Togo national football team

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Togo women's national football team.

Togo

Nickname(s)	Les Éperviers (The Sparrowhawks)
Association	Fédération Togolaise de Football (FTF)
Confederation	CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation	WAFU (West Africa)
Head coach	Paulo Duarte
Captain	Djené
Most caps	Abdoul-Gafar Mamah (93) [1]
Top scorer	Emmanuel Adebayor (32)
Home stadium	Stade de Kégué
FIFA code	TOG
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	122 (20 July 2023) [2]
Highest	46 (August 2006)
Lowest	133 (April 2021)
First international
French Togoland 1–1 Gold Coast and Trans-Volta Togoland   (French Togoland; 13 October 1956)
Biggest win
Togo 6–0 Swaziland   (Accra, Ghana; 11 November 2008)   Togo 6–0 Mauritius   (Lomé, Togo; 12 November 2017)
Biggest defeat
Morocco 7–0 Togo   (Morocco; 28 October 1979)   Tunisia 7–0 Togo   (Tunis, Tunisia; 7 January 2000)
World Cup
Appearances	1 (first in 2006 )
Best result	Group stage, 2006
Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances	8 (first in 1972 )
Best result	Quarter-finals, 2013

Members of the Togolese national football team before a warm-up match in Biberach/Riss a few days before the 2006 World Cup

The Togo national football team (French: Équipe nationale de football du Togo) represents Togo in international football and is controlled by the Togolese Football Federation. The national football team of Togo made their debut in the FIFA World Cup in 2006. Their team bus underwent a fatal attack in Angola prior to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. They withdrew and were subsequently banned from the following two tournaments by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). In 2013 for the first time in history, Togo reached the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations. The team represents both FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF).

History

They made their first FIFA World Cup appearance in their history in 2006, having been coached throughout the qualifying campaign by Stephen Keshi; German coach Otto Pfister managed the team at the finals, despite having resigned three days before their first match over a players' bonuses dispute, only to be persuaded by the players to return. Prior to gaining independence in 1960, the team were known as French Togoland.

2006 World Cup

Togo lost their opening game of the World Cup, despite having taken the lead against South Korea through a goal by Mohamed Kader. In the second half, Jean-Paul Abalo was sent off after 55 minutes, and goals from Lee Chun-Soo and Ahn Jung-Hwan sealed a 2–1 defeat for Togo.

Togo's next opponents in Group G were Switzerland, with the match scheduled for the afternoon of 19 June. However, the Togo squad and manager Pfister threatened to refuse to fulfill the fixture and take strike action. The squad and manager had been quoted as requesting payments from the Togolese Football Federation for participating in the tournament of around €155,000 (US$192,000) with added bonuses for victories or draws. FIFA negotiated with the squad and manager on 17 June, persuading them to travel to Dortmund in time to fulfill the fixture; ^[3] goals from Alexander Frei and Tranquillo Barnetta resulted in a 2–0 defeat. FIFA subsequently imposed a CHF100,000 fine on the Togolese federation for "behaviour unworthy of a participant in the World Cup."

Togo's final group game against France ended in 2–0 defeat.

Sierra Leone air disaster

Main article: 2007 Paramount Airlines helicopter crash

After a 2008 African Nations Cup qualifier away to Sierra Leone on 3 June 2007, 20 members of a delegation of sports officials from Togo, including Togolese Sports Minister Richard Attipoe, were killed when their helicopter exploded and crashed at Lungi International Airport. No players of the Togo national team were among the victims. The Togo players and officials of the team had been waiting to take the next helicopter flight to the island on which the airport is located.

