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Lebanon national football team
Men's association football team From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Lebanon national football team,[a] controlled by the Lebanese Football Association (LFA), have represented Lebanon in association football since their inception in 1933. The squad is governed by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) continentally, and FIFA worldwide. While Lebanon have yet to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, they have qualified three times to the AFC Asian Cup: they first participated in 2000, when they hosted the event. Lebanon's main venue is the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in Beirut; however, they also play in other locations such as the Saida Municipal Stadium in Sidon.
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Having joined FIFA in 1936, Lebanon played their first FIFA-recognised game in 1940 against Mandatory Palestine. During their 2014 qualification campaign for the World Cup, Lebanon reached the final qualifying round for the first time thanks to a 2–1 victory against South Korea at home in 2011, but failed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup finishing bottom of their group. At the 2019 Asian Cup, Lebanon were close to qualifying to the knock-out stages for the first time. However, they lost a tiebreaker to Vietnam in the third-place ranking on the fair play rule and were knocked out of the competition at the group stage. Lebanon also compete in the Arab Cup, the WAFF Championship, and the Arab Games. As hosts, they have finished third—once at the Arab Cup (1963) and twice at the Arab Games (1957 and 1997).
Inspired by their national symbol, the Lebanese team is known as "the Cedars" (Arabic: رجال الأرز) by fans and media. Their home kit is primarily red and their away kit white, a reference to their national flag. After a steady decline in their FIFA ranking from 1998 to 2016, Lebanon jumped 66 places (from 147th in 2016 to 81st in 2018) and reached their highest rank to date—77th—in September 2018. This came after a 16-game unbeaten streak, from 29 March 2016 to 9 September 2018, during which Lebanon won eight games and drew eight.
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History
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1933–1947: Formation and early matches
Lebanon was one of the first nations in the Middle East to establish a formal administrative body for association football.[b][2] On 22 March 1933, representatives from 13 football clubs gathered in the Minet El Hosn district of Beirut to form the Lebanese Football Association (LFA).[3][4] The LFA was initially led by Hussein Sejaan,[5] and became a member of FIFA in 1936.[4][6]
On 3 February 1934, the LFA organized a training camp for 22 players from Beirut in preparation for a friendly match against the Romanian club CA Timișoara (TAC).[7] The players were divided into two teams and competed against each other at the American University of Beirut (AUB) field.[7] However, the scheduled match against TAC on 18 February was canceled due to financial disputes between the LFA and AUB, which had organized the event.[8] The Beirut XI team eventually faced TAC on 21 November 1935 at the AUB field,[9] losing 3–0.[10]
On 29 October 1939, the Beirut XI played their first match against Syria's Damascus XI in Beirut, resulting in a 5–4 defeat.[11] They played a return game in Damascus on 14 November, which resulted in a 6–1 win for Beirut XI.[12] Over the following years, the two teams competed in 16 unofficial matches until 1963, with the Beirut XI securing seven victories, two draws, and seven losses.[13]
The Lebanese national team's first official FIFA-recognized match was played on 27 April 1940, facing Mandatory Palestine at the Maccabiah Stadium in Palestine.[14] The game ended in a 5–1 defeat for Lebanon, with an estimated attendance of 6,000 to 10,000 spectators.[15] Mandatory Palestine dominated the first half, scoring four goals.[16] In the second half, Lebanese forward Camille Cordahi, assisted by Muhieddine Jaroudi, scored Lebanon's first official international goal.[16] Mandatory Palestine added a fifth goal, concluding the match with a 5–1 victory.[16]
Lebanon played their first official match against Syria on 26 April 1942, losing 2–1 in Beirut as part of the Coupe Hauteclocque.[17] The trophy, donated by French diplomat Jean de Hauteclocque in 1939, was intended to be a regular fixture between Lebanon and Syria.[18] The match, held at the AUB field in front of 3,000 spectators, saw Lebanon coached by Abed Traboulsi and captained by Labib Majdalani.[17] Although two matches were initially planned,[18] only the Beirut fixture took place.[17] The Coupe Hauteclocque remained a point of contention, as the Syrian Football Association had retained possession of the cup since 1939.[18] Lebanon played two additional friendlies against Syria in 1947, losing 4–1 in Beirut on 4 May,[19] and 1–0 in Aleppo on 18 May.[20]
1953–1963: Entry into regional competitions
Coached by Vinzenz Dittrich,[21] Lebanon participated in their first international tournament at the inaugural edition of the football tournament at the Arab Games, held in Egypt in 1953.[22] The team finished at the bottom of its group after a 4–1 loss to Jordan,[23] and a 0–0 draw with Syria.[24] In the fifth-place match, Lebanon secured a 9–1 victory over Palestine.[25]
On 29 February 1956, Lebanon played Hungary in a notable 4–1 home defeat, during which Hungarian star Ferenc Puskás scored two goals.[26][27] Lebanon also participated in unofficial matches against prominent European clubs such as Dynamo Moscow, Leipzig, and Spartak Trnava in 1957.[13] That same year, Lebanon faced Romanian club Energia Flacăra Ploiești in the opening game of the Sports City Stadium in Beirut, securing a 1–0 victory with a goal by Joseph Abou Mrad.[28]
