Tahiti national football team

Tahiti
	Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)	Toa Aito (Les guerriers de fer/Iron Warriors)
Association	Tahitian Football Federation
Confederation	OFC (Oceania)
Head coach	Eddy Etaeta
Captain	Nicolas Vallar
Home stadium	Stade Hamuta
FIFA code	TAH
First colours	Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	138
Highest	111 (August 2002)
Lowest	195 (November 2009)
First international
	French Polynesia 2–2 New Zealand ; (Papeete, Tahiti; September 21, 1952)
Biggest win
	Tahiti 30–0 Cook Islands ; (Papeete, Tahiti; September 2, 1971)
Biggest defeat
	New Zealand 10–0 Tahiti ; (Adelaide, Australia; June 4, 2004) ; Spain 10-0 Tahiti ; (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; June 20, 2013)
OFC Nations Cup
Appearances	8 (first in 1973)
Best result	Winners, 2012
FIFA Confederations Cup
Appearances	1 (first in 2013)
Best result	Group stage

The Tahiti national football team is the national team of French Polynesia^[1]^[2] and is controlled by the Fédération Tahitienne de Football. They are the current Oceanian football champions, having won the 2012 edition of the OFC Nations Cup, their first victory in the competition.

The team consists of a selection of players from French Polynesia, not just Tahiti, and has competed in the Oceania Football Confederation since 1990.

Tahiti are traditionally one of the stronger footballing nations of the Pacific Islands, with the second best record at the football section of the South Pacific Games, with five victories. They were runners-up in the first three three instalments of the Nations Cup (1973, 1980, and 1996). The nation went through a period of less success, but showed promise when it qualified for the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt. This success was followed up with the title of 2012 OFC Nations Cup, becoming the first team other than Australia and New Zealand to win the competition.

History

Tahiti played its first full match on 21 September 1952, at home against New Zealand, and drew 2–2. Seven days later the two teams played again and New Zealand won 5–3. On 30 September they played each other for a third time, and Tahiti gained its first victory, by 2–0. However, it is unknown whether this was a full international as players such as Steven Ireland and Terry Butcher and Daniel Moorehead were on the bench.^[3]

In September 1953, Tahiti played three matches in New Caledonia against its national side, losing the first 5–0 and the later two 4–1. They then travelled to the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) and beat its national side 4–2 twice.

Tahiti entered its first World Cup qualification with the aim of reaching the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States. They were placed in Group A with Australia and the Solomon Islands, and played their first match away to the Solomon Islands in Honiara on 11 July 1992. Eric Etaeta equalised for Tahiti to make it 1–1 in the 76th minute. On 11 September Tahiti hosted Australia in Papeete and lost 3–0. The next fixture was again against Australia, and resulted in a 2–0 away defeat in Brisbane on 20 September. On 9 October in Papeete, Tahiti beat the Solomon Islands 4–2. Tahiti's first goal was scored as an 8th minute penalty from Reynald Temarii, a politician and current president of the Oceania Football Confederation. However, Tahiti finished second to Australia in the group and did not advance.

In 1989 under the leadership of Napoleon Spitz, the official Federsation was formed,

2012 OFC Nations Cup

In 2012, the new edition of the tournament occurred in Solomon Island with the host country, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Tahiti, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Samoa (winner of the qualifying tournament) playing the competition. Tahiti defeated New Caledonia on the final in Lawson Tama Stadium for 1–0 with a goal of Chong Hue and became the first team other than Australia (no longer part of OFC) and New Zealand to be crowned Oceania champions.^[4] By winning the 2012 OFC Nations Cup, Tahiti qualified for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.^[5] On 17 June 2013, Tahiti lost 1-6 to Nigeria in the 2013 Confederations Cup in Belo Horizonte in Brazil. On 20 June 2013, Tahiti lost 0-10 to Spain.

