ; with one win, one draw, and one kill, Lebanon came third in their group and were eliminated. [ 30 ] Lebanon besides initially took separate in the 1986 FIFA World Cup qualifiers ; however, after playing four matches, Lebanon withdrew and their results were annulled. [ 31 ] In the 1988 Arab Cup, Lebanon were drawn with Egypt, Iraq, Tunisia, and Saudi Arabia. [ d ] [ 32 ] They finished third gear in their group, with one winnings, two draw, and one defeat. [ 32 ]
1993–2004 : Post-Civil War [edit ]
In 1993 Lebanon played their first qualification crusade after the civil war, in the 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, with Adnan Al Sharqi as their bus. [ 33 ] Their break of 57 years between the date of FIFA affiliation ( 1936 ) and their first full World Cup qualifying campaign ( 1993 ) was the highest to date ; it was surpassed by the Philippines three years late with a gap of 68 years. [ 34 ] After two wins, two losses, and four string, Lebanon finished third base in their group and were eliminated. [ 35 ] Under Terry Yorath, the team ‘s beginning alien director since the war, Lebanon began their first post-war campaign to qualify for the 1996 AFC asian Cup. [ 36 ] Despite winning twice against Turkmenistan and losing lone once ( at home plate, against Kuwait ), Lebanon were eliminated from the competition with a one-point difference with Kuwait ( the group drawing card ). [ 36 ] Yorath helped Lebanon gain 10 places in the FIFA World Ranking thanks to a 3–3 draw against the Czech Republic and a 1–0 gain against Jordan, both friendlies played in February 1997. [ 37 ] Thanks to their performances, Lebanon were awarded the Asian Team of the Month prize in February. [ 37 ] Lebanon were drawn in a group which included Kuwait and Singapore in the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, played between April and June 1997. [ 38 ] Led by Yorath, the Cedars were eliminated with only four points. [ 38 ] Despite the team ‘s elimination, the Welsh director was one of the team ‘s most successful managers, winning 13 of 31 official matches during his biennial tenure. [ 26 ]
Lebanon hosted the 2000 AFC asian Cup, despite FIFA ‘s concerns about stadium conditions. [ 39 ] Under Croatian bus Josip Skoblar, [ 40 ] Lebanon, captained by Jamal Taha, [ 41 ] drew into Group A with Iran, Iraq, and Thailand. [ 42 ] Out of the 23 called-up players for the tournament, five were Brazilians with lebanese lineage. [ 43 ] Lebanon played their first base asian Cup game against Iran on 12 October 2000 at the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium with 52,418 spectators. [ 42 ] Trailing by one goal at half time, Lebanon conceded three further goals in the moment half to end their foremost group phase match in a 4–0 kill. [ 42 ] In the second equal, against Iraq, two goals in the first 22 minutes gave the opponent team a comfortable leash. [ 42 ] however, an Abbas Chahrour long-distance volley in the 28th minute, [ 44 ] Lebanon ‘s first base goal in the contest, [ 45 ] and a goal by Moussa Hojeij in the 76th minute gave Lebanon their first point of the contest. [ 42 ] Lebanon played Thailand in the final group stage match. [ 42 ] With the opposing team gaining the run in the 58th minute, Luís Fernandes equalised for Lebanon to end the equal 1–1. [ 42 ] The draw was not adequate as they finished last in the group, with only two points. [ 42 ] Managed by Theo Bücker, Lebanon drew with Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand in the first round of the 2002 World Cup qualifications. [ 46 ] The team, with good umbrage from Roda Antar, Haitham Zein, Vartan Ghazarian, and Gilberto suffice Santos, finished second in their group with 26 goals in six games ( the most in their group ). [ 46 ] Under Richard Tardy, [ 47 ] Lebanon drew into Group D of the 2004 AFC asian Cup qualifiers. [ 48 ] Before the match away to North Korea, the lebanese team were reportedly abused ; hotel conditions were hapless, and their train field contained goats and sheep. [ 49 ] Lebanon finished third in their group, with four points. [ 48 ] For the second polish of the qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup, Lebanon were grouped with South Korea, Vietnam, and the Maldives. [ 50 ] Under Mahmoud Hamoud, they finished second in their group and were eliminated. [ 50 ]
2006–2014 : Failed qualifications and equal fastener [edit ]