From 19 to 27 October 1957, Lebanon hosted the second edition of the Arab Games and were drawn with Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Jordan in the group stages.[29] After two 1–1 draws against Saudi Arabia and Syria, Lebanon defeated Jordan 6–3 thanks to two braces by Joseph Abou Mrad and Mardik Tchaparian, and one goal each by Robert Chehade and Levon Altounian; this placed them first in their group.[30] In the semifinals, Lebanon lost 4–2 to Tunisia.[31] They finished in third place after Morocco withdrew from the third-place match.[29]
Lebanon hosted the third edition of the Mediterranean Games in 1959, held in Beirut in October, and were grouped with Italy B and Turkey B.[c][32] They finished last in the group, after four losses to the two European teams.[33][34][35][36]
Lebanon played their first Summer Olympic qualifiers in 1959 between November and December. Coached by English coach Harry Wright, Lebanon were grouped with Iraq and Turkey. They played two games against Iraq, losing 3–0 at home and 8–0 away, before withdrawing from the qualifiers prior to their two matches against Turkey.[37][38]
The 1961 Arab Games, marking the third edition of the competition, were held in Morocco. The tournament featured six teams competing in a single round-robin format. Lebanon's national team participated in the event, under head coach Joseph Nalbandian, recording a mixed set of results.[39] Lebanon won matches against Saudi Arabia (7–1) and Kuwait (4–0), and suffered defeats against Morocco (1–0), the United Arab Republic (UAR; 4–0), and Libya (3–2). Lebanon finished in fourth place out of the six participating teams.[40][41]
Lebanon hosted the inaugural Arab Cup in 1963 between March and April, marking the first edition of the tournament.[42] The concept of an Arab Cup was initially proposed in 1957 by Lebanese journalist Nassif Majdalani and Izzat Al Turk, the Secretary General of the LFA.[43][44] In 1962, the LFA, under the leadership of its president Georges Dabbas, formally advocated for the establishment of the tournament.[45] The inaugural competition took place in Beirut between April and May 1963, featuring five participating teams.[42] Lebanon was placed in a group with Tunisia, Syria, Kuwait, and Jordan.[42] The Lebanese team began the tournament with a 6–0 victory over Kuwait, highlighted by a hat-trick from Mardik Tchaparian.[46] Following another win against Jordan (5–0) and losses to Syria (3–2) and Tunisia (1–0), Lebanon secured a third-place finish in the tournament.[42]
The 1963 Mediterranean Games, the fourth edition of the event, was held in Italy in September. Lebanon was placed in Group B alongside Turkey, Spain, Malta, and the UAR. Notably, European teams in the tournament fielded amateur players. Lebanon's campaign began with a 1–0 loss to Spain,[47] followed by a 4–0 loss to Turkey,[48] and a 2–0 victory over Malta.[49] In their final group match against the UAR on 25 September, the game was abandoned in the 27th minute due to a waterlogged pitch, with the score tied at 0–0. Rescheduled for the next day, a dispute over the venue arose: the UAR insisted on relocating, while Lebanon refused, citing tournament regulations. The technical committee sided with the UAR, leading Lebanon to withdraw. Consequently, the UAR was awarded a 2–0 walkover victory.[50]
1964–1971: AFC membership and continued regional participation
Lebanon played at the 1964 Tripoli Fair Tournament, held in Tripoli, Libya in March; in a group with Sudan B, Morocco B, Malta B, and hosts Libya, they finished in first place with seven points.[51]
The 1964 Arab Cup, the second edition of the tournament, was held in Kuwait in November. The competition featured five teams—Iraq, Libya, Kuwait, Jordan, and Lebanon—competing in a single-round robin format. Lebanon finished in fourth place, recording one win, one draw, and two defeats during the tournament.[52][53][54]
The 1965 Arab Games, the fourth edition of the event, took place in Cairo, UAR. Lebanon was placed in Group A alongside the UAR, Palestine, Iraq, and Aden. The team finished fourth in the group.[55][56][57][58]
In the 1966 Arab Cup, the third edition held in Iraq, Lebanon were drawn with Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain in Group A.[59] After three wins and a draw,[60][61][62][63] they qualified to the semi-finals against Syria, where they lost 1–0.[64] In the third-place match, Lebanon lost 6–1 to Libya, finishing the competition in fourth place.[65]
Lebanon participated in the 1968 Summer Olympics qualifiers, held in Tokyo, Japan, from September to October 1967. Lebanon faced challenges early on, as the team's Hungarian coach, József Albert, was unable to obtain a visa for Japan and was replaced by Joseph Nalbandian.[66] Lebanon began with a 1–1 draw against South Vietnam,[67] followed by a 2–0 loss to South Korea,[68] and a 3–1 defeat to Japan.[69][70] However, the team secured two notable victories: an 11–1 win over the Philippines on 6 October,[71] which remains Lebanon's largest margin of victory to date,[14] and a 5–2 win against Taiwan.[72][73] The match against the Philippines featured four goals by Joseph Abou Mrad and three by Samir Nassar.[71] Despite these wins, Lebanon finished third out of six teams and did not qualify for the Olympics.[74]
Four years later, Lebanon took part in the 1972 Summer Olympics qualifiers under coach Joseph Abou Mrad. It was initially planned for a group stage in Tehran, featuring North Korea, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq. However, due to visa issues with Iranian authorities, FIFA restructured the group into knockout ties.[75] Ultimately, Lebanon faced Iraq in a home-and-away series. Lebanon won the first match 1–0 in Beirut,[76] but lost the second 1–0 in Baghdad.[77] A decisive third match was held in Istanbul, Turkey, where Iraq secured a 2–1 victory, advancing to the second round of qualifiers; Lebanon was eliminated from the competition.[78]
