Jump to content

Gibraltar national football team

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Gibraltar women's national football team.

Gibraltar
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Team 54[1]
Los Llanis
AssociationGibraltar Football Association
ConfederationUEFA (Europe)
Head coachJulio César Ribas
CaptainLiam Walker
Most capsLiam Walker (85)
Top scorerLiam Walker (8)
Home stadiumVictoria Stadium
Europa Sports Park
FIFA codeGIB
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 196 Increase 1 (19 December 2024)[2]
Highest190 (October 2018)
Lowest206 (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
Appearances10 (first in 1993)
Best resultChampions (2007)
Four Nations Tournament
Appearances1 (first in 2008)
Best resultFourth place (2008)
FIFI Wild Cup
Appearances1 (first in 2006)
Best resultThird 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.[4] 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.[5][6]

Despite not being an island, Gibraltar set up its first official side for the football competition at the 1993 Island Games[7] and has been a regular in the tournament, winning the 2007 edition.[8]

History

[edit]

Pre-UEFA

[edit]

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.

Foundation

[edit]

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.[7] The side also managed a draw with Real Madrid in 1949.[9][10]

Island Games

[edit]

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.[11] The team was coached by John Moreno.

FIFI "Wild Cup"

[edit]

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.[12]

2008 Four Nations

[edit]

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.[13]

UEFA acceptance

[edit]
Gibraltar starting XI in UEFA debut against Slovakia

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)[10] 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.[14][15]

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.[16][17] 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.[6]

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.[18] 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.[19][20] On 18 September 2013, Higginbotham announced that he agreed in "principle" to play for Gibraltar.[21][22] Recruiting of English-born players by manager Allen Bula was unpopular with some fans,[23] 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.[24]

Gibraltar's first official international match was a 0–0 friendly draw against Slovakia, on 19 November 2013 at the Estadio Algarve in Portugal.[25] 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.[26] In June 2014, Gibraltar recorded their first ever victory under UEFA with a 1–0 win against Malta, the goal coming from Kyle Casciaro.[27]

Euro 2016 qualifying

[edit]

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[28] and although the half time score was only 1–0 to Poland, it ended 7–0.[29] 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.[30] 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.[31] Gibraltar could not repeat their performance of scoring a goal in the next two matches; losing 7–0 away against Germany[32] and 4–0 against Republic of Ireland.[33] 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.[34] Gibraltar finished its maiden qualifying campaign last in its group with zero points.[35] 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.[36]

FIFA membership

[edit]

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.[37] 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.[38] 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.[39][40] CAS heard Gibraltar's case on 21 May 2015, at which point no time frame for a verdict was announced.[41] 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."[42] 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.[43]

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.[44]

Since FIFA membership

[edit]

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.[45] On 6 September 2016, Liam Walker scored Gibraltar's first World Cup qualifying goal in a 1–4 defeat to Greece.[46] Gibraltar finished bottom of Group H, losing all of their matches with a record of 3 goals scored for 47 conceded.[47]

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.[48]

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.[49] This was followed by a second consecutive win three days later, 2–1 at home against Liechtenstein.[50] 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).[51] 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,[52] and subsequently proved to be the last game for Welsh manager Rob Page before he was sacked.

Stadium

[edit]

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.[53][54][55] 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.[56] Although the Victoria Stadium could not be used for qualifying matches, UEFA allowed its use for friendlies when Gibraltar chose to do so.[57]

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.[58] 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.[59]

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.[60] In February 2016 the Government of Gibraltar announced that it expected to be presented for plans at the Lathbury site very soon.[59] 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.[61] 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.[62] 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.[63]


Results and fixtures

[edit]
Main articles: Gibraltar national football team results and Gibraltar national football team results (unofficial matches)