2010 bus ambush and ban

Main article: Togo national football team attack

On 8 January 2010, the Togo team bus was attacked by gunmen as it travelled to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, killing three and injuring several others. The separatist group Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC) claimed responsibility for the attack. Goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilalé was reported dead a day after the attack, though he actually survived. ^[4] Such reports were later dismissed by his club GSI Pontivy in a press announcement, stating the player was actually undergoing surgery in South Africa. ^[5]

Following the bus ambush attack, the Togolese Football Federation stated that they would withdraw from the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations; despite claims that the team had since reversed the decision and would compete "to show our national colours, our values and that we are men" (as announced by Thomas Dossevi), ^[6] the government later ordered that the team return home. ^[7]

Following the team's withdrawal, The Confederation of African Football (CAF) banned Togo from participating in the next two editions of the Cup of Nations and fined them US$50,000 because of the "decision taken by the political authorities". ^{[8] [9] [10]} The CAF executive Committee considered that the Togolese team was in "forfeit notified less than twenty days before the start or during the final competition" (Art. 78 of the Regulations for the Africa Cup of Nations), ^{[8] [11]} rather than having withdrawn (Art. 80), and refused to consider the circumstances as force majeure (Art. 87). Togo's government immediately said they would sue as CAF "have no consideration for the lives of other human beings" and this is further "insulting to the family of those who lost their lives and those traumatized because of the attack". ^[9] FIFA has yet to comment on the issue. ^[9] Togo footballer Thomas Dossevi said "We are a group of footballers who came under fire and now we can't play football any more. They are crushing us". ^[9] Togolese captain Emmanuel Adebayor described the decision as "outrageous" and said that CAF President Issa Hayatou had "completely betrayed" the Togo squad. ^[12]

As a result of the events, Emmanuel Adebayor announced his retirement from international football on 12 April 2010. But on 22 March 2011 Adebayor announced that he was again available for the national team.

Fake Togo Team

On 7 September 2010, Togo allegedly played Bahrain in a friendly losing the match 3–0. However, on 14 September, the Togo FA claimed that a fake team had played against Bahrain. Togo's Sport Minister Christophe Tchao said to the Jeune Afrique magazine that nobody in Togo had "ever been informed of such a game". ^[13] On 20 September 2010, it was revealed that former Togo manager Bana Tchanilé was the culprit and the Togo FA have given him a three-year ban in addition to the two-year ban he got in July 2010 for taking Togo players to play a tournament in Egypt. ^[14] The match fixing has been linked to Wilson Raj Perumal and the Singaporean match-fixing syndicate allegedly run by Tan Seet Eng. ^[15]

2014 World Cup Qualification

Togo began qualification for the 2014 World Cup on November 11, 2011, against Guinea-Bissau. They drew in the first leg 1–1. On November 15, 2011, they won the return leg 1–0. On June 3, 2012, they played Libya in Lome and drew 1–1. Shortly after on June 10, they played Congo DR at Kinshasa and lost 2–0. They resumed on March 3, 2013, and played Cameroon in Yaounde and lost 2–1. They met again on June 9 in Lome and Togo won 2–0. In the end, Togo failed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Results and fixtures

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

2022

Togo   v   Ivory Coast

24 September Friendly	Togo	1–2	Ivory Coast	Rouen, France
	Dermane 85'	Report	Fofana 60' Kessié 69'	Stadium: Stade Robert Diochon Referee: Aurélien Petit (France)

2023

Burkina Faso   v   Togo

24 March 2023 AFCON qualification	Burkina Faso	1–0	Togo	Marrakesh, Morocco
19:00	Tapsoba 87'	Report		Stadium: Stade de Marrakesh Referee: Maguette Ndiaye (Senegal)

Togo   v   Burkina Faso

28 March 2023 AFCON qualification	Togo	1–1	Burkina Faso	Lomé, Togo
19:00	Laba 24'	Report	Ouattara 12'	Stadium: Stade de Kégué Referee: Bakary Gassama (Gambia)

Togo   v   Lesotho

14 June Friendly	Togo	2–0	Lesotho	Johannesburg, South Africa
16:00  UTC+2	Agbagno 4' Denkey 22'	Report		Stadium: Bidvest Stadium

Eswatini   v   Togo

18 June 2023 AFCON qualification	Eswatini	0–2	Togo	Mbombela, South Africa
17:00  UTC+2		Report	Denkey 14' Placca 90+2'	Stadium: Mbombela Stadium Referee: Peter Waweru (Kenya)

Togo   v   Cape Verde

10 September 2023 AFCON qualification	Togo	v	Cape Verde	Lomé, Togo
--:--  UTC±0		Report		Stadium: Stade de Kégué

Sudan   v   Togo

November 2026 World Cup qualification

Sudan

v

Togo

Togo   v   Senegal

November 2026 World Cup qualification

Togo

v

Senegal

Coaches

Caretaker managers are listed in italics.

