# Eritrea national football team

The Eritrea national football team represents Eritrea in men's international football and it is controlled by the Eritrean National Football Federation (ENFF). It is nicknamed the Red Sea Boys. It has never qualified for the finals of the FIFA World Cup or the Africa Cup of Nations. Asmara side Red Sea FC are the main supplier for the national team and the team represents both FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF). Out of 211 national teams in the FIFA men's team world rankings, they are the only one that is unranked.

## History

An Eritrean team participated in a friendly tournament in Sudan in 1992, the year before Eritrea achieved independence. Eritrea participated in the 1994 CECAFA Cup, organised by the Council for East and Central Africa Football Association, even though the ENFF was not founded until 1996. The first full international was in the 1999 CECAFA Cup, the year after the ENFF joined the CAF and FIFA. They participated in the qualifying rounds of the 2000 African Cup of Nations and the 2002 World Cup, and subsequent editions until 2008. They have also appeared intermittently in the CECAFA Cup.
In the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Eritrea managed a scoreless home draw versus Cameroon and a 1–0 home win over Mozambique. They finished second in their three team group, and advanced to a playoff round where they faced Senegal and Zimbabwe, but ultimately lost all four matches in that final stage.
In the first round of the qualifiers for the 2002 World Cup, they were drawn against Nigeria, and were defeated 4–0 in the away leg, after a goalless draw at home. The coach was Yilmaz Yuceturk.
In the first round of the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, Sudan was Eritrea's first round opponent. Eritrea lost the first leg 3–0, before another goalless draw in Asmara. The coach was Eritrean Tekie Abraha.
In group 6 of the qualifiers for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, under the guidance of Romanian Dorian Marin, Eritrea finished second behind Angola, failing to qualify for the final tournament. They beat Kenya twice and drew at home to Angola.
In the first round of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, Eritrea faced Rwanda. The first leg in Asmara ended in a 1–1 draw (and saw Eritrea's first ever goal in a World Cup qualification match), but Rwanda took the second leg by a score of 3–1.
In the first round of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, Eritrea faced Botswana. The first leg in Asmara saw Botswana win 2–0, and the second leg in Francistown saw Botswana win 3–1, with Botswana winning 5–1 on aggregate.
In the first round of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, Eritrea faced Namibia. The first leg in Asmara saw Namibia win 2–1, and the second leg saw Namibia win 2–0; Namibia won 4–1 on aggregate.
Eritrea withdrew from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

### Withdrawals from major tournament qualifying

On 30 March 2014, Eritrea withdrew from the preliminary round of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, likely due to a rising number of the Eritrean national team players defecting from Eritrea during away matches. They were intended to play against South Sudan, who were awarded a walkover.
On 2 March 2022, Eritrea withdrew from the preliminary round of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers due to the lack of a stadium that meets the requirements set by CAF to host its international matches. They were intended to play against Botswana. Botswana were also awarded a walkover.
In November 2023, Eritrea, who were drawn into Group E alongside Morocco, Zambia, Tanzania, Congo and Niger, pulled out of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, citing the reason as being the refusal of Zemede Tekle, who is the Eritrean Commissioner for Sports and Culture, to participate in the playoffs.

### Defections

Recent years have seen a high number of refugees leaving Eritrea, and some athletes travelling to competitions abroad have taken the opportunity to abscond. In December 2012, 17 Eritrean footballers and the team's doctor vanished after the CECAFA championship tournament in Uganda and all applied for asylum in the country. Four players of Red Sea FC defected after a CAF Champions League 2006 match in Nairobi, Kenya, and up to 12 members of the national side after the 2007 CECAFA Cup in Tanzania. Another 6 players sought asylum in Angola in March 2007 after a group 6 qualifying game for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations. Three more players from the national team sought asylum in Sudan.
Eritrea withdrew from the 2008 CECAFA Cup, and from the common qualifying tournament shared by the 2010 World Cup and the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. Given the number of players seeking asylum, the Eritrean government began requiring athletes to pay a 100,000 nakfa surety before traveling abroad.
Eritrea returned to the 2009 CECAFA Cup in Nairobi. A young squad was assembled with just 12 days' training. In Group B, they gained a surprise draw with Zimbabwe, lost narrowly to Rwanda, and beat Somalia 3–1. They were easily beaten 4–0 in the quarter-finals by Tanzania. Twelve squad members failed to report for the return flight, and sought the assistance of the Refugee Consortium of Kenya. They were believed to be in hiding in Eastleigh, an eastern suburb of Nairobi home to many immigrants. Nicholas Musonye, the secretary-general of CECAFA, feared that the government might react by refusing to let the team travel abroad in future. The twelve players were later granted interim asylum by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Kenya. Eleven of these players have since travelled to Adelaide in Australia with two of them, Samuel Ghebrehiwet and Ambes Sium, signing for Gold Coast United in the A-League in August 2011.
In the first round of the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup, ten players from the Eritrean football team refused to return home after playing a World Cup qualifying match in Botswana and were granted asylum there.
In September 2019, four members of the national Under-20 team sought asylum in Uganda after the team qualified for the semi-finals of a competition. A few months later in December, a further seven players selected for the international team refused to return home and sought asylum in Uganda after a tournament. In October 2021, five footballers from the country's under-20 women's team also disappeared when on international duty in Uganda.