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

2024

[edit]
21 March 2024 (2024-03-21) Nations League play-out Gibraltar  0–1  Lithuania Faro/Loulé, Portugal
20:45 Report
  • Kučys 60'
 Stadium: Estádio Algarve
Attendance: 207
Referee: Giorgi Kruashvili (Georgia)
26 March 2024 (2024-03-26) 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 (2024-06-03) Friendly Gibraltar  0–2  Scotland Faro/Loulé, Portugal
18:00 Report
Stadium: Estádio Algarve
Referee: Jamie Robinson (Northern Ireland)
6 June 2024 (2024-06-06) Friendly Gibraltar  0–0  Wales Faro/Loulé, Portugal
18:00 Report Stadium: Estádio Algarve
Referee: Jamie Robinson (Northern Ireland)
4 September 2024 (2024-09-04) Friendly Gibraltar  1–0  Andorra Europa Point, Gibraltar
18:00
Report Stadium: Europa Point Stadium
Referee: Tom Owen (Wales)
8 September 2024 (2024-09-08) 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 (2024-10-10) 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 (2024-10-13) 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 (2024-11-15) 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 (2024-11-19) Friendly Gibraltar  1–1  Moldova Europa Point, Gibraltar
18:00
Report
Stadium: Europa Point Stadium
Referee: Antoine Chiaramonti (Andorra)

2025

[edit]
22 March 2025 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Montenegro  v  Gibraltar Montenegro
18:00 Report
25 March 2025 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Gibraltar  v  Czech Republic Gibraltar
20:45 Report
6 June 2025 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Gibraltar  v  France/ Croatia Gibraltar
20:45 Report
9 June 2025 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Faroe Islands  v  Gibraltar Faroe Islands
20:45 Report
8 September 2025 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Gibraltar  v  Faroe Islands Gibratar
20:45 Report
12 October 2025 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification France /Croatia  v  Gibraltar France/Croatia
20:45 Report
14 November 2025 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Gibraltar  v  Montenegro Gibraltar
20:45 Report
17 November 2025 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Czech Republic  v  Gibraltar Czech Republic
20:45 Report

2026

[edit]
26 March 2026 (2026-03-26) Nations League promotion/relegation play-offs Gibraltar  v  Latvia Europa Point, Gibraltar
18:00 Report Stadium: Europa Sports Park
31 March 2026 (2026-03-31) Nations League promotion/relegation play-offs Latvia  v  Gibraltar Riga, Latvia
17:00 (19:00 UTC+3) Report Stadium: Skonto Stadium

Personnel

[edit]
Julio César Ribas, Gibraltar's current head coach

Current technical staff

[edit]

As of 19 November 2022[64][65]

Position Name
Head coach Uruguay Julio César Ribas
Assistant coach Spain José Carlos Gil Prieto
Goalkeeper coach Gibraltar Christian Wink
Team Manager Gibraltar Gary Robba
Team doctor 1 Gibraltar Keith Gracia
Team doctor 2 Gibraltar Issac Rodriguez
Head physiotherapist
Fitness coach 		Gibraltar Iain Latin
Team physiotherapist Gibraltar Andrew Rodriguez

Coaching history

[edit]
Up to date as of 19 November 2024
Manager Nation Gibraltar career Played Won Drawn Lost GF GA Win %
Allen Bula Gibraltar 2013–2015 9 1 2 6 3 28 011.11
David Wilson (interim) Scotland 2015 3 0 0 3 1 17 000.00
Jeff Wood England 2015–2018 17 0 1 16 4 79 000.00
Desi Curry (interim) Northern Ireland 2018 1 1 0 0 1 0 100.00
Julio César Ribas Uruguay 2018– 64 8 11 45 27 175 012.50

Players

[edit]
See also: List of Gibraltar international footballers

Current squad

[edit]

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:[66]