• Jean Robin (1965)
• Gottlieb Göller (1970–1974)
• Gottlieb Göller (1984)
• Boško Antić (1987–1989)
• Julien Dovi Aguiar (1992)
• Baboima Ergot (1993)
• Gottlieb Göller (1996–1997)
• Paul Messan Zougbédé (1997)
• Eberhard Vogel (1997–1998)
• Gottlieb Göller (1998–2000)
• Kodjovi Mawuéna (2000)
• Bana Tchanile (2000–2002)
• Diego Garzitto (2002)
• Antônio Dumas (2002–2004)
• Stephen Keshi (2004–2006)
• Otto Pfister (2006)
• Stephen Keshi (2007–2008)
• Henri Stambouli (2008)
• Kodjovi Mawuéna (2008–2009)
• Jean Thissen (2009)
• Hubert Velud (2009–2010)
• Thierry Froger (2010–2011)
• Stephen Keshi (2011)
• Didier Six (2011–2014)
• Tchakala Tchanilé (2014)
• Tom Saintfiet (2015–2016)
• Claude Le Roy (2016–2021)
• Jonas Komla (2021)
• Paulo Duarte (2021–present)

Players

Current squad

The following players were selected for the friendly against Lesotho on the 14 June and the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match against Eswatini on 18 June 2023. ^[16]

Caps and goals correct as of 18 June 2023, after the match against Eswatini.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
	1 GK	Malcolm Barcola	(1999-05-14) 14 May 1999 (age 24)	20	0	Tuzla City
	1 GK	Wassiou Ouro-Gneni	(1997-02-14) 14 February 1997 (age 26)	5	0	ASC Kara
	1 GK	Steven Mensah	(2003-03-22) 22 March 2003 (age 20)	0	0	Hamburger SV
	2 DF	Djené	(1991-12-31) 31 December 1991 (age 31)	69	0	Getafe
	2 DF	Klousseh Agbozo	(1994-06-26) 26 June 1994 (age 29)	14	0	Olympique Béja
	2 DF	Loïc Bessilé	(1999-02-19) 19 February 1999 (age 24)	8	0	Eupen
	2 DF	Kennedy Boateng	(1996-11-19) 19 November 1996 (age 26)	6	0	Santa Clara
	2 DF	Emmanuel Hackman	(1995-05-14) 14 May 1995 (age 28)	5	0	Mladost Novi Sad
	2 DF	Roland Amouzou	(1994-12-18) 18 December 1994 (age 28)	0	0	ASKO Kara
	3 MF	Alaixys Romao	(1984-01-18) 18 January 1984 (age 39)	77	0	Ionikos
	3 MF	Marouf Tchakei	(1995-12-15) 15 December 1995 (age 27)	24	2	AS Vita Club
	3 MF	Richard Nane	(1995-06-23) 23 June 1995 (age 28)	14	4	Hafia
	3 MF	Gnama Akaté	(1991-11-25) 25 November 1991 (age 31)	14	1	Al-Naft
	3 MF	Karim Dermane	(2003-12-26) 26 December 2003 (age 19)	6	1	Lommel
	3 MF	Roger Aholou	(1993-12-30) 30 December 1993 (age 29)	6	0	Raja CA
	3 MF	Samsondin Ouro	(2000-03-02) 2 March 2000 (age 23)	5	0	Radomlje
	3 MF	Samuel Asamoah	(1994-03-23) 23 March 1994 (age 29)	4	0	FC U Craiova
	3 MF	Kodjo Aziangbe	(2003-12-14) 14 December 2003 (age 19)	0	0	Zorya Luhansk
	4 FW	Ihlas Bebou	(1994-04-23) 23 April 1994 (age 29)	30	1	1899 Hoffenheim
	4 FW	Euloge Placca Fessou	(1994-12-31) 31 December 1994 (age 28)	27	8	Shakhtyor Soligorsk
	4 FW	Kévin Denkey	(2000-11-30) 30 November 2000 (age 22)	23	2	Cercle Brugge
	4 FW	David Henen	(1996-04-19) 19 April 1996 (age 27)	15	0	Kortrijk
	4 FW	Ismaïl Ouro-Agoro	(1996-02-20) 20 February 1996 (age 27)	14	0	AS FAR
	4 FW	Abdou Moutalabou Ouattara	(1995-04-06) 6 April 1995 (age 28)	1	0	ASKO Kara
	4 FW	Yawo Agbagno	(2000-05-25) 25 May 2000 (age 23)	0	0	AS OTR
	4 FW	Ouro-Bodi Harissou	(1996-02-07) 7 February 1996 (age 27)	0	0	ASKO Kara