After joining the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in 1964,[4][6] Lebanon's first Asian Cup qualifying campaign was for the 1972 tournament under coach Abou Mrad.[79] The Western Zone qualifiers, held in Kuwait in December 1971, began with an allocation match to determine Lebanon's group placement. Lebanon lost 3–0 to Bahrain,[80] and was placed in Group B alongside Kuwait and Syria.[81] In the group stage, Lebanon suffered a 1–0 defeat to Kuwait,[82] but secured a 3–2 victory over Syria, advancing to the semi-finals.[83] However, in the decisive semi-final match, where a win would have guaranteed qualification, Lebanon lost 4–1 to Iraq.[84] The team concluded their campaign with a 2–0 consolation victory over Jordan in the third-place match.[85]
1979–1988: Civil war disruptions
Despite Lebanon's ongoing civil war (1975–1990), the national football team continued participating in international competitions, though with significant disruptions. A notable incident occurred in 1979 during preparations for a match against South Korea, when Joseph Nalbandian, secretary-general of the LFA, was detained for six hours in the basement of the Kataeb Regulatory Forces' War Council building, the paramilitary wing of the Kataeb Party.[86] Despite this political interference, the national team proceeded with its travel to South Korea for the match.[86]
The team faced further challenges during the 1980 Asian Cup qualifiers, held in Abu Dhabi in November 1979. After a 0–0 draw against the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Lebanon needed a victory over Syria to secure qualification for the final tournament.[87] The decisive match proved controversial, with refereeing decisions including a disputed penalty awarded to Syria, a disallowed Lebanese goal, and the sending off of three Lebanese players.[88] These incidents contributed to Lebanon's 1–0 defeat, resulting in their elimination from the competition.[88]
Lebanon's participation in the 1984 Asian Cup qualifiers was similarly affected by the civil war. Drawn into Group 2 alongside six other teams for matches scheduled in Saudi Arabia between 20–31 October 1984,[89] the squad under Bulgarian coach Todor Simeonovski was ultimately unable to compete.[86] Despite arriving at Beirut International Airport on 17 October 1984 ready to depart, the team was prevented from traveling, with the LFA subsequently informing Saudi officials via telegram that "security reasons beyond [its] control" had forced their withdrawal.[86]
The national team's first attempt at qualifying for the FIFA World Cup in 1986 was also impacted by the conflict. Lebanon played four matches in March 1985 against Iraq and Qatar, losing all fixtures before withdrawing from the competition due to the escalating civil war.[90] FIFA subsequently annulled all of Lebanon's results from the qualifiers.[91]
At the 1987 Mediterranean Games in Latakia, Syria, Lebanon participated in the football tournament but struggled competitively. After an initial 0–0 draw against San Marino,[92] defeats to Turkey Olympic (1–0)[93] and hosts Syria (6–1) saw the team finish third in their group and fail to progress beyond the group stage.[94]
Lebanon's final major tournament appearance during the civil war came at the 1988 Arab Cup. After qualifying through matches in Aleppo, including a 2–1 loss to Syria[95] and a 0–0 draw with Palestine,[96] Lebanon competed in the finals in Jordan. Drawn in a group with Egypt, Iraq, Tunisia, and Saudi Arabia, the team recorded one win, two draws, and one defeat to finish third in their group, failing to advance to the knockout stages.[97]
1993–2004: Post-war rebuilding and 2000 Asian Cup hosts
Lebanon returned to international competition in 1993, entering in the 1994 World Cup qualifiers under coach Adnan Al Sharqi. [98] Their gap of 57 years between the date of FIFA affiliation (1936) and their first full World Cup qualifying campaign (1993) was the highest to date; it was surpassed by the Philippines three years later with a gap of 68 years.[99] Lebanon finished third in their group with two wins, four draws, and two losses, failing to advance.[100]
Under Terry Yorath, Lebanon's first post-war foreign manager, the team began their first post-war campaign to qualify for the 1996 Asian Cup.[101] Despite winning twice against Turkmenistan and losing only once (at home, against Kuwait), Lebanon were eliminated from the competition with a one-point difference with Kuwait (the group leader).[101] Yorath's tenure (1995–1997) saw Lebanon rise 10 places in the FIFA rankings after a 3–3 draw with the Czech Republic and a 1–0 win over Jordan, both friendlies played in February 1997.[102] Thanks to their performances, Lebanon were awarded the Asian Team of the Month award.[102] Lebanon were drawn in a group which included Kuwait and Singapore in the 1998 World Cup qualifiers, played between April and June 1997.[103] Led by Yorath, the Cedars were eliminated with only four points.[103] Despite the team's elimination, the Welsh manager was one of the team's most successful managers, with 15 wins in 31 official matches during his two-year tenure.[14]
Lebanon hosted the 2000 Asian Cup, despite FIFA's concerns about stadium conditions.[104] Coached by Josip Skoblar[105] and captained by Jamal Taha,[106] Lebanon drew into Group A with Iran, Iraq, and Thailand.[107] Out of the 23 called-up players for the tournament, five were Brazilians with Lebanese ancestry.[108] Lebanon played their first Asian Cup game against Iran on 12 October 2000 at the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium with 52,418 spectators.[107] Trailing by one goal at half time, Lebanon conceded three further goals in the second half to end their first group stage match in a 4–0 defeat.[107] In the second match, against Iraq, two goals in the first 22 minutes gave the opposing team a comfortable lead.[107] However, an Abbas Chahrour long-distance volley in the 28th minute,[109] Lebanon's first goal in the competition,[110] and a goal by Moussa Hojeij in the 76th minute gave Lebanon their first point of the competition.[107] Lebanon played Thailand in the final group stage match.[107] With the opposing team gaining the lead in the 58th minute, Luís Fernandes equalised for Lebanon to end the match 1–1.[107] The draw was not enough as they finished last in the group, with only two points.[107]
