Sierra Leone national football team
![]() | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (June 2019) |
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Nickname(s) | Leone Stars | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Association | SLFA | |||
Confederation | CAF (Africa) | |||
Sub-confederation | WAFU (West Africa) | |||
Head coach | Amidu Karim | |||
Captain | Osman Kakay | |||
Most caps | Umaru Bangura (55) | |||
Top scorer | Mohamed Kallon (8) | |||
Home stadium | Freetown National Stadium | |||
FIFA code | SLE | |||
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FIFA ranking | ||||
Current | 122 ![]() | |||
Highest | 50 (August 2014) | |||
Lowest | 172 (September 2007) | |||
First international | ||||
![]() ![]() (Freetown, Sierra Leone; 10 August 1949)[2] | ||||
Biggest win | ||||
![]() ![]() (Freetown, Sierra Leone; 7 March 1976) ![]() ![]() (Freetown, Sierra Leone; 3 June 1995) ![]() ![]() (Freetown, Sierra Leone; 22 April 2000) | ||||
Biggest defeat | ||||
![]() ![]() (Bamako, Mali; 17 June 2007) | ||||
Africa Cup of Nations | ||||
Appearances | 3 (first in 1994) | |||
Best result | Group stage (1994, 1996, 2021) |
The Sierra Leone national football team represents Sierra Leone in association football and is governed by the Sierra Leone Football Association. It has qualified for Africa Cup of Nations three times.
History
[edit]Sierra Leone's first match was at home on 10 August 1949 against another British colony, Nigeria, and was lost 2–0. In 1954 it played another British colony and British administered U.N trust territory, Gold Coast and Trans-Volta Togoland, and lost 2–0 away. On 22 April 1961, it hosted Nigeria and lost 4–2. On 12 November 1966, it hosted Liberia in its first match against a non-British colony and earned its first draw, 1–1. A week later, it lost 2–0 in Liberia. On 13 January 1971, it played its first match against a non-African team, West Germany's B-team. The match in Sierra Leone was won 1–0 by the Germans. Sierra Leone's first match outside Africa was its first against an Asian nation, China. It lost 4–1 in China on 5 April 1974.[4]
In August 2014, Sierra Leone FA cancelled all association football matches in an effort to stop the spread of the 2014 Ebola virus epidemic in Sierra Leone, a week after Liberian FA did the same.[5] Sierra Leonean players playing outside Sierra Leone, such as Michael Lahoud playing in the United States, were discriminated against, with opposition players refusing to swap shirts, shake hands and allow them to certain places of the stadium because they fear that they could be carrying the disease.[6] The Sierra Leonean national team wasn't allowed to play home games and all players had to be foreign-based.[7]
Results and fixtures
[edit]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
2023
[edit]11 September 2023 AFCON qualification | Guinea-Bissau ![]() | 2–1 | ![]() | Bissau, Guinea-Bissau |
16:00 UTC±0 | Report |
|
Stadium: Estádio 24 de Setembro Referee: Boubou Traoré (Mali) |
17 October Friendly | Sierra Leone ![]() | 2–0 | ![]() | |
Report |
15 November 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification | Ethiopia ![]() | 0–0 | ![]() | El Jadida, Morocco |
20:00 UTC+1 | Report | Stadium: Stade El Abdi Attendance: 50 Referee: Celso Alvação (Mozambique) |
19 November 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification | Sierra Leone ![]() | 0–2 | ![]() | Paynesville, Liberia |
16:00 UTC±0 | Report |
|
Stadium: Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex Attendance: 8,916 Referee: Jean-Jacques Ndala Ngambo (DR Congo) |
2024
[edit]6 January Friendly | Ivory Coast ![]() | 5–1 | ![]() | San Pedro, Ivory Coast |
17:00 UTC±0} | Report |
|
Stadium: Laurent Pokou Stadium Referee: Dedjinnanchi Ahomlanto (Benin) |
11 January Friendly | Sierra Leone ![]() | 1–3 | ![]() | San Pedro, Ivory Coast |
15:00 UTC±0 |
|
Report | Stadium: Laurent Pokou Stadium |
5 June 2026 World Cup qualification | Sierra Leone ![]() | 2–1 | ![]() | El Jadida, Morocco |