## 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

### 2024
## Coaching history

* Tekie Abraha (1991–1996)
* Mushir Osman (1998–1999)
* Tekie Abraha (1999–2000)
* Yılmaz Yücetürk (2000–2002)
* Negash Teklit (2002, caretaker)
* Vojo Gardašević (2002)
* Tekie Abraha (2003)
* Mrad Abdul Tesfay (2004)
* Dorian Marin (2006–2007)
* René Feller (2007–2008)
* Negash Teklit (2009–2012)
* Omar Ahmed Hussein (2013–2015)
* Alemseged Efrem (2015–present)

## Players
### Latest squad

The following players were selected for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Namibia on 10 September 2019.
Caps and goals correct as of 10 September 2019, after the match against Namibia.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
| 1 | 1GK | Kibrom Solomon | (2000-09-10) 10 September 2000 (age 24) | 9 | 0 | Denden |
| 20 | 1GK | Abdulahi Abdurahman | (1986-01-01) 1 January 1986 (age 39) | 3 | 0 | Red Sea |
| 2 | 2DF | Eyob Girmay | (1996-11-12) 12 November 1996 (age 28) | 8 | 0 | Denden |
| 3 | 2DF | Filmon Tumzghi | (1993-03-24) 24 March 1993 (age 31) | 8 | 0 | Denden |
| 4 | 2DF | Robel Teklemichael (captain) | (2000-07-24) 24 July 2000 (age 24) | 8 | 0 | Ethiopian Coffee |
| 5 | 2DF | Herman Fessehaye | (2000-11-10) 10 November 2000 (age 24) | 2 | 0 | Red Sea |
| 17 | 2DF | Ablelom Teklezgi | (1996-09-01) 1 September 1996 (age 28) | 8 | 0 | Red Sea |
| 6 | 3MF | Abel Okray | (1996-11-20) 20 November 1996 (age 28) | 2 | 0 | Denden |
| 7 | 3MF | Yonas Solomon | (1994-06-21) 21 June 1994 (age 30) | 7 | 0 | Al-Shorta |
| 8 | 3MF | Samiyuma Alexander | (1991-05-16) 16 May 1991 (age 33) | 3 | 0 | Free agent |
| 11 | 3MF | Senai Hagos | (1992-12-02) 2 December 1992 (age 32) | 0 | 0 | Åsane |
| 14 | 3MF | Christoffer Forsell | (1994-02-19) 19 February 1994 (age 31) | 0 | 0 | Free agent |
| 13 | 3MF | Sammy Simon | (1998-05-17) 17 May 1998 (age 26) | 1 | 0 | Free agent |
| 16 | 3MF | Mohammed Saeid | (1990-12-24) 24 December 1990 (age 34) | 1 | 0 | Örebro |
| 18 | 3MF | Robel Asfaha | (1987-01-31) 31 January 1987 (age 38) | 0 | 0 | Sundbybergs |
| 19 | 3MF | Alexander Andue | (1998-06-05) 5 June 1998 (age 26) | 0 | 0 | Stocksund |
| 9 | 4FW | Henok Goitom | (1984-09-22) 22 September 1984 (age 40) | 4 | 1 | Retired (assistant manager of AIK) |
| 10 | 4FW | Ali Sulieman | (2000-01-01) 1 January 2000 (age 25) | 8 | 3 | Hawassa City |
| 12 | 4FW | Ezana Kahsay | (1994-11-16) 16 November 1994 (age 30) | 1 | 0 | Siarka Tarnobrzeg |
| 15 | 4FW | Ermias Tekie Simon | (1986-09-29) 29 September 1986 (age 38) | 0 | 0 | Hallonbergens |

## Player records

    As of 22 January 2020
    Players in bold are still active with Eritrea.

### Most appearances

| Rank | Name | Caps | Goals | Career |
| 1 | Yidnekachew Shimangus | 22 | 5 | 1998–2007 |
| 2 | Yonas Fesehaye | 19 | 5 | 1999–2007 |
| 3 | Natnael Mesfun Zeru | 16 | 0 | 1998–2003 |
| 4 | Abel Afeworki | 13 | 0 | 1998–2002 |
| 5 | Efrem Bain Kaleb | 12 | 0 | 1998–2006 |
| 6 | Fassil Abreha | 11 | 3 | 1999–2003 |
| 6 | Berhane Aregai | 11 | 5 | 2002–2007 |
| 8 | Elias Debesa | 9 | 0 | 1999–2007 |
| 8 | Amanuel Iyassu | 9 | 1 | 1998–2000 |
| 8 | Kibrom Solomon | 9 | 0 | 2019–present |
| 8 | Ali Sulieman | 9 | 3 | 2019–present |
| 8 | Robel Teklemichael | 9 | 0 | 2019–present |
| 8 | Ablelom Teklezghi | 9 | 0 | 2019–present |
| 8 | Robel Kidane Tesfamichael | 9 | 0 | 1999–2000 |
| 8 | Efrem Tewolde | 9 | 0 | 1998–1999 |
| 8 | Filmon Tumzghi | 9 | 0 | 2019–present |