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up for Togo in the last twelve months.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
DF	Steven Nador	(2002-06-23) 23 June 2002 (age 21)	2	0	Montevarchi Aquila	v.   Burkina Faso , 28 March 2023
FW	Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba	(1992-01-27) 27 January 1992 (age 31)	45	19	Al Ain	v.   Burkina Faso , 28 March 2023
FW	Thibault Klidjé	(2001-07-10) 10 July 2001 (age 22)	8	0	Luzern	v.   Burkina Faso , 28 March 2023
FW	Tawfik Moukaïla	(1998-07-30) 30 July 1998 (age 25)	2	0	ASC Kara	v.   Burkina Faso , 28 March 2023
DEC Player refused to join the team after the call-up. INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury. PRE Preliminary squad. RET Player has retired from international football. SUS Suspended from the national team.

Records

As of 28 March 2023 ^[17]

Players in bold are still active with Togo.

Most appearances

Abdoul-Gafar Mamah is Togo's most capped player with 93 appearances.

Rank	Player	Caps	Goals	Career
1	Abdoul-Gafar Mamah	93	0	2000–2016
2	Emmanuel Adebayor	88	32	2000–2019
3	Kossi Agassa	84	0	1998–2017
4	Alaixys Romao	81	0	2005–present
5	Moustapha Salifou	77	8	2000–2013
6	Jean-Paul Abalo	74	1	1992–2008
7	Djené Dakonam	71	0	2012–present
8	Komlan Améwou	69	5	2000–2015
9	Tadjou Salou	62	12	1992–2004
10	Serge Akakpo	61	2	2008–2017
	Mohamed Kader	61	13	1995–2009

Top goalscorers

Emmanuel Adebayor is Togo's top scorer with 32 goals.

Rank	Player	Goals	Caps	Ratio	Career
1	Emmanuel Adebayor (list)	32	88	0.36	2000–2019
2	Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba	19	45	0.42	2016–present
3	Kossi Noutsoudje	13	40	0.33	1994–2002
	Mohamed Kader	13	61	0.21	1995–2009
5	Tadjou Salou	12	62	0.19	1992–2004
6	Floyd Ayité	11	48	0.23	2007–present
7	Adékambi Olufadé	9	41	0.22	1998–2010
8	Euloge Placca Fessou	8	29	0.28	2012–present
	Moustapha Salifou	8	77	0.1	2000–2013
10	Djima Oyawole	7	31	0.23	1996–2006
	Bachirou Salou	7	37	0.19	1987–1998
	Dové Womé	7	40	0.18	2009–present
	Chérif Touré Mamam	7	47	0.15	1998–2009

Competition records

FIFA World Cup

See also: Togo at the FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup record											FIFA World Cup qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1930	Part of   France										Part of   France
1934
1938
1950
1954
1958
1962	Did not enter										Did not enter
1966
1970
1974	Did not qualify										2	0	0	2	0	4
1978											4	1	1	2	3	5
1982											2	1	0	1	2	2
1986	Withdrew										Withdrew
1990
1994	Did not qualify										5	0	0	5	2	11
1998											8	2	2	4	9	16
2002											10	3	4	3	13	13
2006	Group stage	30th	3	0	0	3	1	6	Squad		12	8	2	2	22	9
2010	Did not qualify										10	4	2	4	11	10
2014											8	2	2	4	6	12
2018											2	0	0	2	0	4
2022											8	3	3	2	8	7
2026	To be determined										To be determined
Total	Group stage	1/22	3	0	0	3	1	6	—		71	24	16	31	76	93