  • Match date: 15 and 19 November 2024
  • Opposition:  San Marino and  Moldova
  • Caps and goals correct as of: 19 November 2024, after the match against  Moldova.
No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Bradley Banda (1998-01-20) 20 January 1998 (age 26) 13 0 Gibraltar St Joseph's
13 1GK Christian Lopez (2001-02-10) 10 February 2001 (age 23) 0 0 Gibraltar FCB Magpies
23 1GK Harry Victor (2004-01-29) 29 January 2004 (age 20) 0 0 England Oldland Abbotonians
12 2DF Jayce Olivero (1998-07-02) 2 July 1998 (age 26) 63 0 Gibraltar St Joseph's
3 2DF Joseph Chipolina (1987-12-14) 14 December 1987 (age 37) 61 2 Gibraltar Manchester 62
5 2DF Louie Annesley (2000-05-03) 3 May 2000 (age 24) 48 1 England Braintree Town
16 2DF Aymen Mouelhi (1986-09-14) 14 September 1986 (age 38) 37 0 Gibraltar Europa
2 2DF Ethan Jolley (1997-03-29) 29 March 1997 (age 27) 35 0 Gibraltar St Joseph's
6 2DF Bernardo Lopes (1993-07-30) 30 July 1993 (age 31) 25 0 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps
15 2DF Ethan Santos (1998-12-22) 22 December 1998 (age 26) 9 0 Gibraltar St Joseph's
25 2DF Kevagn Ronco (1998-04-20) 20 April 1998 (age 26) 0 0 Gibraltar FCB Magpies
10 3MF Liam Walker (captain) (1988-04-13) 13 April 1988 (age 36) 85 8 Gibraltar St Joseph's
20 3MF Ethan Britto (2000-11-30) 30 November 2000 (age 24) 43 1 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps
17 3MF Kian Ronan (2001-03-09) 9 March 2001 (age 23) 37 0 England King's Lynn Town
22 3MF Graeme Torrilla (1997-09-03) 3 September 1997 (age 27) 31 1 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps
8 3MF Nicholas Pozo (2005-01-19) 19 January 2005 (age 19) 15 0 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps
14 3MF James Scanlon (2006-09-28) 28 September 2006 (age 18) 10 1 England Manchester United
4 3MF Evan De Haro (2002-09-28) 28 September 2002 (age 22) 10 0 Gibraltar FCB Magpies
24 3MF Dan Bent (1996-01-10) 10 January 1996 (age 28) 5 1 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps
21 3MF Michael Ruiz (2000-12-07) 7 December 2000 (age 24) 1 0 Gibraltar Lynx
7 4FW Lee Casciaro (1981-09-29) 29 September 1981 (age 43) 66 3 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps
19 4FW Tjay De Barr (2000-03-13) 13 March 2000 (age 24) 48 3 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps
9 4FW Ayoub El Hmidi (2000-09-30) 30 September 2000 (age 24) 9 0 Tunisia AS Gabès
11 4FW Jaiden Bartolo (2006-02-10) 10 February 2006 (age 18) 7 0 England Weymouth
18 4FW Liam Jessop (2005-08-13) 13 August 2005 (age 19) 0 0 England Chesterfield

Recent call-ups

[edit]

