Nickname(s) | Team 54 [1] Los Llanis | ||
---|---|---|---|
Association | Gibraltar Football Association | ||
Confederation | UEFA (Europe) | ||
Head coach | Julio César Ribas | ||
Captain | Liam Walker | ||
Most caps | Liam Walker (85) | ||
Top scorer | Liam Walker (8) | ||
Home stadium | Victoria Stadium Europa Sports Park | ||
FIFA code | GIB | ||
| |||
FIFA ranking | |||
Current | 197 1 (24 October 2024) [2] | ||
Highest | 190 (October 2018) | ||
Lowest | 206 (April 2017 – March 2018) | ||
First international | |||
Gibraltar 0–0 Slovakia (Faro, Portugal; 19 November 2013) | |||
Biggest win | |||
Gibraltar 2–0 Liechtenstein (Gibraltar; 16 November 2022) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
France 14–0 Gibraltar (Nice, France; 18 November 2023) | |||
Island Games | |||
Appearances | 10 (first in 1993 ) | ||
Best result | Champions (2007) | ||
Four Nations Tournament | |||
Appearances | 1 (first in 2008) | ||
Best result | Fourth place (2008) | ||
FIFI Wild Cup | |||
Appearances | 1 (first in 2006 ) | ||
Best result | Third place (2006) |
The Gibraltar national football team represents Gibraltar in men's international football competitions, and is controlled by the Gibraltar Football Association. Gibraltar applied for full Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) membership and was accepted by the UEFA Congress in May 2013. It can therefore compete in the UEFA European Championship starting with the 2016 tournament for which the team competed in UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group D. On 13 May 2016 Gibraltar became a member of FIFA at the governing body's 66th Congress which was held in Mexico City. [3] Gibraltar is the second smallest UEFA member in terms of population (only San Marino has a smaller population) and the smallest in terms of area. [4] [5]
Despite not being an island, Gibraltar set up its first official side for the football competition at the 1993 Island Games [6] and has been a regular in the tournament, winning the 2007 edition. [7]
Gibraltar's first unofficial national match took place against Jersey in the 1993 Island Games in the Isle of Wight, although the team had previously played friendlies versus professional and amateur clubs. The result was a 2–1 loss for the Gibraltarians. Gibraltar's largest unofficial win was 19–0 versus Sark, in Saint Martin, Guernsey, whilst their largest unofficial loss was 5–0 versus Greenland – an autonomous region of Denmark – which also took part on the Isle of Wight, in Freshwater.
The history of the Gibraltar national football side can be traced back to April 1923, when it travelled to Spain to play club side Sevilla in a friendly; two games were played and Gibraltar lost both 2–0 and 5–0. [6] The side also managed a draw with Real Madrid in 1949. [8] [9]
Before joining UEFA, Gibraltar competed in numerous football competitions, most regularly in the Island Games.
The first competition the team entered was the 1993 Island Games, despite Gibraltar not being an island. Gibraltar lost all of its matches, scoring only one goal and finishing in last place.
They had much more success in the 1995 Island Games, which they hosted. Despite losing their opening game against Greenland, Gibraltar bounced back to record their first competitive win, against the Isle of Man. Another victory over Anglesey saw Gibraltar finish second in the group, ahead of Anglesey only on goal difference, and qualify for the semi-finals. There, they beat Jersey 1–0, before losing the final to the Isle of Wight by the same scoreline.
In the 1997 Island Games, two wins and two losses in the group stage, followed by a defeat to Shetland in a playoff, saw Gibraltar finish 6th out of 9 teams. Another poor performance in 1999 saw them finish 11th.
Island Games results improved slightly in 2001, as they came 5th, and in 2003 Gibraltar recorded their biggest win ever, defeating Sark 19–0. Other good results against Greenland and Orkney saw them finish 6th out of 12. Despite these minor successes, Gibraltar did not enter the 2005 tournament.
A football team represented Gibraltar at the 2015 edition of the games even after Gibraltar was accepted by UEFA. However, the squad was a development team composed of under-19s and over-aged players with no first team senior squad members taking part. [10] The team was coached by John Moreno.