Managed by Theo Bücker, Lebanon drew with Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand in the first round of the 2002 World Cup qualifications.[111] The team, with good offense from Roda Antar, Haitham Zein, Vartan Ghazarian, and Gilberto dos Santos, finished second in their group with 26 goals in six games (the most in their group).[111]
Under Richard Tardy,[112] Lebanon drew into Group D of the 2004 Asian Cup qualifiers.[113] Before the match away to North Korea, the Lebanese team were reportedly ill-treated; hotel conditions were poor, and their training field contained goats and sheep.[114] Lebanon finished third in their group, with four points.[113] For the second round of the qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup, Lebanon were grouped with South Korea, Vietnam, and the Maldives.[115] Under Mahmoud Hamoud, they finished second in their group and were eliminated.[115]
2006–2014: World cup qualification breakthroughs and controversies
Lebanon drew into Group D for the 2007 Asian Cup qualifying campaign with Australia, Bahrain, and Kuwait, played in 2006.[116] The scheduled meeting between Australia and Lebanon made Buddy Farah, an Australian player of Lebanese descent, declare his return to the Lebanese national side.[117] Before Lebanon's match with Bahrain on 16 August, it was announced on 1 August that the Asian Football Confederation had accepted a withdrawal request from the Lebanon Football Association due to the 2006 Lebanon War, which forced several players to leave their homes to avoid the war.[118] In 2007 Lebanon was seeded in the first round of the qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup, where they faced India to qualify directly for the third round of the qualifiers.[119] Lebanon won 6–3 on aggregate and advanced to the third round, with two goals by Mohammed Ghaddar in the second match.[119] Lebanon, grouped with Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Uzbekistan, finished last with no points.[120]
In April 2008, Lebanon and the Maldives (the two lowest-ranked teams in Asia)[d][121] played home-and-away matches in the preliminary round of the 2011 Asian Cup; the winner would proceed to the next round.[124][125] A 4–0 home win and a 2–1 victory in the away match advanced Lebanon to the qualifying round.[124][125] Between 2009 and 2010, they drew into Group D with China, Syria, and Vietnam, finishing last.[126] Emile Rustom, re-appointed as head coach in November 2008, led Lebanon into the second round of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers.[127] They faced Bangladesh, winning 4–0 in Beirut on 23 July 2011, and losing 2–0 in Dhaka five days later.[128] Lebanon advanced to the third round, where they were grouped with South Korea, Kuwait, and the UAE.[129] Rustom resigned less than a week later, citing internal administrative problems.[130][131]
On 4 August 2011, Theo Bücker was reappointed as Lebanon's head coach.[132] The former national team manager took the reins nine years after leaving that position. Lebanon began the third round losing 6–0 away to South Korea. In the second match, they came back from one goal down to defeat the UAE 3–1 at home.[133][134] The team then drew 2–2 to Kuwait in Beirut on 11 October.[135] For the first time since 2005, when the LFA barred fans from the stadiums due to behavioural issues, spectators (32,000) were allowed at the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium.[136] Bad fan behaviour (mainly fireworks-related) was again a problem against Kuwait, forcing referee Masaaki Toma to stop the game several times.[137] A month later, Lebanon defeated Kuwait 1–0 in Kuwait City;[138] it was Kuwait's first home loss to Lebanon.[139] On 15 November, Lebanon hosted South Korea at Beirut's Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium before over 40,000 spectators.[140] Ali Al Saadi gave Lebanon the lead after four minutes, however South Korea tied the score with a penalty kick. Lebanon regained the lead in the 30th minute through an Abbas Ali Atwi penalty; the match finished in a 2–1 victory. Lebanon's first-ever win against South Korea qualified them for the fourth (and final) round of the World Cup qualifiers for the first time.[141]
In 2012 Lebanon drew into Group A of the fourth round, with South Korea, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Qatar.[142] In Lebanon's fourth game, on 11 September against Iran, a first-half Roda Antar goal gave Lebanon the lead through a header.[143] They held onto the lead and won 1–0; the three points were crucial to stay in contention for a spot at the 2014 World Cup.[143] On 26 February 2013, team members Ramez Dayoub and Mahmoud El Ali were involved in the 2013 Lebanese match-fixing scandal; they were accused of illegal betting on several matches involving Lebanese teams (including the national team), in addition to manipulating results.[144] The players were fined $15,000 and banned from the Lebanon Football Association for life.[145] Lebanon's 1–0 defeat to Qatar was part of the scandal, with defender Dayoub purposely passing the ball to the Qatari striker, who netted the only goal of the game.[146] The Lebanese team then lost to Uzbekistan 1–0 on the road.[147] In the following match they hosted South Korea in Beirut and led 1–0, until South Korea scored the equaliser in the 97th minute, eliminating Lebanon.[148]
