San Marino win rare Nations League match: Here are all the football games they have not lost

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Evening Standard

·19 novembre 2024

San Marino win rare Nations League match: Here are all the football games they have not lost

Minnows beat Liechtenstein 3-1 to secure promotion in Uefa league

San Marino may officially be the world’s worst football team but the tiny nation’s men’s team made history on Monday by achieving a historic Uefa Nations League promotion.

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Lorenzo Lazzari, Nicola Nanni and Alessandro Golinucci all scored to see off Liechtenstein 3-1, which was only their second win since 2004.

It was also their second win this season against Liechtenstein this season, another tiny state that has become something of a footballing rival.

Sensationally, it was the first time Sam Marino had scored more than two goals in a match since their first official international match in 1987.

Topping their fourth division Nations League table, above Gibraltar and Lichtenstein, was a glorious moment for the side placed 210th and last in Fifa’s world rankings.

With a population of just 30,000, San Marino have become known as also-rans, if not whipping boys, against larger sides in European qualification games.

England easily cast aside San Marino in 2021

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England ran out 10-0 winners in the sides’ most recent meeting in 2021, but Germany took the humiliation to the next level by crushing them 0-13 in 2006.

San Marino’s promotion will mean sterner tests await, but for now Roberto Cevoli’s team can bask in the glory of the small state’s finest hour.

Over the years, the team has routinely gone through whole qualification processes without scoring at all and losing all matches by three or more goals.

Their all-time record scorer Andy Selva has found the net a mere eight times.

Listing San Marino’s achievements up until now is a tough task – but the latest win can be seen within the context of a list of matches the team simply has not lost.

Look away now, any fans of Liechtenstein!

Every match San Marino’s men’s international team has not lost

San Marino 0-0 Lebanon - September 1987

The first official international for San Marino was a relatively bright start, holding their Middle Eastern competitors to a stalemate.

San Marino 0-0 Turkey - March 1993

The Lebanon draw proved the only non-defeat in nearly six years before Turkey failed to break through in a 1994 World Cup qualifier.

Marians Pahars scored inside 60 seconds in 2001 but his goal was not enough to ensure a win for Latvia

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Latvia 1-1 San Marino - April 2001

When Southampton striker Marians Pahars netted within 60 seconds it seemed San Marino’s woeful record would continue. But defender Nicola Albani equalised to make history, giving La Serenissim (the most tranquil) their first away point.

Lichtenstein 2-2 San Marino - August 2003

A rivalry of minnows began with this international friendly in August 2003.

San Marino 1-0 Liechtenstein - April 2004

After more than 70 games without a win, Selva scored the only goal in this friendly to give San Marino their first ever victory – and their last for 20 years!

San Marino Stadium - where home games are played

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San Marino 0-0 Estonia - November 2014

After ten years and 61 games, San Marino ended their losing streak to secure their first ever point in a European qualifier.

Lichtenstein 0-0 San Marino - October 2020

The rivalry continued with this stalemate.

San Marino 0-0 Gibraltar - November 2020

The Nations League format gave teams like San Marino more chances to play sides of around their level, which has led to the 2020s becoming something of a purple patch.