Lebanon drew into Group D for the 2007 AFC asian Cup qualifying campaign with Australia, Bahrain, and Kuwait, played in 2006. [ 51 ] The scheduled confluence between Australia and Lebanon made Buddy Farah, an australian actor of lebanese descent, declare his return to the lebanese national side. [ 52 ] Before Lebanon ‘s peer with Bahrain on 16 August, it was announced on 1 August that the Asian Football Confederation had accepted a coitus interruptus request from the Lebanon Football Association due to the 2006 Lebanon War, which forced several players to leave their homes to avoid the war. [ 53 ] In 2007 Lebanon was seeded in the first gear round of the qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup, where they faced India to qualify directly for the third round of the qualifiers. [ 54 ] Lebanon won 6–3 on aggregate and advanced to the third gear round, with two goals by Mohammed Ghaddar in the second equal. [ 54 ] Lebanon, grouped with Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Uzbekistan, finished stopping point with no points. [ 55 ] In April 2008, Lebanon and the Maldives ( the two lowest-ranked teams in Asia ) [ e ] [ 56 ] played home-and-away matches in the preliminary cycle of the 2011 asian Cup ; the winner would proceed to the future turn. [ 59 ] [ 60 ] A 4–0 home succeed and a 2–1 victory in the away match advanced Lebanon to the qualifying round. [ 59 ] [ 60 ] Between 2009 and 2010, they drew into Group D with China, Syria, and Vietnam, finishing last. [ 61 ] Emile Rustom, re-appointed as fountainhead bus in November 2008, led Lebanon into the second gear round of golf of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers. [ 62 ] They faced Bangladesh, winning 4–0 in Beirut on 23 July 2011, and losing 2–0 in Dhaka five days late. [ 63 ] Lebanon advanced to the third cycle, where they were grouped with South Korea, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. [ 64 ] Rustom resigned less than a week subsequently, citing internal administrative problems. [ 65 ] [ 66 ] On 4 August 2011, Theo Bücker was reappointed as Lebanon ‘s head coach. [ 67 ] The former national team coach took the reins nine years after leaving that stead. Lebanon began the third base beat losing 6–0 away to South Korea. In the second pit, they came spinal column from one goal down to defeat the United Arab Emirates 3–1 at family. [ 68 ] [ 69 ] The team then drew 2–2 to Kuwait in Beirut on 11 October. [ 70 ] For the first time since 2005, when the LFA barred fans from the stadiums due to behavioral issues, spectators ( 32,000 ) were allowed at the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium. [ 71 ] Bad sports fan behavior ( chiefly fireworks-related ) was again a problem against Kuwait, forcing reviewer Masaaki Toma to stop the game several times. [ 72 ] A calendar month former, Lebanon defeated Kuwait 1–0 in Kuwait City ; [ 73 ] it was Kuwait ‘s first home loss to Lebanon. [ 74 ] On 15 November, Lebanon hosted South Korea at Beirut ‘s Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium before over 40,000 spectators. [ 75 ] Ali Al Saadi gave Lebanon the run after four minutes, however South Korea tied the score with a penalty kick. Lebanon regained the lead in the thirtieth infinitesimal through an Abbas Ali Atwi penalty ; the match finished in a 2–1 victory. Lebanon ‘s first-ever acquire against South Korea qualified them for the one-fourth ( and final examination ) round of the World Cup qualifiers for the first base prison term. [ 76 ]
In 2012 Lebanon drew into Group A of the fourthly round, with South Korea, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Qatar. [ 77 ] In Lebanon ‘s one-fourth crippled, on 11 September against Iran, a first-half Roda Antar goal gave Lebanon the lead through a header. [ 78 ] They held onto the lead and won 1–0 ; the three points were crucial to stay in contention for a point at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. [ 78 ] On 26 February 2013, team members Ramez Dayoub and Mahmoud El Ali were involved in the 2013 lebanese match-fixing scandal ; they were accused of illegal betting on respective matches involving lebanese teams ( including the national team ), in addition to manipulating results. [ 79 ] The players were fined $ 15,000 and banned from the Lebanon Football Association for life. [ 80 ] Lebanon ‘s 1–0 kill to Qatar was contribution of the scandal, with defender Dayoub intentionally passing the musket ball to the Qatari striker, who netted the only goal of the game. [ 81 ] The Lebanese team then lost to Uzbekistan 1–0 on the road. [ 82 ] In the follow match they hosted South Korea in Beirut and led 1–0, until South Korea scored the counterweight in the 97th hour, eliminating Lebanon. [ 83 ] In 2013 the team drew into group B with Iran, Thailand and Kuwait for the 2015 AFC asian Cup qualifications. [ 84 ] After losing 5–0 to Iran, and winning 5–2 against Thailand, Giuseppe Giannini replaced Theo Bücker as head passenger car. [ 85 ] During Giannini ‘s beginning plot, on match day three, Mohammad Ghaddar scored the counterweight against Kuwait in Beirut to earn a point for Lebanon. [ 86 ] Lebanon ended the qualifications in third base place in their group, with two