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 (2000-11-17) 17 November 2000 (age 24) 2 0 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps v.  San Marino, 10 October 2024
GK Dayle Coleing (1996-10-23) 23 October 1996 (age 28) 32 0 Gibraltar FCB Magpies v.  Liechtenstein, 8 September 2024
DF Jack Sergeant (1995-02-27) 27 February 1995 (age 29) 61 0 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps v.  Wales, 6 June 2024
DF Tayler Carrington (2006-05-28) 28 May 2006 (age 18) 0 0 Spain Vázquez Cultural v.  Wales, 6 June 2024
DF Ethan Llambias (2000-11-23) 23 November 2000 (age 24) 0 0 Gibraltar Mons Calpe v.  Wales, 6 June 2024
DF Roy Chipolina (1983-01-20) 20 January 1983 (age 41) 75 5 Retired v.  Lithuania, 26 March 2024RET
DF Kai Mauro (2007-05-30) 30 May 2007 (age 17) 0 0 Spain Cádiz v.  Lithuania, 26 March 2024
DF Adam Achhoud (2006-09-03) 3 September 2006 (age 18) 0 0 Spain Atlético Zabal v.  Lithuania, 26 March 2024
MF Julian Valarino (2000-06-23) 23 June 2000 (age 24) 24 0 Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps v.  Liechtenstein, 8 September 2024
MF Niels Hartman (2001-01-17) 17 January 2001 (age 23) 7 0 United States Vermont Catamounts v.  Lithuania, 26 March 2024
MF Scott Ballantine (1996-04-12) 12 April 1996 (age 28) 1 0 Gibraltar Lynx v.  Lithuania, 26 March 2024
MF Anthony Hernandez (1995-02-03) 3 February 1995 (age 29) 28 1 Gibraltar FCB Magpies v.  Netherlands, 21 November 2023
MF Mohamed Badr (1989-11-25) 25 November 1989 (age 35) 16 0 Gibraltar Manchester 62 v.  Netherlands, 21 November 2023
FW Dylan Peacock (2001-08-24) 24 August 2001 (age 23) 1 0 Gibraltar Manchester 62 v.  Lithuania, 26 March 2024
FW Jamie Coombes (1996-05-27) 27 May 1996 (age 28) 32 0 Gibraltar FCB Magpies v.  Netherlands, 21 November 2023

INJ Withdrew from the squad due to an injury
PRE Preliminary squad
RET Retired from the national team
WD Withdrew for other reasons

Player records

[edit]
Main article: Gibraltar national football team records and statistics
See also: List of Gibraltar national football team captains
As of 19 November 2024[67]
Players in bold are still active with Gibraltar.

Most appearances

[edit]
Liam Walker is Gibraltar's most capped player and all-time top goalscorer.
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

Top goalscorers

[edit]
Roy Chipolina, was the first Gibraltar's captain since their admittance to UEFA in 2013.
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

Competitive record

[edit]

FIFA World Cup

[edit]
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
Russia 2018 Did not qualify 10 0 0 10 3 47
Qatar 2022 10 0 0 10 4 43
Canada Mexico United States 2026 To be determined To be determined
Morocco Portugal Spain 2030
Saudi Arabia 2034
Total — 0/2 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 0 0 20 7 90

UEFA European Championship

[edit]
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
France 2016 Did not qualify 10 0 0 10 2 56
Europe 2020 8 0 0 8 3 31
Germany 2024 8 0 0 8 0 41
United Kingdom Republic of Ireland 2028 To be determined To be determined
Italy Turkey 2032
Total — 0/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 26 0 0 26 5 128

UEFA Nations League

[edit]
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 Same position 49th —
2020–21 D 2 1st 4 2 2 0 3 1 Rise 49th
2022–23 C 4 4th 6 0 1 5 3 18 Fall 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

[edit]
Island Games record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA
1989 to 1991 Did not enter
Isle of Wight 1993 7th place match 8th 4 0 0 4 1 9
Gibraltar 1995 Runners-up 2nd 5 4 0 1 5 3
Jersey 1997 5th place match 6th 5 2 0 3 13 8
Gotland 1999 11th place match 11th 4 1 0 3 9 11
Isle of Man 2001 5th place match 5th 4 3 0 1 7 2
Guernsey 2003 5th place match 6th 5 3 0 2 29 5
Shetland 2005 Did not enter
Rhodes 2007 Champions 1st 4 3 1 0 9 2
Åland 2009 9th place match 9th 4 2 1 1 12 3
Isle of Wight 2011 5th place match 5th 3 2 0 1 14 7
Bermuda 2013 Did not enter
Jersey 2015[nb 1] 9th place match 10th 4 1 1 2 3 6
Gotland 2017 Did not enter
Gibraltar 2019 Replaced by 2019 Inter Games Football Tournament
Guernsey 2023 Did not enter
Total 1 Title 10/16 42 21 3 18 102 56
*Gold background colour indicates that the tournament was won. Red border colour indicates tournament was held on home soil.