17:00 UTC+1 | Report | Stadium: Ben M'Hamed El Abdi Stadium Referee: Godfrey Nkhakananga (Malawi) |
10 June 2026 World Cup qualification | Burkina Faso ![]() | 2–2 | ![]() | Bamako, Mali |
16:00 UTC±0 | Report | Stadium: Stade du 26 Mars Referee: Lahlou Benbraham (Algeria) |
Coaching history
[edit]Burkhard Pape (1966–1968)
Klaus Ebbighausen (1976–1978)
Warwick Rimmer (1979)
Christian Cole (1989)
Christian Cole (1991)
Raymond Zarpanelian (1993–1994)
Roger Palmgren (1996)
John Sherington (1996–1997)
Abdulai Sesay (1997–2000)
Dušan Drašković (2000)
Christian Cole (2001)
José Antonio Nogueira (2003)
John Sherington (2003–2006)
James Peters (2006–2007)
Mohamed Kanu (2007–2009)
Daniel Koroma (2009–2010)
Christian Cole (2010–2011)
Lars-Olof Mattsson (2011–2013)
Johnathan McKinstry (2013–2014)
Atto Mensah (2014)
John Ajina Sesay (2014–2015)
John Sherington (2015)
Sellas Tetteh (2015–2017)
John Keister (2017–2019)
Sellas Tetteh (2019–2020)
John Keister (2020–2023)
Amidu Karim (2023–)
Players
[edit]Current squad
[edit]The following players were called up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Djibouti and Burkina Faso on 5 and 10 June 2024.[8]
Caps and goals are correct as of 11 January 2024, after the match against Morocco.
Recent call-ups
[edit]The following players had been called up in 12 months preceding the above draft.
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GK | Abu Bakar Kamara | 28 January 2004 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
GK | Mohamed Kamara | 29 April 1999 | 20 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
GK | Ibrahim Sesay | 18 October 2004 | 13 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Abu Bakarr Samura | 10 August 1995 | 16 | 1 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Saidu Mansaray | 21 February 2001 | 8 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Santigie Koroma | 27 November 2003 | 2 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Abu Bakarr Barrie | 28 November 1999 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Edward Bello Yillah | 4 October 1996 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Lamin Conteh | 15 December 1994 | 10 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Kwame Quee | 7 September 1996 | 35 | 3 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Saidu Bah Kamara | 3 March 2002 | 8 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Ibrahim Turay | 5 May 1999 | 7 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Alpha Turay | 26 May 2005 | 4 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Samuel Bekoe | 24 August 1997 | 3 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Mohamed Fofanah | 8 September 1998 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Adebayor Black | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() | |
MF | Joseph Cleveland | 1 January 2000 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Mohamed Buya Turay | 10 January 1995 | 17 | 3 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Tyrese Fornah | 11 September 1999 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Saidu Fofanah | 14 September 1997 | 13 | 1 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Mamadou Saidou Sow | 19 August 1999 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Mohamed Billoh Kabba | 26 November 2004 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Alie Conteh | 29 October 2002 | 8 | 2 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Abu Komeh | 21 May 2001 | 4 | 2 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Alhaji Kamara | 16 April 1994 | 17 | 5 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Jonathan Morsay | 5 October 1997 | 10 | 1 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Augustine Williams | 3 August 1997 | 7 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Ron Gandi Williams | 8 September 1998 | 3 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
INJ Withdrew due to injury. |
Records
[edit]- As of 19 November 2023[9]
- Players in bold are still active with Sierra Leone.