### Top goalscorers

| Rank | Name | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career |
| 1 | Berhane Aregai | 5 | 11 | 0.45 | 2002–2007 |
| 1 | Yonas Fesehaye | 5 | 19 | 0.26 | 1999–2007 |
| 1 | Yidnekachew Shimangus | 5 | 22 | 0.23 | 1998–2007 |
| 4 | Testfaldet Goitom | 3 | 8 | 0.38 | 2003–2009 |
| 4 | Ali Sulieman | 3 | 9 | 0.33 | 2019–present |
| 4 | Fassil Abreha | 3 | 11 | 0.27 | 1999–2003 |
| 7 | Elmon Temekribon | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2007 |
| 7 | Robel Kidane | 2 | 7 | 0.29 | 2015–present |
| 7 | Suleman Mohamed | 2 | 7 | 0.29 | 2003–2007 |
| 7 | Abiel Okbay | 2 | 8 | 0.25 | 2019–present |

## Competition records

FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
Qualification
Year
Round
Position
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
1930 to 1938
Part of  Italy
Part of  Italy
1950 to 1990
Part of  Ethiopia
Part of  Ethiopia
1994 to 1998
Not a FIFA member
Not a FIFA member
2002
Did not qualify
201104
2006
201103
2010
Did not enter
Did not enter
2014
Did not qualify
201124
2018
200215
2022
200214
2026
Withdrew
Withdrew
2030
To be determined
To be determined
2034
Total–0/7––––––10037420
Africa Cup of Nations
Africa Cup of Nations record
Qualification record
Year
Round
Position
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
1957Part of  Ethiopia
Part of  Ethiopia
1959
1962
1963
1965
1968
1970
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
Not affiliated with CAF
Not affiliated with CAF
1996
1998
2000Withdrew
9
1
1
7
4
22
2002Did not qualify
2
1
0
1
3
6
2004
6
1
0
5
1
7
2006
2
0
1
1
0
3
2008
6
2
3
1
5
8
2010Withdrew
Withdrew
2012Did not enter
Did not enter
2013
2015Withdrew
Withdrew
2017Did not enter
Did not enter
2019
2021
2023Withdrew
Withdrew
2025Excluded
Excluded
2027
To be determined
To be determined
Total–0/35––––––
25
5
5
15
13
46 :

### CECAFA Cup

CECAFA Cup record :
| Appearances: 12 |||||||||
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
| 1973 to 1992 | Part of Ethiopia | Part of Ethiopia | Part of Ethiopia | Part of Ethiopia | Part of Ethiopia | Part of Ethiopia | Part of Ethiopia | Part of Ethiopia |
| 1994 | Fourth place | 4th | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 1995 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 1996 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 1999 | Group stage | 11th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 2000 | Group stage | 8th | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 15 |
| 2001 | Group stage | 11th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 17 |
| 2002 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 2003 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 2004 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 2005 | Group stage | 10th | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 18 |
| 2006 | Group stage | 11th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| 2007 | Quarter-finals | 8th | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 8 |
| 2008 | Group stage | 10th | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 13 |
| 2009 | Group stage | 12th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| 2010 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 2011 | Group stage | 11th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 10 |
| 2012 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 2013 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 2015 | Group stage | 11th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 |
| 2017 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 2019 | Runners-up | 2nd | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Total | 0 Titles | 12/40 | 44 | 7 | 4 | 33 | 34 | 127 |

## All-time record
### Key

As of 25 January 2020
Positive Record  Neutral Record  Negative Record
| Opponent | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
| Angola | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | −5 |
| Botswana | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | −4 |
| Burundi | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | +0 |
| Cameroon | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 |
| Djibouti | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | +4 |
| Eswatini | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ghana | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | −5 |
| Kenya | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 14 | −3 |
| Mali | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Malawi | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 |
| Mozambique | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 |
| Namibia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 |
| Nigeria | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | −4 |
| Rwanda | 10 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 16 | −9 |
| Senegal | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | −6 |
| Seychelles | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | +1 |
| Somalia | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 |
| Sudan | 12 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 20 | −13 |
| Tanzania | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 | −6 |
| Uganda | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 17 | −11 |
| Yemen | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | −3 |
| Zanzibar | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | −3 |
| Zimbabwe | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 8 | −8 |
| Total | 84 | 14 | 19 | 51 | 57 | 139 | −82 |