wins, two draw, and two losses. [ 84 ] Lebanon and China were tied on points in the rank of third-places teams ; China had a better finish dispute, however, and went on to play in the final tournament. [ 84 ] After the nation ‘s fail attempt to qualify for the 2015 AFC asian Cup in Australia, the Lebanese Football Association decided to reform the national team in 2014 by modeling it on the Belgium home team ( particularly Belgium ‘s performance in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil ). [ 87 ] Inviting newly players from nations with a boastfully Lebanese community ( such as the United States, Germany, Denmark, and Norway ) would, it was hoped, bring about a conversion of lebanese football. [ 87 ] On 8 September 2014, Lebanon played an unofficial FIFA catch against the brazilian Olympic team in Doha for the first time ; the match ended in a 2–2 draw. Hassan Maatouk scored a goal which would have given Lebanon a 3–1 lead, but the goal was falsely ruled offside ; Brazil ‘s equalising goal was mistakenly ruled onside. [ 88 ] [ 89 ] The match excited the lebanese people, despite hapless referee. [ 88 ] After Lebanon ‘s 5–0 away loss to Qatar a calendar month later, [ 90 ] Giuseppe Giannini was fired. [ 91 ]
2015–present : late history [edit ]
Radulović coached Lebanon between 2015 and 2019. Miodrag Radulović was appointed the team ‘s new coach in 2015, [ 92 ] and led Lebanon in the 2018 World Cup qualifications, played between June 2015 and March 2016. [ 93 ] The team were drawn in a group that included Asia ‘s runner-up South Korea, Kuwait, Myanmar, and Laos, [ 94 ] the second base time Lebanon faced South Korea and Kuwait in World Cup qualifiers. Lebanon finished irregular in the group and, although they were eliminated from the World Cup, they qualified to the 2019 asian Cup qualification third circle, played between March 2017 and March 2018. [ 95 ] The asian Cup draw put Lebanon in Group B, with North Korea, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. [ 96 ] With five wins and a draw, Lebanon topped the group and qualified for the cup for the first gear time ( after qualifying as host in 2000, the nation ‘s only former engagement ). [ 97 ] Hassan Maatouk ( who succeeded Roda Antar as captain in 2016 ) [ 98 ] was key to Lebanon ‘s success, scoring five goals in six games. [ 99 ] Although Radulović failed to qualify the team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, he helped Lebanon reach their first-ever AFC asian Cup through qualification in 2019 ; [ f ] [ 95 ] he was the first Montenegrin director to help a team qualify for a major tournament. Radulović managed a 16-game unbeaten streak ( from 24 March 2016 to 11 October 2018 ), [ 100 ] [ 101 ] winning eight and drawing eight, [ 26 ] make Lebanon the second-most unbeaten home team by issue of games at that point ( 16 ) after Spain ( 26 ). [ 102 ] In September 2018, Lebanon achieved their best-ever FIFA rank ( 77th ). [ 103 ] Lebanon relied on their diaspora abroad for the 2019 asian Cup, with nine of their 23 called-up players being born outside of Lebanon. [ 43 ] They started the campaign on 9 January 2019, with a 2–0 loss against Qatar. [ 104 ] In the 37th moment, Ali Hamam scored a goal for Lebanon from a corner, only for it to be controversially disallowed for a disgusting. [ 105 ] [ 106 ] Two goals by Qatar in the second one-half secured all three points for the opposing team. [ 107 ] Three days by and by, Lebanon played their second equal of the tournament against Saudi Arabia. [ 108 ] Two goals without answer brought Lebanon their second gear kill of the tournament. [ 108 ]
In the concluding group phase game against North Korea, played on 17 January, Lebanon needed to win by four goals to pass to the knock-out stages. [ 109 ] The meet ended in a 4–1 win, thanks to a brace by Hilal El-Helwe, which gave Lebanon their first gear ever asian Cup succeed. [ 109 ] however, they lost out to Vietnam in the third-place rank on the bonny bet rule. [ 109 ] Because they had received seven yellow cards against five by Vietnam, they were knocked out of the contest. [ 109 ] Liviu Ciobotariu was appointed for the joint qualifications for the 2022 World Cup and the 2023 asian Cup. [ 110 ] His first games took home at the 2019 WAFF Championship, where Lebanon were drawn with hosts Iraq, Syria, Palestine, and Yemen. [ 111 ] Lebanon finished fourth in their group with four points, after a win, a draw, and two defeats. [ 111 ] For the second round of reservation for the 2022 World Cup, Lebanon were drawn with South Korea, for the third clock time in a row, [ 64 ] [ 94 ] North Korea, who Lebanon had faced in both the qualifications and final stage of the 2019 asian Cup, [ 96 ] [ 109 ] Turkmenistan and Sri Lanka. [ 112 ] Lebanon played five matches ( two wins, two draw, and