In early summer 2006, Gibraltar participated in the 2006 FIFI Wild Cup where it was ranked 3rd. The tournament was an alternative World Cup for non-FIFA members, which was only held once. In Gibraltar's opening match, they drew 1–1 with the hosts, the 'Republic of St. Pauli', before beating Tibet 5–0 in their second group game to qualify for the semi-finals. There they lost 2–0 to eventual champions Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus - following Gibraltar's games against Cyprus in 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification games in 2017, Gibraltar achieved a rare feat of playing both Cypriot national teams. In the third place playoff, Gibraltar had a rematch against St. Pauli. This time Gibraltar were able to defeat the hosts, to finish in third place out of the six teams. [11]
In 2008, Gibraltar accepted an invitation to participate in The Four Nations Tournament, the most prominent senior football tournament that Gibraltar had ever participated in. The 2008 Four Nations Tournament, won by England C, was played in North Wales, and was contested between Wales Semi-Pro, England C, Scotland B and guest nation Gibraltar after Northern Ireland decided not to take part. Though Gibraltar eventually finished bottom of the group, they pushed tournament winners England C close. [12]
Gibraltar first applied for UEFA membership in 1999 but was rejected because of intense opposition from Spain. Spain's opposition stemmed not only from claiming ownership of the territory but from fear that Gibraltar's acceptance would set a precedent that would inspire the separatist Basque national football team and Catalan national football teams to apply for UEFA membership as well. The issue was voted on again in 2007 but only three member nations (England, Scotland and Wales) [9] supported Gibraltar's bid after Spain threatened to withdraw Spanish teams from all UEFA competitions. UEFA then established rules, which were introduced following pressure from Spain, restricting membership to sovereign states recognised as such by the United Nations. The Gibraltar FA then went to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in 2007 and again in 2011 after an appeal and it was ruled that Gibraltar could not be refused membership because the sovereignty rules were not established until after Gibraltar's 1999 and 2007 applications. At this time, Gibraltar was named a provisional member of UEFA and was granted permission to enter national teams in under-17 and under-19 tournaments for the first time. [13] [14]
The GFA was accepted as a full UEFA member by resolution of the UEFA Congress held in London on 24 May 2013, with only Spain and Belarus opposed. [15] [16] This meant Gibraltar became the smallest UEFA member by population, behind San Marino, then Liechtenstein and the Faroe Islands. As a result of the vote, the Gibraltar national team became eligible to enter the qualification tournaments for UEFA's premier national team competition, the European Championship. The first such opportunity was the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, which would kick off in September 2014. Following the examples of Armenia–Azerbaijan and Russia–Georgia, it was confirmed that Gibraltar and Spain would be kept apart in qualifying groups. [5]
After being accepted into UEFA, the GFA outlined adjusted eligibility criteria for the selection of players for the national squad. To be eligible, a player must be a British passport holder who was born in Gibraltar, or has Gibraltarian parents or grandparents, or has attended school for five years locally. [17] Former Manchester United, Derby County, Southampton and Stoke City defender Danny Higginbotham, whose uncle Allen Bula was the team manager, was eligible to be called up because of this criteria adjustment. [18] [19] On 18 September 2013, Higginbotham announced that he agreed in "principle" to play for Gibraltar. [20] [21] Recruiting of English-born players by manager Allen Bula was unpopular with some fans, [22] and in 2015 Bula's successor Jeff Wood said he would use more home-based players and develop local talent while still searching for eligible players elsewhere. [23]
Gibraltar's first official international match was a 0–0 friendly draw against Slovakia, on 19 November 2013 at the Estadio Algarve in Portugal. [24] On 23 February 2014, Gibraltar was drawn in Group D for the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying alongside Germany, Poland, Georgia, Republic of Ireland and Scotland. Initially, Gibraltar were drawn into the same group as Spain for the tournament but the previous decision to keep the two teams apart in qualifying rounds was upheld and Gibraltar was immediately moved into another group. This was their first time participating in an official European competition. [25] In June 2014, Gibraltar recorded their first ever victory under UEFA with a 1–0 win against Malta, the goal coming from Kyle Casciaro. [26]
On 7 September 2014, Gibraltar played their first competitive match – a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier against Poland. Despite coming into the game with optimism and excitement, they were still massive underdogs [27] and although the half time score was only 1–0 to Poland, it ended 7–0. [28] On 11 October 2014, they were defeated once again by 7–0, this time by Republic of Ireland, in their second Euro 2016 qualifier. In their third match, they were beaten for the third time by Georgia 3–0.