FIFA World Cup record

1930 to 1950: Did not exist
1954 to 1990: Did not enter
1994 to 2014: Did not qualify

FIFA Confederations Cup record

FIFA Confederations Cup record										Qualification record
Year	Round	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
1992 - 1995	No OFC representative was invited									n/a
1997	Did not qualify									7	5	0	2	13	13	0
1999										8	5	0	3	35	11	+24
2001										6	4	0	2	32	7	+25
2003										5	3	0	2	8	9	–1
2005										9	3	3	3	7	25	–18
2009										4	1	1	2	2	6	–4
2013	TBD	2	0	0	2	1	16	–15	0	5	5	0	0	20	5	+15
Total	1/7	2	0	0	2	1	16	–15	0	44	26	4	14	117	76	+41

2013 FIFA Confederations Cup

20 June 2013	Tahiti	1-6	Nigeria	Belo Horizonte, Brazil
16:00	J. Tehau 54'	Report	5' (o.g.) Vallar 10', 26', 76' Oduamadi 69' (o.g.) J. Tehau 80' Elderson	Stadium: Estádio Mineirão Attendance: 20,187 Referee: Joel Aguilar

20 June 2013	Spain	10-0	Tahiti	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
16:00	Torres 5', 33', 57', 78' Silva 31', 89' Villa 39', 49', 64' Mata 66'	Report		Stadium: Estádio do Maracanã Referee: Djamel Haimoudi

23 June 2013	Uruguay	v	Tahiti	Recife, Brazil
16:00		Report		Stadium: Arena Pernambuco

OFC Nations Cup record

Year	Result	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
1973	Runners-up	5	2	2	1	7	4	+3
1980	Runners-up	4	3	0	1	23	9	+14
1996	Runners-up	4	2	0	2	3	12	–9
1998	Fourth Place	4	1	0	3	8	10	–2
2000	Group Stage	2	0	0	2	2	5	–3
2002	Third Place	5	3	0	2	8	9	–1
2004	Group Stage	5	1	1	3	2	24	–22
2008	Did not qualify
2012	Champions	5	5	0	0	20	5	+15
Total	1 Title	34	17	3	14	73	78	–5

2012 OFC Nations Cup Starting XI

Pos.	Player
GK	Samin
RB	Simon
CB	Vallar
CB	Ludivion
LB	Tchen
RM	J. Tehau
CM	Bourebare
CM	Caroine
LM	A. Tehau
RCF	L. Tehau
LCF	Chong Hue

South Pacific Games record

1963 – Third place
1966 – First place
1969 – Second place
1971 – Third place
1975 – First place
1979 – First place
1983 – First place
1987 – Second place
1991 – Round 1
1995 – First place
2003 – Fourth place
2007 – Round 1
2011 – Third place

Coupe de l'Outre-Mer

2008 – Group stage (7th place)
2010 – Group stage (6th place)
2012 – 6th place

List of coaches

F. Vernaudon (1973)
Umberto Mottini (1995–1996)
Gerard Kautai (1996)
Richard Vansam (1997)
Alain Rousseau/Eddy Rousseau (1997–1998)
Leon Gardikiotis (1999–2000)
Patrick Jacquemet (2001–2002)
Gérard Kautai (2004–2007)
Eddy Etaeta (2010–present)

Players

Current squad

Match Dates: 17, 20 and 23 June 2013
Oppositions: Nigeria, Spain and Uruguay
Competition: 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup

Caps and goals correct as of: 17 June 2013

Eddy Etaeta named his 23-man squad on 24 May 2013.^[6]

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Mickaël Roche	(1982-12-24) 24 December 1982 (age 41)	7	0	Dragon
22	1GK	Gilbert Meriel	(1986-11-11) 11 November 1986 (age 37)	3	0	Tefana
23	1GK	Xavier Samin	(1978-01-01) 1 January 1978 (age 46)	29	0	Dragon