one defeat ) between September and November 2019, [ 113 ] before the remaining games were postponed on 9 March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia. [ 114 ] [ 115 ] Former home team captain Jamal Taha was appointed head coach on 17 June 2020. [ 116 ] North Korea withdrew from the World Cup qualifiers in May 2021, and their previous results were voided ; this highly profit Lebanon, as they had alone gained one point in two games against them. [ 117 ] Lebanon headed into their last three games in June 2021, against Sri Lanka, Turkmenistan and South Korea, needing six points to qualify to the third gear and concluding round without having to rely on other results. [ 118 ] Following a slender 3–2 acquire over Sri Lanka, [ 119 ] Lebanon lost a 2–1 lead against Turkmenistan in the final five minutes, losing 3–2. [ 120 ] Away to South Korea, Lebanon took the lead in the inaugural half, before the family english overturned the result in the second one-half, winning 2–1. [ 121 ] Despite not getting the six points required, other results went in Lebanon ‘s prefer and they finished among the best runner-up, qualifying to the 2023 asian Cup for the third time, and the concluding round of the 2022 World Cup for the second gear meter. [ 122 ]
Kits [edit ]
Lebanon ‘s kit out over the years
1940
1966
2019 The national team traditionally break red as their primary color and white as their secondary color. [ 123 ] The choices originate from the national flag of Lebanon ( red, white, and green ) ; green is typically reserved for the goalkeeper. [ 124 ] At home, Lebanon normally wear a red shirt, shorts, and socks, with blank details ; [ 108 ] the aside kit is a egg white outfit with red details. [ 107 ] During their beginning unofficial match in 1935, Lebanon wore white shirts with the lebanese cedar and the association ‘s name on the thorax, black shorts, and white socks ; the goalkeeper wore a black shirt and ashen trousers. In 1940, on the occasion of their first FIFA-sanctioned game against Mandatory Palestine, Lebanon wore a blank kit with a bootleg collar, along with black shorts and striped socks. [ 126 ] During the 1960s, Lebanon wore a crimson shirt with a blank horizontal band in the center, which included a green cedar tree in the middle ; the shorts were white, and the socks were red-and-white-striped. [ 127 ] In the 2000 AFC asian Cup, Lebanon wore a crimson Adidas shirt with white details on the sides and a white collar, white shorts, and red socks. [ 128 ] In the 2019 political campaign, Lebanon wore a bolshevik kit ( manufactured by Capelli Sport ) with white details and a white collar. [ 108 ] The Lebanese cedar, the nation ‘s national symbol, was salute under the team logo in a blue shade of red. [ 129 ] Since 2015 the team kit has been manufactured by Capelli Sport, [ 130 ] a sports brand founded by Lebanese-born entrepreneur George Altirs. [ 131 ] former manufacturers include Diadora and Adidas. [ 132 ] [ 133 ] Lebanon is known as “ the Cedars ” ( Arabic : رجال الأرز ) by fans and the media, since the cedar tree is the area ‘s home symbol. [ 134 ] [ 135 ] [ 136 ]
home stadium [edit ]
The Lebanese home team play their home games in assorted stadiums throughout the state. The team ‘s main venue is the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium. Built in 1957 during the presidency of Camille Chamoun, it is the state ‘s largest stadium with 49,500 seats. [ 137 ] Its inauguration game was in 1957, when the national team played Energia Flacara Ploiesti and won 1–0 thanks to a Joseph Abou Mrad goal. [ 20 ] It was the independent stadium used to host the 2000 asian Cup held in Lebanon ; six matches were played in the stadium including the opening equal and the final. [ 138 ] [ 139 ] In 2011 the stadium hosted the celebrated 2–1 victory against South Korea in the 2014 World Cup reservation, sending Lebanon to the final round of qualification for the first time. [ 75 ] Over 40,000 spectators were salute to watch the match. [ 75 ] The national team, however, besides play in other stadiums such as the Saida Municipal Stadium located in Sidon. Built over the ocean, the stadium holds 22,600 people, [ 140 ] and was one of the venues to host the 2000 asian Cup. [ 141 ] other stadiums in which the national team play include the Tripoli Municipal Stadium and the Beirut Municipal Stadium. [ 142 ] [ 143 ]
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Players [edit ]
current police squad [edit ]
The following 23 players were called up for the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup. [ 144 ]
- Information correct as of 1 December 2021, after the match against Egypt[145]
recent call-ups [edit ]
The follow footballers were partially of a national survival in the past 12 months, but are not part of the current team .