On 29 March 2015, Gibraltar scored their first ever goal in a full international competitive match. Lee Casciaro scored against Scotland at Hampden Park, Glasgow during the first half to level the match at 1–1. However, Scotland went on to win 6–1. [29] In July 2015, Englishman Jeff Wood was appointed manager, succeeding caretaker Dave Wilson who took over from Gibraltar's first manager Allen Bula in March 2015. [30] Gibraltar could not repeat their performance of scoring a goal in the next two matches; losing 7–0 away against Germany [31] and 4–0 against Republic of Ireland. [32] On 7 September 2015, Jake Gosling scored Gibraltar's second-ever competitive goal; netting a late consolation goal as his team was defeated 8–1 by Poland. [33] Gibraltar finished its maiden qualifying campaign last in its group with zero points. [34] With a 0–6 defeat to Scotland in the final match of qualifying, Gibraltar allowed 56 total goals throughout qualification, surpassing San Marino's previous record of 53 in a 10-match qualification process. [35]
Having been granted UEFA membership, the GFA aimed to become a full FIFA member in time to participate in qualifiers for the upcoming 2018 World Cup. [36] On 26 September 2014, it was announced that Gibraltar's application for FIFA membership had been denied, on the grounds that Gibraltar was not an independent country, and therefore ineligible for FIFA membership. [37] The Gibraltar Football Association announced that it planned to once again appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the same process by which they had successfully gained UEFA membership in 2013. [38] [39] CAS heard Gibraltar's case on 21 May 2015, at which point no time frame for a verdict was announced. [40] A ruling was announced on 2 May 2016, nearly a year after the CAS heard Gibraltar's case. As part of the ruling, FIFA was ordered to transmit Gibraltar's application for membership to the FIFA congress which was set to take place the following week in Mexico City. Additionally, FIFA was ordered to take "all necessary steps to admit the Gibraltar Football Association as a full member of FIFA without delay." [41] In FIFA's official statement regarding the ruling, the organization said that it expected to discuss the matter at the upcoming congress and discuss a course of action, including potentially altering the congress agenda to submit Gibraltar's application for membership. [42]
On 13 May 2016, Gibraltar was accepted as a member of FIFA with a vote of 172 to 12 in favour. Gibraltar became FIFA's 211th member immediately after Kosovo was voted member 210. [43]
Gibraltar participated in World Cup qualifiers for the first time for the 2018 edition. As Gibraltar were granted FIFA membership after the qualification draw had already taken place, they were belatedly added to Group H alongside Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Greece, Estonia and Cyprus. [44] On 6 September 2016, Liam Walker scored Gibraltar's first World Cup qualifying goal in a 1–4 defeat to Greece. [45] Gibraltar finished bottom of Group H, losing all of their matches with a record of 3 goals scored for 47 conceded. [46]
On 25 March 2018, Gibraltar achieved their first victory as a FIFA member in a friendly match against Latvia at Victoria Stadium, winning 1–0 thanks to a goal from Liam Walker. This was the side's second official victory and their first inside Gibraltar. [47]
Gibraltar's first victory in an official competitive fixture came in the inaugural 2018–19 Nations League, a 1–0 win away to Armenia on 13 October 2018 with Joseph Chipolina converting a penalty in the 50th minute for the game's only goal. [48] This was followed by a second consecutive win three days later, 2–1 at home against Liechtenstein. [49] Gibraltar finished their Nations League campaign 3rd in Group 4 of League D.
During their qualification campaign for Euro 2020, Gibraltar lost all eight of their matches, some by heavy margins, including matches against Denmark (0–6 home and away) and Switzerland (0–4 away, 1–6 home). Gibraltar managed to score 3 goals (1 against Switzerland and 2 against Georgia) while conceding 31. They also put up a good fight against Ireland, Round of 16 finishers in the previous edition, losing by narrow margins on both occasions (0–1 home, 0–2 away). Gibraltar had suffered heavy defeats when the sides met previously during the qualifiers for Euro 2016.
In the 2020–21 Nations League, Gibraltar achieved promotion to League C by finishing an unbeaten campaign top of their group, thanks to two 1–0 wins (home to San Marino and away at Liechtenstein) and two draws (0–0 away at San Marino and 1–1 at home to Liechtenstein). [50] In the following 2022-23 edition, Gibraltar managed an impressive draw with Bulgaria, a 1–1 result at home with captain Liam Walker equalising from the penalty spot in the 61st minute. This was Gibraltar's first point on their first appearance in League C. However, the team finished bottom of their group - losing each of their other five matches - and qualified for the two-legged relegation play-out where they faced Lithuania. Gibraltar lost each leg 0–1, and were relegated back to League D for the 2024–25 edition.
On 18 November 2023, during the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers, Gibraltar suffered the heaviest defeat in their history, losing 0–14 to France. The team failed to score a single goal during the campaign, finishing bottom of Group B with no points and 41 goals conceded.