Agassa

Abalo (c)

Nibombé

Tchangai

Amevou

Romao

Sènaya

Salifou

Kader

Adebayor

Touré

2006 FIFA World Cup starting lineup

Africa Cup of Nations

Africa Cup of Nations record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	Squad
1957	Part of   France
1959
1962	Not affiliated to CAF
1963
1965	Did not enter
1968	Did not qualify
1970
1972	Group stage	7th	3	0	2	1	4	6	Squad
1974	Withdrew
1976	Did not qualify
1978
1980
1982
1984	Group stage	8th	3	0	1	2	1	7	Squad
1986	Did not qualify
1988
1990	Withdrew
1992	Did not qualify
1994	Withdrew during qualifying
1996	Did not qualify
1998	Group stage	12th	3	1	0	2	3	3	Squad
2000		10th	3	1	1	1	2	3	Squad
2002		12th	3	0	2	1	0	3	Squad
2004	Did not qualify
2006	Group stage	16th	3	0	0	3	2	7	Squad
2008	Did not qualify
2010	Withdrew due to rebel attack
2012	Did not qualify
2013	Quarter-finals	8th	4	1	1	2	4	4	Squad
2015	Did not qualify
2017	Group stage	16th	3	0	1	2	2	6	Squad
2019	Did not qualify
2021
2023
2025	To be determined
Total	Quarter-finals	8/34	25	3	8	14	18	39	—

African Nations Championship

African Nations Championship record
Appearances: 1
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
2009	Did not qualify
2011
2014
2016
2018
2020	Group stage	11th	3	1	0	2	4	5
2022	Did not qualify
Total	Group stage	1/7	3	1	0	2	4	5

African Games

African Games record
Year	Round	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1965	Group stage	3	1	1	1	5	9
1987	Did not qualify
Total	1/4	3	1	1	1	5	9

Honours

West African Nations Cup  :

• • Runner-up (4): 1982, 1983 ,1984, 1986
  • Fourth Place (1): 1987

References

1. Mamrud, Roberto. "Abdoul-Gafar Mamah - International Appearances". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 2022-12-09. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
2. "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. 20 July 2023. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
3. "Sky Sports | Football News". Home.skysports.com. Archived from the original on 2007-01-25. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
4. "African Cup of Nations — NoConfusion over Togo death toll". Reuters. 2010-01-09. Archived from the original on 2010-01-12. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
5. "Kodjovi Obilalé n'est pas décédé des suites de ses blessures (Agence AFP)" (in French). Archived from the original on 2007-02-22. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
6. Nick Reeves (2010-01-10). "Togo in dramatic African Nations Cup u-turn". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 2011-11-19. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
7. "Togo officially disqualified from Africa Cup of Nations". BBC Sport. BBC. 2010-01-11. Archived from the original on 2010-01-14. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
8. "Togo's withdrawal". Confederation of African Football. 30 January 2010. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2010.
9. "Togo banned from next two Africa Cups of Nations". BBC Sport. BBC. 30 January 2010. Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
10. "Togo suspended for next two Africa Nations Cup". Xinhua. Archived from the original on June 9, 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2010.
11. Regulations of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations (PDF). Confederation of African Football. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 February 2010.
12. "Togo captain Emmanuel Adebayor slams 'outrageous' ban". BBC Sport. 31 January 2010. Archived from the original on 1 February 2010. Retrieved 31 January 2010.
13. "'Fake' Togo football team at Bahrain match being investigated". BBC News. 15 September 2010. Archived from the original on 3 December 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
14. "Fake mastermind behind fake Togo team revealed!". Yahoo. 20 September 2010. Archived from the original on 26 September 2010.
15. Buncombe, Andrew (29 March 2013). "Dan Tan: the man who fixed football" . The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-06-21. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
16. "La liste des Eperviers pour affronter Eswatini" (in French). Fédération Togolaise de Football. 9 June 2023. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
17. Mamrud, Roberto. "Togo - Record International Players". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 2023-02-04. Retrieved 2023-02-02.

External links

• Togo FA official site
• Togo at CAF
• Togo at FIFA
• Togo national football team picture