competitive record [edit ]
FIFA World Cup [edit ]
Although the Lebanese Football Association was formed in 1933, [ 4 ] [ 5 ] Lebanon ‘s foremost qualification campaign for the FIFA World Cup took place in the 1986 version. [ 31 ] however, after playing four matches, Lebanon withdrew due to the ongoing civil war, and their results were subsequently annulled. [ 31 ] The country ‘s first full qualification campaign came two editions late, in 1994, where they finished third base in their group with two wins, four draw, and two losses. [ 35 ] Ever since, Lebanon have participated in every iteration of the World Cup qualifiers. The closest Lebanon got to qualifying to the World Cup was during the 2014 crusade. After beating Bangladesh 4–2 on sum in the second turn, [ 63 ] Lebanon qualified to the one-third round, where they were drawn with South Korea, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. [ 64 ] The team beat South Korea in a historical 2–1 win at home, coming second in their group and qualifying to the fourth ( and final ) round for the beginning clock. [ 76 ] Grouped with Iran, South Korea, Uzbekistan, and Qatar, [ 84 ] Lebanon finished last in Group A and were eliminated with lone one win and two draws in eight games. [ 83 ]
Lebanon’s FIFA World Cup record
Qualification record
Host nation(s)
and year
Round
Pos
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
Squad
Outcome
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
Ref
1930
Did not participate
Did not participate
—
1934
—
1938
—
1950
—
1954
—
1958
—
1962
—
1966
—
1970
—
1974
—
1978
—
1982
—
1986
Withdrew
Withdrew
[31]
1990
Did not participate
Did not participate
—
1994
Did not qualify
3rd of 5
8
2
4
2
8
9
[35]
1998
2nd of 3
4
1
1
2
4
7
[38]
2002
2nd of 4
6
4
1
1
26
5
[46]
2006
2nd of 4
6
3
2
1
11
5
[50]
2010
First round win, 4th of 4
8
1
1
6
9
17
[146]
2014
Second round win, 2nd of 4, 5th of 5
13
5
2
6
16
22
[147]
2018
2nd of 5
8
3
2
3
12
6
[148]
2022
To be determined
Ongoing
2026
To be determined
To be determined
Total
Best: N/A
0/21
0
0
0
0
0
0
—
Total
53
19
13
21
86
71
—
Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place
Home venue
AFC asian Cup [edit ]
Lebanon ‘s first reservation campaign for the AFC asian Cup came at the 1972 version ; drawn in Group B of the Western Zone, Lebanon came second thanks to a 3–2 victory over neighbors Syria and advanced to the following stage. [ 29 ] In the decisive semi-final match against Iraq, Lebanon lost 4–1 and were knocked-out. [ 29 ] Lebanon won a comforting third-place match against Jordan. [ 29 ] The 2000 edition was Lebanon ‘s first participation in the finals, when the area hosted the event. [ 39 ] Following a 4–0 frustration to Iran in the competition ‘s opening match, [ 42 ] Lebanon came from behind to draw 2–2 against Iraq ; [ 42 ] Abbas Chahrour became Lebanon ‘s first goalscorer in the contest. [ 42 ] Lebanon drew once again, 1–1 against Thailand, and were eliminated, finishing last in the group. [ 42 ] After finishing the 2019 third round of qualification unbeaten, Lebanon qualified to the asian Cup for the first time in their history. [ 97 ] In the finals, Lebanon lost the first group stage peer 2–0 to eventual champions Qatar, [ 107 ] before losing once again by the lapp score to Saudi Arabia. [ 108 ] In the concluding match of the group, Lebanon needed a winnings by four goals or more against North Korea to qualify to the knock-out stage. [ 109 ] Despite conceding an early free-kick finish, Lebanon went on to win the match 4–1 thanks to a brace by Hilal El-Helwe. [ 109 ] however, they lost out to Vietnam in the third-place ranking due to having received more yellow cards, and were knocked out of the contest. [ 109 ]