On 6 June 2024, during a friendly match, a vastly re-vamped Gibraltar held Wales to a 0–0 draw at the Estádio Algarve in a result that was described as "embarrassing" for the away side, [51] and subsequently proved to be the last game for Welsh manager Rob Page before he was sacked.
Before being accepted into UEFA, the team played its home games at Victoria Stadium, the 5,000-seat national stadium of Gibraltar. There were plans to replace the stadium with a proposed 8,000-seat stadium at Europa Point, which was expected to be completed for UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying. [52] [53] [54] Due to the lack of suitable facilities in Gibraltar, the team played its competitive home matches at Estádio Algarve about four hours away in Portugal, from 2013 until 2018. Former national team manager Allen Bula stated that the team would play at the stadium for "a few years" until the Europa Point Stadium was complete. [55] Although the Victoria Stadium could not be used for qualifying matches, UEFA allowed its use for friendlies when Gibraltar chose to do so. [56]
In December 2014, the GFA applied for an exemption from UEFA to allow for competitive matches to be held at the Victoria Stadium although it did not meet minimum requirements. The exemption was filed based upon UEFA regulations which allow for an exemption to be granted because of "hardship". At that time, UEFA said that all scheduled matches, such as those during Euro 2016 qualification, would take place in the already-determined locations but a determination would be made for future competitions. [57] In February 2016, the Gibraltar government announced that over the previous four years numerous improvements had been made to the Victoria Stadium including the installation of approved AstroTurf and lighting which surpassed the requirements for a Category 2 stadium but did not quite meet Category 3. These improvements allowed for UEFA Champions League and Europa League matches to be played at the stadium. [58]
In September 2015, after plans for Europa Point were abandoned, the GFA explored other sites including Lathbury Barracks, as UEFA were unwilling at the time to fund improvements to Victoria Stadium while it was government owned. [59] In February 2016 the Government of Gibraltar announced that it expected to be presented for plans at the Lathbury site very soon. [58] However, in 2017 a deal was agreed for the Gibraltar FA to purchase Victoria Stadium with UEFA funding, and re-develop the stadium to meet UEFA standards. [60] The stadium was subsequently approved to host UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying games in March 2020. However, delays to the stadium redevelopment due to the COVID-19 pandemic meant that in October 2022 it was announced that Gibraltar would once again have to play competitive games in Portugal from March 2023 while their home stadium is rebuilt. [61] In May 2024, it was confirmed that UEFA had given permission for their 2024–25 UEFA Nations League games to be hosted at the Europa Point Stadium within the Europa Sports Park. [62]
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
Win Draw Loss Fixture
21 November 2023 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying | Gibraltar | 0–6 | Netherlands | Faro/Loulé, Portugal |
20:45 | Report |
| Stadium: Estádio Algarve Attendance: 2,280 Referee: Arda Kardeşler (Turkey) |
21 March 2024 Nations League play-out | Gibraltar | 0–1 | Lithuania | Faro/Loulé, Portugal |
20:45 | Report |
| Stadium: Estádio Algarve Attendance: 207 Referee: Giorgi Kruashvili (Georgia) |
26 March 2024 Nations League play-out | Lithuania | 1–0 (2–0 agg.) | Gibraltar | Kaunas, Lithuania |
18:00 (19:00 UTC+3) |
| Report | Stadium: Darius and Girėnas Stadium Attendance: 6,102 Referee: Duje Strukan (Croatia) | |
Note: Lithuania won 2–0 on aggregate and remained in League C, while Gibraltar were relegated to League D. |
3 June 2024 Friendly | Gibraltar | 0–2 | Scotland | Faro/Loulé, Portugal |
18:00 | Report | Stadium: Estádio Algarve Referee: Jamie Robinson (Northern Ireland) |
6 June 2024 Friendly | Gibraltar | 0–0 | Wales | Faro/Loulé, Portugal |
18:00 | Report | Stadium: Estádio Algarve Referee: Jamie Robinson (Northern Ireland) |