Four Nations Tournament

[edit]
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA
Wales 2008 Group 4th 3 0 0 3 4 11
Total 0 Titles 1/1 3 0 0 3 4 11

FIFI Wild Cup

[edit]
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA
Germany 2006 Third place match 3rd 4 2 1 1 8 4
Total 0 Titles 1/1 4 2 1 1 8 4

Head-to-head record

[edit]

FIFA recognised record

[edit]

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 +2 066.67 2021 2024
 Armenia 2 1 0 1 3 6 −3 050.00 2018 2018
 Belgium 2 0 0 2 0 15 −15 000.00 2016 2017
 Bosnia and Herzegovina 2 0 0 2 0 9 −9 000.00 2017 2017
 Bulgaria 3 0 1 2 2 9 −7 000.00 2020 2022
 Croatia 1 0 0 1 0 4 −4 000.00 2015 2015
 Cyprus 2 0 0 2 2 5 −3 000.00 2016 2017
 Denmark 2 0 0 2 0 12 −12 000.00 2019 2019
 Estonia 5 0 1 4 1 14 −13 000.00 2014 2019
 Faroe Islands 2 0 1 1 1 4 −3 000.00 2014 2022
 France 2 0 0 2 0 17 −17 000.00 2023 2023
 Georgia 6 0 0 6 3 19 −16 000.00 2014 2022
 Germany 2 0 0 2 0 11 −11 000.00 2014 2015
 Greece 4 0 0 4 1 16 −15 000.00 2016 2023
 Grenada 1 0 1 0 0 0 +0 000.00 2022 2022
 Kosovo 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1 000.00 2019 2019
 Latvia 4 1 0 3 3 11 −8 025.00 2016 2021
 Liechtenstein 8 3 4 1 8 6 +2 037.50 2016 2024
 Lithuania 2 0 0 2 0 2 −2 000.00 2024 2024
 Malta 3 1 0 2 1 3 −2 033.33 2014 2023
 Moldova 1 0 1 0 1 1 +0 000.00 2024 2024
 Montenegro 2 0 0 2 1 7 −6 000.00 2021 2021
 Netherlands 4 0 0 4 0 22 −22 000.00 2021 2023
 North Macedonia 4 0 0 4 0 12 −12 000.00 2018 2022
 Norway 2 0 0 2 1 8 −7 000.00 2021 2021
 Poland 2 0 0 2 1 15 −14 000.00 2014 2015
 Portugal 1 0 0 1 0 5 −5 000.00 2016 2016
 Republic of Ireland 6 0 0 6 0 21 −21 000.00 2014 2023
 San Marino 4 2 2 0 3 1 +2 050.00 2020 2024
 Scotland 3 0 0 3 1 14 −13 000.00 2015 2024
 Slovakia 1 0 1 0 0 0 +0 000.00 2013 2013
 Slovenia 1 0 0 1 0 6 −6 000.00 2021 2021
  Switzerland 2 0 0 2 1 10 −9 000.00 2019 2019
 Turkey 2 0 0 2 0 9 −9 000.00 2021 2021
 Wales 2 0 1 1 0 4 −4 000.00 2023 2024
Total 94 10 14 70 36 299 −263 010.64 2013 2024

Non-FIFA record

[edit]
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

Honours

[edit]

Non-FIFA competitions

[edit]

See also

[edit]