In 2013 the team drew into group B with Iran, Thailand and Kuwait for the 2015 Asian Cup qualifications.[149] After losing 5–0 to Iran, and winning 5–2 against Thailand, Giuseppe Giannini replaced Theo Bücker as head coach.[150] During Giannini's first game, on match day three, Mohammad Ghaddar scored the equaliser against Kuwait in Beirut to earn a point for Lebanon.[151] Lebanon ended the qualifications in third place in their group, with two wins, two draws, and two losses.[149] Lebanon and China were tied on points in the ranking of third-places teams; China had a better goal difference, however, and went on to play in the final tournament.[149]
After the country's failed attempt to qualify for the 2015 Asian Cup in Australia, the Lebanese Football Association decided to reform the national team in 2014 by modeling it on the Belgium national team (particularly Belgium's performance in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil).[152] Inviting new players from nations with a large Lebanese community (such as the United States, Germany, Denmark, and Norway) would, it was hoped, bring about a rebirth of Lebanese football.[152] On 8 September 2014, Lebanon played an unofficial FIFA match against the Brazilian Olympic team in Doha for the first time; the match ended in a 2–2 draw. Hassan Maatouk scored a goal which would have given Lebanon a 3–1 lead, but the goal was incorrectly ruled offside; Brazil's equalising goal was erroneously ruled onside.[153][154] The match excited the Lebanese people, despite poor refereeing.[153] After Lebanon's 5–0 away loss to Qatar a month later,[155] Giuseppe Giannini was fired.[156]
2015–2019: First Asian Cup qualification and record unbeaten run
Miodrag Radulović was appointed the team's new coach in 2015,[157] and led Lebanon in the 2018 World Cup qualifications, played between June 2015 and March 2016.[158] The team were drawn in a group that included Asia's runners-up South Korea, Kuwait, Myanmar, and Laos,[159] the second time Lebanon faced South Korea and Kuwait in World Cup qualifiers. Lebanon finished second in the group and, although they were eliminated from the World Cup, they qualified to the 2019 Asian Cup qualification third round, played between March 2017 and March 2018.[160]
The Asian Cup draw put Lebanon in Group B, with North Korea, Hong Kong, and Malaysia.[161] With five wins and a draw, Lebanon topped the group and qualified for the cup for the first time (after qualifying as host in 2000, the country's only previous participation).[162] Hassan Maatouk (who succeeded Roda Antar as captain in 2016)[163] was key to Lebanon's success, scoring five goals in six games.[160][164] Although Radulović failed to qualify the team for the 2018 World Cup, he helped Lebanon reach their first-ever Asian Cup through qualification in 2019;[e][160] he was the first Montenegrin manager to help a team qualify for a major tournament. Radulović managed a 16-game unbeaten streak (from 29 March 2016 to 9 September 2018),[165][166] winning eight and drawing eight,[167] making Lebanon the second-most unbeaten national team by number of games at that point (16) after Spain (26).[168] In September 2018, Lebanon achieved their best-ever FIFA ranking (77th).[169]
Lebanon relied on their diaspora abroad for the 2019 Asian Cup, with nine of their 23 called-up players being born outside Lebanon.[108] They started the campaign on 9 January 2019, with a 2–0 loss against Qatar.[170] In the 37th minute, Ali Hamam scored a goal for Lebanon from a corner, only for it to be controversially disallowed for a foul.[171][172][173] Two goals by Qatar in the second half secured all three points for the opposing team.[174] Three days later, Lebanon played their second match of the tournament against Saudi Arabia.[175] Two goals without reply brought Lebanon their second defeat of the tournament.[175]
In the final group stage game against North Korea, played on 17 January, Lebanon needed to win by four goals to pass to the knock-out stages.[176] The encounter ended in a 4–1 win, thanks to a brace by Hilal El-Helwe, which gave Lebanon their first ever Asian Cup win.[176] However, they lost out to Vietnam in the third-place ranking on the fair play rule.[176] Because they had received seven yellow cards against five by Vietnam, they were knocked out of the competition.[176]
Liviu Ciobotariu was appointed for the joint qualifications for the 2022 World Cup and the 2023 Asian Cup.[177] His first games took place at the 2019 WAFF Championship, where Lebanon were drawn with hosts Iraq, Syria, Palestine, and Yemen.[178] Lebanon finished fourth in their group with four points, after a win, a draw, and two defeats.[178]
For the second round of qualification for the 2022 World Cup, Lebanon were drawn with South Korea, for the third time in a row,[129][159] North Korea, who Lebanon had faced in both the qualifications and final stage of the 2019 Asian Cup,[161][176] Turkmenistan and Sri Lanka.[179] Lebanon played five matches (two wins, two draws, and one defeat) between September and November 2019,[180] before the remaining games were postponed on 9 March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia.[181][182]
2020–2024: Post-COVID era and 2023 Asian Cup
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Former national team captain Jamal Taha was appointed head coach in summer 2020.[183] North Korea withdrew from the World Cup qualifiers in May 2021, and their previous results were voided; this highly benefited Lebanon, as they had only gained one point in two games against them.[184] Despite only winning only one of their following three games, other results went in Lebanon's favour and they finished among the best runners-up, qualifying to the 2023 Asian Cup for the third time, and the final round of 2022 World Cup qualification for the second time.[185]