Most appearances
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Umaru_Bangura.jpg/200px-Umaru_Bangura.jpg)
Rank | Name | Caps | Goals | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Umaru Bangura | 55 | 4 | 2006–2022 |
2 | Ibrahim Bah | 45 | 3 | 1986–1998 |
3 | Mohamed Kallon | 40 | 8 | 1995–2012 |
4 | Kei Kamara | 39 | 7 | 2008–2022 |
5 | Sheriff Suma | 37 | 3 | 2006–2015 |
6 | Medo Kamara | 33 | 1 | 2008–2021 |
Kwame Quee | 33 | 3 | 2012–present | |
8 | Julius Wobay | 32 | 4 | 2001–2018 |
9 | Ibrahim Kargbo | 30 | 1 | 2000–2013 |
10 | Yeami Dunia | 29 | 0 | 2012–present |
Top goalscorers
[edit]Rank | Name | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Mohamed Kallon | 8 | 40 | 0.2 | 1995–2012 |
2 | Kei Kamara | 7 | 39 | 0.18 | 2008–2022 |
3 | Lamine Conteh | 6 | 20 | 0.3 | 1993–2006 |
4 | Alhaji Kamara | 5 | 17 | 0.29 | 2012–present |
5 | Teteh Bangura | 4 | 12 | 0.33 | 2011–2014 |
Alhassan Kamara | 4 | 16 | 0.25 | 2012–2018 | |
Abu Kanu | 4 | 16 | 0.25 | 1994–2003 | |
Mustapha Bangura | 4 | 17 | 0.24 | 2005–2016 | |
Julius Wobay | 4 | 31 | 0.13 | 2001–2018 | |
Umaru Bangura | 4 | 55 | 0.07 | 2006–2022 |
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 | ||
![]() ![]() |
Not affiliated to CAF | Not affiliated to CAF | ||||||||||||||
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Did not enter | Did not enter | ||||||||||||||
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Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | |||||||||
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4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 9 | ||||||||||
![]() |
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | ||||||||||
![]() |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | ||||||||||
![]() |
Did not enter | Did not enter | ||||||||||||||
![]() |
Withdrew | Withdrew | ||||||||||||||
![]() |
Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||
![]() ![]() |
10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 17 | ||||||||||
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2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||
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8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | ||||||||||
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6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 10 | ||||||||||
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2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||
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2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||||||||
![]() ![]() ![]() |
To be determined | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | |||||||||
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To be determined | |||||||||||||||
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Total | 0/16 | 46 | 11 | 10 | 25 | 41 | 71 |
Africa Cup of Nations
[edit]Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Squad |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Not affiliated to CAF | ||||||||
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Did not enter | ||||||||
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Withdrew | ||||||||
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Did not enter | ||||||||
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Did not qualify | ||||||||
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Did not enter | ||||||||
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Did not qualify | ||||||||
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Did not enter | ||||||||
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Did not qualify | ||||||||
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Withdrew | ||||||||
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Did not qualify | ||||||||
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Withdrew | ||||||||
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Did not qualify | ||||||||
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Round 1 | 10th | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | Squad |
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Round 1 | 13th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 | Squad |
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Withdrew | ||||||||
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Disqualified due to civil war | ||||||||
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Did not qualify | ||||||||
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Disqualified due to FIFA suspension | ||||||||
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Group stage | 18th | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | Squad |
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Did not qualify | ||||||||
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To be determined | ||||||||
![]() ![]() ![]() | |||||||||
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Total | 0 titles | 3/34 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 14 | — |
Coaching staff
[edit]Head coach | ![]() |
Assistant coach | ![]() |
Assistant coach | ![]() |
Sport therapist | ![]() |
Head of medical | ![]() |
Team manager | ![]() |
References
[edit]- ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking". FIFA. 18 July 2024. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ^ Courtney, Barrie (15 August 2006). "Sierra Leone – List of International Matches". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
- ^ Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 15 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
- ^ "Sierra Leone – List of International Matches". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 19 November 2015. Archived from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
- ^ "Sierra Leone suspends football matches as Ebola virus spreads". The Independent. 4 August 2014. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
- ^ "Ebola affecting Sierra Leone team – Michael Lahoud". BBC Sport. 14 October 2014. Archived from the original on 18 December 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
- ^ "The land where football is religion". FIFATV. 14 October 2014. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Final Squad". Twitter. Sierra Leone Football Association.
- ^ "Sierra Leone". National Football Teams. Archived from the original on 26 April 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
Sources
[edit]- Sierra Leone to 'host' the Elephants of Ivory Coast in Abidjan – footballsierraleone.net (archived 5 March 2016)
- Sierra Leone 1–1 Malawi: International Friendly – footballsierraleone.net (archived 5 April 2016)
External links
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Football Sierra Leone
- Sierra Leone Football Association
- Sierra Leone at CAF
- Sierra Leone at FIFA
- Sierra Leone at National-Football-Teams.com