4 September 2024 Friendly | Gibraltar | 1–0 | Andorra | Europa Point, Gibraltar |
18:00 |
| Report | Stadium: Europa Point Stadium Referee: Tom Owen (Wales) |
8 September 2024 UEFA Nations League D | Gibraltar | 2–2 | Liechtenstein | Europa Point, Gibraltar |
18:00 | Report | Stadium: Europa Point Stadium Attendance: 681 Referee: Kristo Tohver (Estonia) |
10 October 2024 UEFA Nations League D | Gibraltar | 1–0 | San Marino | Europa Point, Gibraltar |
20:45 |
| Report | Stadium: Europa Point Stadium Attendance: 677 Referee: Felix Zwayer (Germany) |
13 October 2024 UEFA Nations League D | Liechtenstein | 0–0 | Gibraltar | Vaduz, Liechtenstein |
18:00 | Report | Stadium: Rheinpark Stadion Attendance: 1,510 Referee: Horațiu Feșnic (Romania) |
15 November 2024 UEFA Nations League D | San Marino | 1–1 | Gibraltar | Serravalle, San Marino |
20:45 | Report | Stadium: San Marino Stadium Attendance: 1,324 Referee: Igor Pajac (Croatia) |
19 November 2024 Friendly | Gibraltar | 1–1 | Moldova | Europa Point, Gibraltar |
18:00 | Report |
| Stadium: Europa Point Stadium Referee: Antoine Chiaramonti (Andorra) |
As of 19 November 2022 [63] [64]
Position | Name |
---|---|
Head coach | Julio César Ribas |
Assistant coach | José Carlos Gil Prieto |
Goalkeeper coach | Christian Wink |
Team Manager | Gary Robba |
Team doctor 1 | Keith Gracia |
Team doctor 2 | Issac Rodriguez |
Head physiotherapist Fitness coach | Iain Latin |
Team physiotherapist | Andrew Rodriguez |
Manager | Nation | Gibraltar career | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | GF | GA | Win % |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Allen Bula | 2013–2015 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 28 | 11.11 | |
David Wilson (interim) | 2015 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 0.00 | |
Jeff Wood | 2015–2018 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 4 | 79 | 0.00 | |
Desi Curry (interim) | 2018 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100.00 | |
Julio César Ribas | 2018– | 64 | 8 | 11 | 45 | 27 | 175 | 12.50 |
The following players were called up to the squad for the following 2024–25 UEFA Nations League D game against San Marino and friendly against Moldova: [65]
The following players have been called up within the past twelve months.
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GK | Jaylan Hankins | 17 November 2000 | 2 | 0 | Lincoln Red Imps | v. San Marino , 10 October 2024 |
GK | Dayle Coleing | 23 October 1996 | 32 | 0 | FCB Magpies | v. Liechtenstein , 8 September 2024 |
DF | Jack Sergeant | 27 February 1995 | 61 | 0 | Lincoln Red Imps | v. Wales , 6 June 2024 |
DF | Tayler Carrington | 28 May 2006 | 0 | 0 | Vázquez Cultural | v. Wales , 6 June 2024 |
DF | Ethan Llambias | 23 November 2000 | 0 | 0 | Mons Calpe | v. Wales , 6 June 2024 |
DF | Roy Chipolina | 20 January 1983 | 75 | 5 | Retired | v. Lithuania , 26 March 2024RET |
DF | Kai Mauro | 30 May 2007 | 0 | 0 | Cádiz | v. Lithuania , 26 March 2024 |
DF | Adam Achhoud | 3 September 2006 | 0 | 0 | Atlético Zabal | v. Lithuania , 26 March 2024 |
MF | Julian Valarino | 23 June 2000 | 24 | 0 | Lincoln Red Imps | v. Liechtenstein , 8 September 2024 |
MF | Niels Hartman | 17 January 2001 | 7 | 0 | Vermont Catamounts | v. Lithuania , 26 March 2024 |
MF | Scott Ballantine | 12 April 1996 | 1 | 0 | Lynx | v. Lithuania , 26 March 2024 |
MF | Anthony Hernandez | 3 February 1995 | 28 | 1 | FCB Magpies | v. Netherlands , 21 November 2023 |
MF | Mohamed Badr | 25 November 1989 | 16 | 0 | Manchester 62 | v. Netherlands , 21 November 2023 |
FW | Dylan Peacock | 24 August 2001 | 1 | 0 | Manchester 62 | v. Lithuania , 26 March 2024 |
FW | Jamie Coombes | 27 May 1996 | 32 | 0 | FCB Magpies | v. Netherlands , 21 November 2023 |
INJ Withdrew from the squad due to an injury |
Rank | Player | Caps | Goals | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Liam Walker | 85 | 8 | 2013–present |
2 | Roy Chipolina | 75 | 5 | 2013–2024 |
3 | Lee Casciaro | 66 | 3 | 2014–present |
4 | Jayce Olivero | 63 | 0 | 2016–present |
5 | Joseph Chipolina | 61 | 2 | 2013–present |
Jack Sergeant | 61 | 0 | 2013–present | |
7 | Louie Annesley | 48 | 1 | 2018–present |
Tjay De Barr | 48 | 3 | 2018–present | |
9 | Ethan Britto | 43 | 1 | 2018–present |