Lebanon played in Group A of the final round of qualification under coach Ivan Hašek between September 2021 and March 2022, and were drawn with Iran, South Korea, the UAE, Iraq and Syria. Having earned five points in the first four games (all away from home), most notably via a 3–2 win against Syria,[186] the team was noted as an "early surprise",[187] sitting in the play-off qualifying third place as the lowest-ranked team in the round.[188] In the remaining six games (including five at home), Lebanon earned only one point and finished in last place with six points.[189] The qualification campaign was partially covered by Captains, a docuseries released by FIFA and Netflix following six national teams and their respective captains in their 2022 World Cup qualification runs.[190]
Between June and September 2023, Lebanon took part in various friendly tournaments in preparation ahead of the upcoming 2023 Asian Cup. The team finished runners-up in the 2023 Intercontinental Cup – losing 2–0 to hosts India in the final,[191] reached the semi-finals of the 2023 SAFF Championship – also losing to hosts India on penalties,[192] and finished in third place in the 2023 King's Cup – defeating India 1–0.[193]
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Radulović was re-appointed head coach of Lebanon ahead of the 2023 Asian Cup, played in January 2024.[194] They were drawn with hosts Qatar, China and Tajikistan in Group A.[195] Lebanon played the opening game of the Asian Cup on 12 January in front of 82,490 spectators at the Lusail Stadium, which had hosted the 2022 World Cup final 13 months prior.[196] Qatar comfortably won the encounter 3–0.[196] Lebanon faced China five days later in a goalless draw.[197] On 22 January, Lebanon headed into the final game against Tajikistan needing a win to progress. Lebanon's Bassel Jradi gave them the lead early in the second half; however, Kassem El Zein's red card reduced them to 10 men in the 52nd minute.[198] Tajikistan scored twice late in the game and knocked Lebanon out of the competition, who finished last in their group with only one point.[198]
Lebanon was drawn in Group I of the second round of qualification for the 2026 World Cup, alongside Australia, Palestine and Bangladesh.[199] Played between November 2023 and June 2024, Lebanon won once, drew three times and lost twice.[200] Despite not qualifying for the next round of World Cup qualification, Lebanon's third-place finish advanced them to the final round of qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup.[201] The World Cup qualifiers were also the last games of Lebanon's captain Hassan Maatouk, who retired as the team's all-time top goalscorer and most-capped player with 26 goals in 123 games.[202]
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Team image
Summarize
Perspective
Nickname
Lebanon is known as "the Cedars" (Arabic: رجال الأرز) by fans and the media, since the cedar tree is the country's national symbol.[203][204][205]
Kits
Lebanon's kit over the years
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1940
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1966
2019
The national team traditionally wear red as their primary colour and white as their secondary colour.[2][206] The choices originate from the national flag of Lebanon (red, white, and green); green is sometimes reserved for the goalkeeper.[207] At home, Lebanon usually wear a red shirt, shorts, and socks, with white details;[175] the away kit is a white outfit with red details.[174]
During their first unofficial match in 1935, Lebanon wore white shirts with the Lebanese cedar and the association's name on the chest, black shorts, and white socks; the goalkeeper wore a black shirt and white trousers.[208] In 1940, on the occasion of their first FIFA-sanctioned game against Mandatory Palestine, Lebanon wore a white kit with a black collar, along with black shorts and striped socks.[209] During the 1960s, Lebanon wore a red shirt with a white horizontal band in the center, which included a green cedar tree in the middle; the shorts were white, and the socks were red-and-white-striped.[210]
In the 2000 Asian Cup, Lebanon wore a red Adidas shirt with white details on the sides and a white collar, white shorts, and red socks.[211] In the 2019 campaign, Lebanon wore a red kit with white details and a white collar,[175] manufactured by Capelli Sport, a sports brand founded by Lebanese-born entrepreneur George Altirs.[212] The Lebanese cedar, the country's national symbol, was present under the team logo in a darker shade of red.[213] Since 2023, the team kit has been manufactured by Kelme.[214] Previous manufacturers include Diadora and Adidas.[215][216]
Home stadium
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The Lebanese national team play their home games in various stadiums throughout the country. The team's main venue is the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium. Built in 1957 during the presidency of Camille Chamoun, it is the country's largest stadium with 49,500 seats.[217] Its inaugural game was in 1957, when the national team played Energia Flacara Ploiesti and won 1–0 thanks to a Joseph Abou Mrad goal.[28] It was the main stadium used to host the 2000 Asian Cup held in Lebanon; six matches were played in the stadium including the opening match and the final.[218][219] In 2011 the stadium hosted the famed 2–1 victory against South Korea in the 2014 World Cup qualification, sending Lebanon to the final round of qualification for the first time.[140] Over 40,000 spectators were present to watch the match.[140]
The national team, however, also play in other stadiums such as the Saida Municipal Stadium located in Sidon. Built over the sea, the stadium holds 22,600 people,[220] and was one of the venues to host the 2000 Asian Cup.[221] Other stadiums in which the national team play include the Tripoli Municipal Stadium and the Beirut Municipal Stadium.[222][223]
Media
Produced by Fulwell 73, FIFA released Captains in 2022, an eight-part sports docuseries following six national team captains in their respective 2022 World Cup qualification campaigns.[190] Hassan Maatouk, representing Lebanon, starred in the first season alongside Thiago Silva (Brazil), Luka Modrić (Croatia), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon), Andre Blake (Jamaica) and Brian Kaltak (Vanuatu).[190] It was released by Netflix, and also shown on FIFA's own streaming platform, FIFA+.[224]