Lebanon’s AFC Asian Cup record
Qualification record
Host nation(s)
and year
Round
Pos
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
Squad
Outcome
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
Ref
1956
Did not participate
Did not participate
—
1960
—
1964
—
1968
—
1972
Did not qualify
2nd of 3, semi-final loss
3
1
0
2
4
7
[29]
1976
Withdrew
Withdrew
[149]
1980
Did not qualify
3rd of 4
3
1
1
1
2
1
[30]
1984
Withdrew
Withdrew
[150]
1988
Did not participate
Did not participate
—
1992
—
1996
Did not qualify
2nd of 3
4
2
1
1
7
6
[36]
2000
Group stage
10th of 12
3
0
2
1
3
7
Squad
Qualified as hosts
[42]
2004
Did not qualify
3rd of 4
6
1
1
4
2
8
[48]
2007
Withdrew
Withdrew
[51]
2011
Did not qualify
Preliminary round win, 4th of 4
8
2
1
5
8
14
[58]
2015
3rd of 4
6
2
2
2
12
14
[151]
2019
Group stage
17th of 24
3
1
0
2
4
5
Squad
2nd of 5, 1st of 4
14
8
3
3
26
10
[152]
2023
Qualified
2nd of 5
6
3
1
2
11
8
Total
Best: group stage
3/18
6
1
2
3
7
12
—
Total
50
20
10
20
72
68
—
Champions Runners-up Third place/semi-finalists
Home venue
Summer Olympic Games [edit ]
Lebanon ‘s elder team have never qualified to the Summer Olympics final tournament ; their inaugural reservation campaign was for Rome 1960. [ 153 ] After losing the beginning two group stage games against Iraq, Lebanon withdrew and the two remaining matches were awarded to their adversary Turkey. [ 153 ] Lebanon participated in two more qualifications, in 1968 and 1972, failing to qualify to the final examination tournament on both occasions. [ 154 ] [ 155 ]
FIFA Arab Cup [edit ]
Lebanon have taken separate in all iterations of the Arab Cup, except the 1985 and 1992 editions. They hosted the inaugural version in 1963, in a group containing Tunisia, Syria, Kuwait, and Jordan. [ 24 ] After beating Kuwait 6–0 through a hat-trick by Mardik Tchaparian, [ 25 ] Lebanon lost 3–2 to Syria, before winning 5–0 against Jordan. [ 24 ] In a decisive match against Tunisia, Muhieddine Itani scored an own goal, and Lebanon lost 1–0, finishing third. [ 24 ] Lebanon finished in fourthly place in the subsequent two editions ( 1964 and 1966 ) ; always since, they have failed to pass the group degree. [ 160 ] [ 27 ]
Lebanon’s FIFA Arab Cup record
Qualification record
Host nation(s)
and year
Round
Pos
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
Squad
Outcome
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
Ref
1963
Third place
3rd of 5
4
2
0
2
13
4
Squad
Qualified as invitees
[24]
1964
Fourth place
4th of 5
4
1
1
2
4
5
Squad
Qualified as invitees
[160]
1966
4th of 9
6
3
1
2
11
10
Squad
Qualified as invitees
[27]
1985
Did not participate
Withdrew
—
1988
Group stage
6th of 10
4
1
2
1
2
4
Squad
2nd of 3
2
0
1
1
1
2
[32]
1992
Did not participate
No qualifying tournament
—
1998
Group stage
9th of 12
2
0
1
1
1
4
Squad
3rd of 4
3
1
0
2
3
4
[161]
2002
8th of 10
4
1
1
2
5
7
Squad
Qualified as invitees
[162]
2009
Cancelled
2nd of 4
3
1
2
0
4
0
[163]
2012
Group stage
10th of 10
3
0
1
2
1
4
Squad
Qualified as invitees
[164]
2021
Ongoing
Squad
Win
1
1
0
0
1
0
Total
Best: third place
8/10
27
8
7
12
37
38
—
Total
9
3
3
3
9
6
—
Champions
Runners-up
Third place
Fourth invest
Home venue
WAFF Championship [edit ]
Bar the 2008 and 2010 editions, Lebanon have participated in every WAFF Championship ; however, they have failed to qualify past the group stage on all occasions. Their foremost participation in the WAFF Championship was in 2000, at the inaugural address edition. [ 165 ] Drawn with Iraq, hosts Jordan, and Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon finished third gear in their group with one win, one draw, and one loss. [ 165 ]