10 | Scott Wiseman | 38 | 0 | 2013–2023 |
Rank | Player | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Liam Walker | 8 | 85 | 0.09 | 2013–present |
2 | Roy Chipolina | 5 | 75 | 0.07 | 2013–2024 |
3 | Reece Styche | 3 | 31 | 0.1 | 2014–present |
Tjay De Barr | 3 | 48 | 0.06 | 2018–present | |
Lee Casciaro | 3 | 66 | 0.05 | 2014–present | |
6 | Jake Gosling | 2 | 12 | 0.17 | 2014–2018 |
Joseph Chipolina | 2 | 61 | 0.03 | 2013–present | |
FIFA World Cup record | Qualification record | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
1930 to 2014 | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | |||||||||||||
2018 | Did not qualify | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 47 | ||||||||
2022 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 43 | |||||||||
2026 | To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||
2030 | |||||||||||||||
2034 | |||||||||||||||
Total | — | 0/2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 7 | 90 | |
UEFA European Championship record | Qualifying record | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | ||||
1960 to 2012 | Not a UEFA member | Not a UEFA member | ||||||||||||||||
2016 | Did not qualify | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 56 | |||||||||||
2020 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 31 | ||||||||||||
2024 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 41 | ||||||||||||
2028 | To be determined | To be determined | ||||||||||||||||
2032 | ||||||||||||||||||
Total | — | 0/3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 5 | 128 | ||||
UEFA Nations League record | ||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
League phase | Promotion/Relegation play-offs | |||||||||||||||||
Season | LG | Grp | Pos. | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | P/R | RK | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | |
2018–19 | D | 4 | 3rd | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 15 | 49th | — | |||||||
2020–21 | D | 2 | 1st | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 49th | ||||||||
2022–23 | C | 4 | 4th | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 18 | 48th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | ||
2024–25 | D | 1 | 2nd | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 | TBC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Total | 20 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 37 | — | 48th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Island Games record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
1989 to 1991 | Did not enter | |||||||
1993 | 7th place match | 8th | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 9 |
1995 | Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
1997 | 5th place match | 6th | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 8 |
1999 | 11th place match | 11th | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 11 |
2001 | 5th place match | 5th | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 |
2003 | 5th place match | 6th | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 29 | 5 |
2005 | Did not enter | |||||||
2007 | Champions | 1st | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 2 |
2009 | 9th place match | 9th | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 3 |
2011 | 5th place match | 5th | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 7 |
2013 | Did not enter | |||||||
2015 [nb 1] | 9th place match | 10th | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
2017 | Did not enter | |||||||
2019 | Replaced by 2019 Inter Games Football Tournament | |||||||
Total | 1 Title | 10/15 | 42 | 21 | 3 | 18 | 102 | 56 |
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2008 | Group | 4th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 11 |
Total | 0 Titles | 1/1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 11 |
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2006 | Third place match | 3rd | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 4 |
Total | 0 Titles | 1/1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 4 |
The following table shows Gibraltar's all-time international record, correct as of 19 November 2024. Only official matches are included.