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Results and fixtures
Summarize
Perspective
As of 25 March 2025[update], the Lebanon national football team has played 402 official matches, recording 116 wins, 104 draws, and 182 defeats.[14] The team has scored 482 goals while conceding 603 during this period. Lebanon's largest victory margin remains their 11–1 win against the Philippines in 1967.[14] The team's longest winning streak stands at eight matches, while their record unbeaten run spans 16 consecutive official games.[167]
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
| 6 June 2024 2026 World Cup qualification R2 | Palestine  | 0–0 |  Lebanon | Doha, Qatar |
| 19:00 UTC+3 | Report (FIFA) Report (AFC) |
Stadium: Jassim bin Hamad Stadium Attendance: 2,428 Referee: Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (Qatar) | ||
| Note: Palestine played all their home matches in the 2026 World Cup qualification at a neutral venue, due to the ongoing Gaza war. | ||||
| 11 June 2024 2026 World Cup qualification R2 | Lebanon | 4–0 |  Bangladesh | Al Rayyan, Qatar |
| 19:00 UTC+3 | Report | Stadium: Khalifa International Stadium Attendance: 13,721 Referee: Razlan Joffri Ali (Malaysia) | ||
| Note: Lebanon played all their home matches in the 2026 World Cup qualification at a neutral venue, due to the adjacent Gaza war. | ||||
| 4 September 2024 2024 Merdeka Tournament SF | Lebanon | 1–0 |  Tajikistan | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| 16:30 UTC+8 |
|
Report Report |
Stadium: Bukit Jalil National Stadium Attendance: 460 Referee: Mohamad Kamil Zakaria Bin Ismail (Malaysia) |
| 8 September 2024 2024 Merdeka Tournament Final | Lebanon | 0–1 |  Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| 21:00 UTC+8 | Report Report |
|
Stadium: Bukit Jalil National Stadium Attendance: 10,000 Referee: Thoriq Alkatiri (Indonesia) |
| 12 October 2024 2024 VFF Tri-Nations Series | Lebanon | Cancelled |  India | Nam Dinh, Vietnam |
| 18:00 UTC+7 | Stadium: Thiên Trường Stadium | |||
| Note: The tournament was cancelled due to Lebanon withdrawing following the 2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon[225] | ||||
| 15 October 2024 2024 VFF Tri-Nations Series | Vietnam  | Cancelled | Lebanon | Nam Dinh, Vietnam |
| 18:00 UTC+7 | Stadium: Thiên Trường Stadium | |||
| Note: The tournament was cancelled due to Lebanon withdrawing following the 2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon[225] | ||||
| 14 November 2024 Friendly | Thailand  | 0–0 | Lebanon | Rangsit, Thailand |
| 20:00 UTC+7 | Report | Stadium: Thammasat Stadium Attendance: 5,816 Referee: Tam Ping Wun (Hong Kong) |
| 19 November 2024 Friendly | Myanmar  | 2–3 | Lebanon | Yangon, Myanmar |
| 17:00 UTC+6:30 |
|
Report | Stadium: Thuwunna Stadium Referee: Lê Vũ Linh (Vietnam) |
2025
| 20 March 2025 Friendly | Lebanon | 4–0 |  Timor-Leste | Al Khor, Qatar |
| 21:00 UTC+3 | Report | Stadium: Al-Khor SC Stadium |
| 25 March 2025 2027 Asian Cup qualification | Lebanon | 5–0 |  Brunei | Al-Wakrah, Qatar |
| 21:30 UTC+3 | Report Report (AFC) |
Stadium: Saoud bin Abdulrahman Stadium Attendance: 282 Referee: Venikatesh Ramachandran (India) | ||
| Note: Lebanon was required to play all their home matches at a neutral venue due to the ongoing Israel–Hezbollah conflict. | ||||
| 10 June 2025 2027 Asian Cup qualification | Yemen  | v | Lebanon | TBD |
| --:-- | Stadium: TBD | |||
| Note: Yemen will be required to play their home matches at a neutral venue due to the ongoing Yemeni civil war. | ||||
| September 2025 Friendly tournament | Indonesia  | v | Lebanon | Jakarta, Indonesia |
| --:-- |
| September 2025 Friendly tournament | Malaysia | v | Lebanon | Jakarta, Indonesia |
| --:-- |
| 9 October 2025 2027 Asian Cup qualification | Lebanon | v |  Bhutan | TBD |
| --:-- | Stadium: TBD | |||
| Note: Lebanon will be required to play all their home matches at a neutral venue due to the ongoing Israel–Hezbollah conflict. | ||||
| 14 October 2025 2027 Asian Cup qualification | Bhutan | v | Lebanon | Thimphu, Bhutan |
| --:-- | Stadium: Changlimithang Stadium |
| 18 November 2025 2027 Asian Cup qualification | Brunei | v | Lebanon | Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei |
| --:-- | Stadium: Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium |
2026
| 31 March 2026 2027 Asian Cup qualification | Lebanon | v | Yemen | TBD |
| --:-- | Stadium: TBD | |||
| Note: Lebanon will be required to play all their home matches at a neutral venue due to the ongoing Israel–Hezbollah conflict. | ||||
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Coaching staff
- As of 11 March 2024[226]
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Players
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Current squad
The following 23 players were named in the squad for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification match against Brunei on 25 March 2025.[227]
Recent call-ups
The following footballers were part of a national selection in the past 12 months, but are not part of the current squad.
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Individual records
Most-capped players
Top scorers
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Competitive record
Summarize
Perspective
FIFA World Cup
Although the Lebanese Football Association was formed in 1933,[3][4] Lebanon's first qualification campaign for the FIFA World Cup took place in the 1986 edition.[90] However, after playing four matches, Lebanon withdrew due to the ongoing civil war, and their results were subsequently annulled.[90] The country's first full qualification campaign came two editions later, in 1994, where they finished third in their group with two wins, four draws, and two losses.[100] Ever since, Lebanon have participated in every iteration of the World Cup qualifiers.