Footnotes

[edit]
  1. ^ Development team from 2015 edition onward

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Team 54". Gibraltar Football Association. Archived from the original on 18 December 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  2. ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking". FIFA. 19 December 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  3. ^ Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 25 December 2024. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
  4. ^ "Gibraltar Voted Into FIFA". FIFA.com. FIFA. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  5. ^ Montague, James (22 May 2013). "Gibraltar Moves Closer to Soccer Independence". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 26 October 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  6. ^ a b "Gibraltar given full Uefa membership at London Congress". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 18 January 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  7. ^ a b Stokkermans, Karel. "Gibraltar – List of International Matches". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 15 August 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2007.
  8. ^ Brown, Colin. "NatWest Island Games XII – Rhodes 2007". International Island Games Association. Archived from the original on 25 October 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  9. ^ Owen, Graham. "Football in Gibraltar-". laliganews.tv. La Liga News. Archived from the original on 24 August 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  10. ^ a b Kenny, Stuart. "From army games to a draw with Real Madrid: A history of Gibraltar football". sports.stv.tv. STV. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  11. ^ "Football: Gibraltar to send youth to Jersey 2015". Jersey Evening Post. 31 March 2015. Archived from the original on 30 May 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  12. ^ "FIFI Wild Cup 2006". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 26 April 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
  13. ^ "Four Nations Semi-professional Tournament". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 2 October 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
  14. ^ Doyle, Paul (23 May 2013). "Gibraltar set to be new kids on the Rock as Uefa votes on its future". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
  15. ^ "Background". Gibraltar Football Association. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  16. ^ "Congress decisions bring Gibraltar on board". UEFA.com (Press release). UEFA. 24 May 2013. Archived from the original on 19 September 2015. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  17. ^ Lafuente, Javier (24 May 2013). "Gibraltar mete un gol a España". El País (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 5 August 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  18. ^ Culatto, John (14 November 2013). "GFA change squad rules for Slovakia friendly". panorama.gi. Panorama Daily Gibraltar. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  19. ^ "Stoke City: Danny Higginbotham confirms Gibraltar approach". The Sentinel. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
  20. ^ "Danny Higginbotham: Gibraltar call-up was too good to refuse". The Sentinel. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  21. ^ "Danny Higginbotham agrees to play for Gibraltar". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  22. ^ "Danny Higginbotham agrees to play for Gibraltar at international level". The Guardian. 18 September 2013. Archived from the original on 20 September 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  23. ^ Doyle, Garry (11 October 2014). "We can reach play-offs, insists Gibraltar manager". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2015. 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.
  24. ^ Fitzmaurice, Aidan (3 September 2015). "'Green army not a worry for us', says Gibraltar boss Jeff Wood". The Herald. Archived from the original on 1 March 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2015. 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.
  25. ^ "Slovakia 0 Gibraltar 0". BBC Sport. 19 November 2013. Archived from the original on 20 November 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  26. ^ Fifield, Nicola (23 February 2014). "Gibraltar moves group in Euro 2016 qualifiers draw over political tensions". London: Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  27. ^ "Gibraltar claim first win with 1–0 victory over Malta". BBC Sport. 5 June 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  28. ^ Lowe, Sid (2 September 2014). "Gibraltar head to Portugal to play Poland in first competitive match". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  29. ^ Fortuna, Julian (7 September 2014). "Lewandowski hits four as Poland punish Gibraltar". UEFA.com. UEFA. Archived from the original on 11 March 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  30. ^ "Scotland 6 – 1 Gibraltar". BBC Sport. 29 March 2015. Archived from the original on 5 April 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  31. ^ "Wood takes permanent Gibraltar role". UEFA.com. UEFA. 6 July 2015. Archived from the original on 15 November 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  32. ^ "Germany 7 – 0 Gibraltar". BBC Sport. 13 June 2015. Archived from the original on 29 July 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  33. ^ Hafez, Shamoon (4 September 2015). "Gibraltar 0 – 4 R. of Ireland". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 8 September 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  34. ^ Kozminski, Piotr. "Lethal Poland too strong for Gibraltar". UEFA.com. UEFA. Archived from the original on 9 September 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  35. ^ "Scotland ease past Gibraltar to end on a high". UEFA.com. UEFA. Archived from the original on 12 October 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  36. ^ "Steven Fletcher bags hat-trick as Scotland rout Gibraltar". asia.eurosport.com. Eurosport. 12 October 2015. Archived from the original on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