Opponents | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | W% | First | Last |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Andorra | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 66.67 | 2021 | 2024 |
Armenia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 50.00 | 2018 | 2018 |
Belgium | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 15 | −15 | 0.00 | 2016 | 2017 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | −9 | 0.00 | 2017 | 2017 |
Bulgaria | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 9 | −7 | 0.00 | 2020 | 2022 |
Croatia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | −4 | 0.00 | 2015 | 2015 |
Cyprus | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 0.00 | 2016 | 2017 |
Denmark | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | −12 | 0.00 | 2019 | 2019 |
Estonia | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 14 | −13 | 0.00 | 2014 | 2019 |
Faroe Islands | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 0.00 | 2014 | 2022 |
France | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 17 | −17 | 0.00 | 2023 | 2023 |
Georgia | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 19 | −16 | 0.00 | 2014 | 2022 |
Germany | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | −11 | 0.00 | 2014 | 2015 |
Greece | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 16 | −15 | 0.00 | 2016 | 2023 |
Grenada | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0 | 0.00 | 2022 | 2022 |
Kosovo | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 0.00 | 2019 | 2019 |
Latvia | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 11 | −8 | 25.00 | 2016 | 2021 |
Liechtenstein | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 37.50 | 2016 | 2024 |
Lithuania | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | −2 | 0.00 | 2024 | 2024 |
Malta | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 33.33 | 2014 | 2023 |
Moldova | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | +0 | 0.00 | 2024 | 2024 |
Montenegro | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 7 | −6 | 0.00 | 2021 | 2021 |
Netherlands | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 22 | −22 | 0.00 | 2021 | 2023 |
North Macedonia | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 12 | −12 | 0.00 | 2018 | 2022 |
Norway | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 8 | −7 | 0.00 | 2021 | 2021 |
Poland | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 15 | −14 | 0.00 | 2014 | 2015 |
Portugal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | −5 | 0.00 | 2016 | 2016 |
Republic of Ireland | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 21 | −21 | 0.00 | 2014 | 2023 |
San Marino | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 50.00 | 2020 | 2024 |
Scotland | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 14 | −13 | 0.00 | 2015 | 2024 |
Slovakia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0 | 0.00 | 2013 | 2013 |
Slovenia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | −6 | 0.00 | 2021 | 2021 |
Switzerland | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 10 | −9 | 0.00 | 2019 | 2019 |
Turkey | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | −9 | 0.00 | 2021 | 2021 |
Wales | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | −4 | 0.00 | 2023 | 2024 |
Total | 94 | 10 | 14 | 70 | 36 | 299 | −263 | 10.64 | 2013 | 2024 |
Opponent | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Åland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
England C | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
Faroe Islands | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Frøya | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 |
Greenland | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 7 |
Guernsey | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Isle of Man | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
Isle of Wight | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 3 |
Jersey | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 15 |
Madeira | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Menorca | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Monaco | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
Northern Cyprus | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Orkney | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 |
Rhodes | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
Sark | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
Scotland Semi-Pro | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
Shetland | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 6 |
Tibet | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
Wales Semi-Pro | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
Ynys Môn | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
The Gibraltar Football Association or also Gibraltar FA (GFA) is the governing body for Gibraltarian football and futsal. It was formed as the Gibraltar Civilian Football Association in 1895, changing to its current name in later years. It is one of the oldest football associations in the world. From October 2012, the GFA were provisional members of UEFA and the Gibraltar national futsal team, under-19 and under-17 representative teams participated in the 2013/14 UEFA season competitions. At the XXXVII UEFA Congress held in London on 24 May 2013, Gibraltar was accepted as a full member of UEFA. Gibraltar were admitted to FIFA as a full member on 13 May 2016 at the 66th FIFA Congress in Mexico.
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents the Republic of Ireland in men's international football. It is governed by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI).
The Liechtenstein national football team is the national football team of the Principality of Liechtenstein and is controlled by the Liechtenstein Football Association. The organisation is known as the Liechtensteiner Fussballverband in German.
The San Marino national football team represents San Marino in men's international association football competitions. The team is governed by the San Marino Football Federation and represents the smallest population of any UEFA member. They are currently the lowest-ranked FIFA-affiliated national football team, having won three professional matches since their inception.
The Armenia national football team represents Armenia in men's international football, and is controlled by the Football Federation of Armenia, the governing body for football in Armenia.
The Cyprus national football team represents Cyprus in men's international football and is controlled by the Cyprus Football Association. The team's home ground is the AEK Arena in Larnaca.
The Moldova national football team represents Moldova in men's international football and is administered by the Moldovan Football Federation, the governing body for football in Moldova. Moldova's home ground is Zimbru Stadium in Chișinău and their head coach is Serghei Cleșcenco. Shortly before the break-up of the Soviet Union, they played their first match against Georgia on 2 July 1991.
Victoria Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Gibraltar. It is currently used mostly for football matches, but also hosts the annual Gibraltar Music Festival. It is located close to Gibraltar Airport just off Winston Churchill Avenue. It was named after the wife of Gibraltarian philanthropist John Mackintosh.
The Montenegro national football team has represented Montenegro in men's international football since 2007. It is controlled by the Football Association of Montenegro, the governing body for football in Montenegro. Montenegro's home ground is Podgorica City Stadium in Podgorica.