Lebanon first reached the final round of World Cup qualification during the 2014 campaign. After beating Bangladesh 4–2 on aggregate in the second round,[128] Lebanon qualified to the third round, where they were drawn with South Korea, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates.[129] The team beat South Korea in a historic 2–1 win at home, coming second in their group and qualifying to the fourth (and final) round for the first time.[141] Grouped with Iran, South Korea, Uzbekistan, and Qatar,[149] Lebanon finished last in Group A and were eliminated with only one win and two draws in eight games.[148]
Champions Runners-up Third place
AFC Asian Cup
Lebanon's first qualification campaign for the Asian Cup came at the 1972 edition; drawn in Group B of the Western Zone, Lebanon came second thanks to a 3–2 victory over neighbors Syria and advanced to the next stage.[235] In the decisive semi-final match against Iraq, Lebanon lost 4–1 and were knocked-out.[235] Lebanon won a consolatory third-place match against Jordan.[235]
The 2000 edition was Lebanon's first participation in the finals, when the country hosted the event.[104] Following a 4–0 defeat to Iran in the competition's opening match,[107] Lebanon came from behind to draw 2–2 against Iraq;[107] Abbas Chahrour became Lebanon's first goalscorer in the competition.[107] Lebanon drew once again, 1–1 against Thailand, and were eliminated, finishing last in the group.[107]
After finishing the 2019 third round of qualification unbeaten, Lebanon qualified to the Asian Cup for the first time in their history.[162] In the finals, Lebanon lost the first group stage match 2–0 to eventual champions Qatar,[174] before losing once again by the same score to Saudi Arabia.[175] In the final match of the group, Lebanon needed a win by four goals or more against North Korea to qualify to the knock-out stage.[176] Despite conceding an early free-kick goal, Lebanon went on to win the match 4–1 thanks to a brace by Hilal El-Helwe.[176] However, they lost out to Vietnam in the third-place ranking due to having received more yellow cards, and were knocked out of the competition.[176]
Champions Runners-up Third place
FIFA Arab Cup
Lebanon have taken part in all iterations of the Arab Cup, except the 1985 and 1992 editions. They hosted the inaugural edition in 1963, in a group containing Tunisia, Syria, Kuwait, and Jordan.[42] After beating Kuwait 6–0 through a hat-trick by Mardik Tchaparian,[46] Lebanon lost 3–2 to Syria, before winning 5–0 against Jordan.[42] In a decisive match against Tunisia, Muhieddine Itani scored an own goal, and Lebanon lost 1–0, finishing third.[42]
Lebanon finished in fourth place in the subsequent two editions (1964 and 1966); ever since, they have failed to pass the group stage.[240][241]
WAFF Championship
Bar the 2008 and 2010 editions, Lebanon have participated in every WAFF Championship; they have failed to qualify past the group stage on all occasions. Their first participation in the WAFF Championship was in 2000, at the inaugural edition.[247] Drawn with Iraq, hosts Jordan, and Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon finished third in their group with one win, one draw, and one loss.[247]
Summer Olympic Games
Lebanon's senior team have never qualified to the Summer Olympics final tournament; their first qualification campaign was for Rome 1960.[254] After losing the first two group stage games against Iraq, Lebanon withdrew and the two remaining matches were awarded to their opponent Turkey.[254] Lebanon participated in two more qualifications, in 1968 and 1972, failing to qualify to the final tournament on both occasions.[74][75] Starting from the 1992 edition, the Olympic Football Tournament has been reserved for national under-23 teams.[255]
Asian Games
The Lebanon national senior team only participated once at the Asian Games, at Bangkok 1998. Thanks to a 5–1 win against Cambodia, Lebanon qualified past the preliminary round and were drawn with Qatar, Thailand, and Kazakhstan in the second round.[260] Following two 1–0 defeats, respectively to Qatar and Thailand, Lebanon won 3–0 against Kazakhstan in their final encounter of the group stage.[260] However, the three points weren't enough to qualify Lebanon to the knockout round.[260]
Arab Games
After participating in the inaugural edition of the Arab Games, at Alexandria 1953,[261] Lebanon hosted the 1957 edition.[29] Topping a group containing Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, Lebanon reached the semi-finals where they lost 4–2 to Tunisia.[29] Due to Morocco withdrawing from the third-place match, Lebanon finished the tournament in third place.[29] Lebanon also came third in 1997, once again as hosts.[262] With two draws and a win, Lebanon came second in their group and qualified to the semi-finals, which they lost after extra time to Syria.[262] Lebanon finished in third place after beating Kuwait 3–1.[262]
Mediterranean Games
Lebanon's first participation at the Mediterranean Games was in 1959, when they hosted the event.[32] They lost both legs against Italy and Turkey, finishing last with no points.[32] Lebanon's senior team participated two more times, in 1963 and 1987, failing to qualify past the group stage on both occasions.[266][94]
Other tournaments
Lebanon won their first tournament—albeit unofficial—at the 1964 Tripoli Fair Tournament; with three wins and one draw, Lebanon finished first in a group containing Libya, Morocco, Sudan, and Malta.[51] In 1998, Lebanon participated at the Friendship Tournament in the United Arab Emirates where, with two draws and a defeat, they finished in third place out of four.[267] Lebanon also finished in third place at the 2009 King's Cup in Thailand; after losing to the hosts in the semi-finals, they won against North Korea in the third-place match.[268]
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Honours
Regional
- Arab Cup
Third place (1): 1963
- Arab Games
- Mediterranean Games
- Bronze medal (1): 1959
Friendly
- Tripoli Fair Tournament
- Winners: 1964
- Friendship Tournament
- Third place: 1998
- AIFF Intercontinental Cup
- Runners-up: 2023
- King's Cup
- Merdeka Tournament
- Runners-up: 2024
See also
Notes
- Both Italian and Turkish sides were made up of amateur players.[32]
- Turkmenistan, Myanmar, and North Korea, respectively the lowest, third-lowest, and fourth-lowest-ranked teams in Asia,[121] did not take part in the preliminary round on account of having participated in the 2008 and 2010 AFC Challenge Cup, which acted as qualifying tournaments to the 2011 AFC Asian Cup.[122] Only the Maldives and Lebanon, respectively the second-lowest and fifth-lowest ranked teams, were involved in the preliminary round.[123]
- Lebanon's first participation was in the 2000 edition, which they hosted.
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References
External links
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