  37. ^ "International news: Gibraltar confirm new stadium plans". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 4 March 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  38. ^ "Gibraltar FA to appeal to Cas after membership bid is rejected by Fifa". The Guardian. 26 September 2014. Archived from the original on 27 September 2014. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  39. ^ "Gibraltar to appeal to CAS after being blocked for FIFA membership". skysports.com. Sky Sports. 26 September 2014. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  40. ^ "Gibraltar to appeal FIFA decision over member application". pulse.ng. Pulse NG. 26 September 2014. Archived from the original on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  41. ^ "CAS hears Gibraltar's appeal to join FIFA". Washington Times. Archived from the original on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  42. ^ Montague, James (2 May 2016). "Ruling Moves Gibraltar Closer to FIFA Membership". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 3 May 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  43. ^ "FIFA Statement on CAS decision concerning Gibraltar". FIFA.com. FIFA. Archived from the original on 5 May 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  44. ^ "Gibraltar, Kosovo granted FIFA membership ahead of 2018 World Cup qualifying". FourFourTwo. 13 May 2016. Archived from the original on 14 May 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  45. ^ "Kosovo and Gibraltar assigned to 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying groups". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). 9 June 2016. Archived from the original on 9 June 2016.
  46. ^ Ignacio, Stephen (6 September 2016). "Gibraltar shrugs off 4–1 defeat to make football history". Gibraltar Chronicle. Archived from the original on 31 May 2018.
  47. ^ "Group H". FIFA. Archived from the original on 6 April 2019.
  48. ^ Browne, PJ (26 March 2018). "Great Scenes As Gibraltar Pull Off Just Second Ever Win In International Football". Balls.ie. Archived from the original on 26 March 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  49. ^ "Première victoire en compétition pour Gibraltar, en Arménie". L'Équipe. 13 October 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2020..
  50. ^ "Deuxième succès pour Gibraltar, la Géorgie cartonne en Lettonie". L'Équipe. 16 October 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2020..
  51. ^ "Ligue des nations : Gibraltar et les Îles Féroé promus en Ligue C". L'Équipe. 17 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020..
  52. ^ Pritchard, Dafydd (6 June 2024). "Gibraltar 0-0 Wales: Lacklustre Wales held by minnows Gibraltar". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  53. ^ "Our new national stadium". team54.gi. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  54. ^ "'NO POLITICS, JUST FOOTBALL' – BEISO". Gibraltar Chronicle. 3 October 2012. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  55. ^ Doyle, Paul (23 May 2013). "Gibraltar set to be new kids on the Rock as Uefa votes on its future". London: Guardian.co.uk. Archived from the original on 8 July 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  56. ^ "Algarve – temporary home for Gibraltar's international football matches". GBC News. Archived from the original on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
  57. ^ Bailey, Graeme. "Slovakia to be Gibraltar's first opponents". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 6 November 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  58. ^ Bolton, Ash. "Gibraltar's Victoria Stadium could host international football matches". Surin English. Archived from the original on 2 August 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  59. ^ a b "Victoria Stadium Belongs to the Whole Community" (PDF). Government of Gibraltar. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 June 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  60. ^ "New GFA stadium – Lathbury Barracks could replace Europa Point". GBC. Archived from the original on 1 June 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  61. ^ AFP (21 March 2016). "Gibraltar to host international matches on home soil by 2018". Daily Times. Archived from the original on 19 April 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  62. ^ Gibraltar’s Home international matches to be played in Faro, Portugal as from March 2023 Archived 19 October 2022 at the Wayback Machine Gibraltar FA. 13 October 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  63. ^ UEFA exceptionally agrees to the Gibraltar FA’s request to use the Europa Point Stadium for the 2024 Nations League and European Club Competition qualifying matches Gibraltar FA. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  64. ^ "Official Teamsheet". GibFootballTalk. Archived from the original on 19 November 2023. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  65. ^ Franco, Liam. "Football: E – Day has dawned for Gibraltar in UEFA". Gibraltar Chronicle. Archived from the original on 5 March 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  66. ^ "Squad Announcement". Gibraltar Football Association. 2 October 2024. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  67. ^ Mamrud, Roberto. "Gibraltar". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gibraltar national association football team.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gibraltar_national_football_team&oldid=1263312200"