4	2DF	Teheivarii Ludivion	(1989-07-01) 1 July 1989 (age 35)	17	1	Tefana
5	2DF	Tamatoa Wagemann	(1980-03-18) 18 March 1980 (age 44)	6	0	Dragon
8	2DF	Stephane Faatiarau	(1990-03-13) 13 March 1990 (age 34)	12	1	Tefana
10	2DF	Nicolas Vallar Template:Fb captain	(1983-10-22) 22 October 1983 (age 40)	14	3	Dragon
12	2DF	Edson Lemaire	(1990-10-31) 31 October 1990 (age 33)	5	0	Dragon
14	2DF	Rainui Aroita	(1994-01-25) 25 January 1994 (age 30)	1	0	Tamarii Faa'a
19	2DF	Vincent Simon	(1983-09-28) 28 September 1983 (age 40)	22	1	Dragon
20	2DF	Yannick Vero	(1990-02-28) 28 February 1990 (age 34)	5	0	Dragon

2	3MF	Alvin Tehau	(1989-04-10) 10 April 1989 (age 35)	18	6	Tefana
6	3MF	Henri Caroine	(1981-09-07) 7 September 1981 (age 42)	8	0	Dragon
7	3MF	Heimano Bourebare	(1989-05-15) 15 May 1989 (age 35)	14	1	Tefana
11	3MF	Stanley Atani	(1990-01-27) 27 January 1990 (age 34)	16	5	Tefana
15	3MF	Lorenzo Tehau	(1989-04-10) 10 April 1989 (age 35)	19	7	Tefana
16	3MF	Ricky Aitamai	(1991-12-22) 22 December 1991 (age 32)	3	0	Vénus
17	3MF	Jonathan Tehau	(1988-01-09) 9 January 1988 (age 36)	24	5	Tamarii Faa'a
18	3MF	Yohann Tihoni	(1994-07-20) 20 July 1994 (age 30)	1	0	Roniu

3	4FW	Marama Vahirua	(1980-05-12) 12 May 1980 (age 44)	2	0	Nancy
9	4FW	Teaonui Tehau	(1992-09-01) 1 September 1992 (age 31)	17	8	Dragon
13	4FW	Steevy Chong Hue	(1990-01-26) 26 January 1990 (age 34)	24	10	Dragon
21	4FW	Samuel Hnanyine	(1984-03-01) 1 March 1984 (age 40)	1	1	Dragon

References

^ "Trophies in paradise". The Football Ramble. 2 October 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
^ "Tahiti ready for Confederations Cup". The Scotsman. 9 June 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
^ http://rsssf.com/tablest/tahiti-intres.html
^ "Glorious Tahiti claim maiden Oceania crown". FIFA.com. 10 June 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2012.
^ "Proud Tahiti No1 aims to enjoy Brazil challenge". FIFA.com. 14 March 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
^ "La liste des 23 Toa Aito pour le Brésil" (in French). FTF. 24 May 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)

External links

FIFA Profile

Template:OFC Nations Cup Winners

[1] "Trophies in paradise". The Football Ramble. 2 October 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2013.

[2] "Tahiti ready for Confederations Cup". The Scotsman. 9 June 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.

[3] ttp://rsssf.com/tablest/tahiti-intres.html

[4] "Glorious Tahiti claim maiden Oceania crown". FIFA.com. 10 June 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2012.

[5] "Proud Tahiti No1 aims to enjoy Brazil challenge". FIFA.com. 14 March 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2013.

[6] "La liste des 23 Toa Aito pour le Brésil" (in French). FTF. 24 May 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)

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v t e National football teams of Oceania (OFC)
OFC Nations Cup
Active	American Samoa Cook Islands FS Micronesia² Fiji Kiribati¹ New Caledonia New Zealand Niue² Palau² Papua New Guinea Samoa Solomon Islands Tahiti Tonga Tuvalu¹ Vanuatu
Former	Australia (moved to AFC in 2006) Northern Mariana Islands³ (moved to AFC in 2009) Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)⁴ (returned to AFC in 1989)
¹ Associate member of OFC - Not a member of FIFA ² Not a member of OFC and consequently not a member of FIFA ³ Northern Mariana Islands was only an associate member of OFC between 1998 and 2009 - Not a member of FIFA ⁴ Although not geographically in Oceania, Chinese Taipei was a member of the OFC between 1976–1978 and 1982–1989 Although not geographically in Oceania Israel entered OFC World Cup qualification in 1986 and 1990 due to political reasons, though it never became a formal OFC member.