Lebanon’s WAFF Championship record
Host nation(s)
and year
Round
Pos
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
Squad
Ref
2000
Group stage
5th of 8
3
1
1
1
3
2
Squad
[165]
2002
5th of 6
2
0
0
2
0
3
Squad
[166]
2004
6th of 6
2
0
0
2
1
7
Squad
[167]
2007
6th of 6
2
0
0
2
0
4
Squad
[168]
2008
Did not participate
—
2010
—
2012
Group stage
9th of 12
3
1
0
2
2
3
Squad
[169]
2014
8th of 9
2
0
1
1
0
2
Squad
[170]
2019
7th of 9
4
1
1
2
3
4
Squad
[171]
2023
To be determined
Squad
Total
Best: group stage
8/10
18
3
3
12
9
25
—
—
Champions
Runners-up
Third place/semi-finalists
home venue
Pan Arab Games [edit ]
After participating in the inauguration edition of the Pan Arab Games, at Alexandria 1953, [ 172 ] Lebanon hosted the 1957 version. [ 21 ] Topping a group containing Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, Lebanon reached the semi-finals where they lost 4–2 to Tunisia. [ 21 ] due to Morocco withdrawing from the third-place match, Lebanon finished the tournament in third base station. [ 21 ] Lebanon besides came third in 1997, once again as hosts. [ 173 ] With two draws and a succeed, Lebanon came second in their group and qualified to the semi-finals, which they lost after extra time to Syria. [ 173 ] Lebanon finished in third invest after beating Kuwait 3–1. [ 173 ]
asian Games [edit ]
The Lebanon national senior team only participated once at the asian Games, at Bangkok 1998. Thanks to a 5–1 win against Cambodia, Lebanon qualified past the preliminary round and were drawn with Qatar, Thailand, and Kazakhstan in the second round. [ 177 ] Following two 1–0 defeats, respectively to Qatar and Thailand, Lebanon won 3–0 against Kazakhstan in their final examination meet of the group stage. [ 177 ] however, the three points were n’t adequate to qualify Lebanon to the smasher orotund. [ 177 ]
mediterranean Games [edit ]
Lebanon ‘s first engagement at the Mediterranean Games was in 1959, when they hosted the event. [ 23 ] They lost both legs against Italy B and Turkey B, finishing last with no points. [ 23 ] Lebanon ‘s aged team participated two more times, in 1963 and 1987, failing to qualify past the group degree on both occasions. [ 178 ] [ 179 ]
other tournaments [edit ]
Lebanon won their first tournament – albeit unofficial – at the 1964 Tripoli Fair Tournament ; with three wins and one draw, Lebanon finished first in a group containing Libya, Morocco, Sudan, and Malta. [ 28 ] In 1998, Lebanon participated at the Friendship Tournament in the United Arab Emirates where, with two draws and a frustration, they finished in third gear home out of four. [ 180 ] Lebanon besides finished in third place at the 2009 King ‘s Cup in Thailand ; after losing to the hosts in the semi-finals, they won against North Korea in the third-place pit. [ 181 ]
Records and fixtures [edit ]
Lebanon ‘s highest winning gross profit is seven goals, which has been achieved on two occasions : against Pakistan in 2001 ( 8–1 ) and against Laos in 2015 ( 7–0 ). Their longest winning streak is six wins, and their unbeaten record is 16 consecutive official matches. [ 100 ] The integral match record can be examined on the pursue articles :
Upcoming fixtures are listed on the 2020–present results page .
See besides [edit ]
Notes and references [edit ]
Notes [edit ]
References [edit ]
bibliography [edit ]
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