Lincoln Red Imps Football Club is a professional football club from Gibraltar. They play in the Gibraltar Football League, and share Victoria Stadium with all other clubs in the territory. They are the country's record champion with 27 league titles, including fourteen consecutive titles between 2003 and 2016, and in 2014 were the first team to represent Gibraltar in the UEFA Champions League's qualifying stage. In August 2021, Lincoln became the first club from Gibraltar to ever reach the group stages of a European club competition after defeating the Latvian champions Riga FC in the play-off round of the UEFA Europa Conference League.
Football has been a popular part of sport in Gibraltar since its introduction by British military personnel in the 19th century. The Gibraltar Football Association, founded in 1895, is one of the ten oldest active football associations in the world.
The 2013–14 Gibraltar Premier Division is the 115th season of the national amateur football league in Gibraltar since its establishment - the highest level of football in Gibraltar. The league was expanded this season, and will be contested by eight clubs, a requirement for entry into UEFA competitions. The season began on October 7, 2013, with Glacis United defeating Lions Gibraltar 3–2. Lincoln are the defending league champions, having sealed their 11th successive title win in 2012–13.
The Gibraltar national football team is the representative association football team of Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula. Its governing body is the Gibraltar Football Association (GFA) and it competes as a member of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Organised football has been played in Gibraltar since the 19th century. The GFA first applied for UEFA membership in 1997 which was rejected, as UEFA would only allow membership for applicants recognised as sovereign states by the United Nations. They were unsuccessful in their second application in 2007 when only three of UEFA's 52 associations voted in their favour. In October 2012, they reapplied for membership which was granted in March 2013. Before 2018 the team's home ground, Victoria Stadium, did not meet UEFA's standards for competitive internationals, although it could be used for international friendlies. Gibraltar's first full international was played at the Estádio Algarve, located between Faro and Loulé, Portugal, which Gibraltar used as their home stadium for competitive matches between 2014 and 2018, and again from 2023.
The European section of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification acted as qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which was held in Russia, for national teams that are members of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Apart from Russia, who qualified automatically as hosts, a total of 13 slots in the final tournament were available for UEFA teams.
The Gibraltar national football team represents Gibraltar in football and is controlled by the Gibraltar Football Association (GFA), the local governing body of that sport. It competes as a member of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), which encompasses the countries of Europe. Organised football has been played in the country since the 19th century. Gibraltar first applied for UEFA membership in 1997 which was rejected, as UEFA would only allow membership for applicants recognised as sovereign states by the United Nations. In October 2012, Gibraltar reapplied for membership and it was granted in March 2013.
The Gibraltar national football team represents the Gibraltar in association football and is controlled by the Gibraltar Football Association (GFA), the governing body of the sport there. It competes as a member of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), which encompasses the countries of Europe. Organised football has been played in the country since the 19th century. Gibraltar first applied for UEFA membership in 1997 but was rejected because of intense opposition from Spain. In October 2012, Gibraltar reapplied for full membership and it was granted in March 2013. On 13 May 2016 Gibraltar was accepted as a member of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA); this was after their original application in 2014 was denied.
The Gibraltar national under-21 football team represents Gibraltar in football competitions at under-21 level and is controlled by the Gibraltar Football Association. It is a full member of FIFA and is therefore eligible to enter any FIFA-sanctioned tournaments. Gibraltar applied for full UEFA membership and was accepted by the UEFA Congress in May 2013 and can therefore compete in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship beginning with the 2015 edition of the tournament, although they did not participate until 2017, in qualification for the 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
The international friendly between the Gibraltar and Slovakia national football teams on 19 November 2013 was the first official match played by Gibraltar after joining the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). It took place at the Estádio Algarve in Faro/Loulé, Portugal with 350 fans in attendance. The Gibraltar Football Association chose to play at the Estádio Algarve as this would be the stadium the team would use for competitive matches as their only venue the Victoria Stadium was not eligible to. The game ended in a 0–0 draw which was seen as an upset with Slovakia being heavy favourites to defeat UEFA's newest members. Gibraltar defender Danny Higginbotham received the man of the match award.
Europa Sports Park is a multi-purpose stadium in Europa Point, Gibraltar; it was previously a Ministry of Defence cricket pitch. In 2019 it hosted the Island Games opening ceremony and will also host the annual Gibraltar Music Festival. In UEFA matches, the stadium is referred to as Europa Point Stadium.
Higginbotham, who is Bula's nephew, is one of several English-born players who have been drafted in, much to the chagrin of some Gibraltarians, who have heaped abuse on the manager for doing so.
Gibraltar, bottom of Group D, have changed their approach of late: they're not so keen to recruit eligible players via the 'granny rule' but instead are intent on bring through home grown talent.