Bahrain national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bahrain

Nickname(s)	مُحَارِبِيّ دِيْلمُون (Muharabi Dilmun, Dilmun's Warriors) غَوَاصِيْنُ الْلُؤْلُؤْ (Ghawaseen Al-Lulu, The Pearl Divers) الأَحمَر (The Reds) الشياطين الحمر (The Red Devils)
Association	Bahrain Football Association
Confederation	AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation	WAFF (West Asia)
Head coach	Dragan Talajić
Captain	Sayed Dhiya Saeed
Most caps	Sayed Mohammed Jaffer (162)
Top scorer	Ismail Abdullatif (48)
Home stadium	Bahrain National Stadium
FIFA code	BHR
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	111 2 (7 February 2019)
Highest	44 (September 2004)
Lowest	139 (March 2000)
Elo ranking
Current	100 7 (3 March 2019)
Highest	49 (September 2000)
Lowest	138 (March 1979)
First international
Bahrain 4–4 Kuwait  (Baghdad, Iraq; 2 April 1936)
Biggest win
Bahrain 10–0 Indonesia  (Riffa, Bahrain; 29 February 2012)
Biggest defeat
Iraq 10–1 Bahrain  (Baghdad, Iraq; 5 April 1966)
Asian Cup
Appearances	8 (first in 1988)
Best result	Fourth place (2004)
Arab Cup
Appearances	6 (first in 1966)
Best result	Runners-up (1985, 2002)
WAFF Championship
Appearances	4 (first in 2010)
Best result	Champions (2019)

The Bahrain national football team represents the country of Bahrain in international football games. It is managed by the Bahrain Football Association, which started in 1951 and joined FIFA in 1966.

Bahrain has never played in the FIFA World Cup, but they came very close twice! In 2004, they won the FIFA's most improved team award. They also finished fourth in the 2004 AFC Asian Cup, which was a big achievement. In 2019, Bahrain had an amazing year, winning both the WAFF Championship and the Arabian Gulf Cup for the first time. This was under the guidance of their coach, Hélio Sousa.

History of Bahrain Football

The 1959 national football team

Early Days

The first national team for Bahrain was formed in 1959. However, they played their first official game in 1966. This was a friendly match against Kuwait, and it ended in a 4–4 draw. At that time, Bahrain was still under British rule, but they were given some freedom to develop their football.

Even so, Bahrain was seen as a weaker team compared to other countries in the Gulf Arab region. These included stronger teams like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, and Kuwait. Because of this, Bahrain's international success was mostly limited to the Arabian Gulf Cup.

In 1988, Bahrain qualified for their first ever AFC Asian Cup. But they finished last in their group, with only two draws. For a while, Bahraini football didn't get much attention, even though their youth teams (under-17 and under-20) had some success. It wasn't until the late 1990s that Bahrain's football started to really improve and change its history.

Rising Up

Bahrain showed great improvement during the qualifiers for the 2000 AFC Asian Cup and the 2002 FIFA World Cup. For the World Cup qualifiers, it was the first time Bahrain reached the final round. Even though they didn't make it to either tournament, Bahrain achieved one of their biggest football wins. They beat Iran 1–0 in 2000 and 3–1 at home in 2002. This win in 2002 was a huge surprise for Iran. This victory, while not enough for Bahrain to qualify, stopped Iran from getting a direct spot in the World Cup. It also helped Saudi Arabia qualify for the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Amazing Asian Cup in 2004

Bahrain's performance in the 2004 AFC Asian Cup surprised many people. It was only their second time in the tournament. They were in a tough group with the host country China, their neighbor Qatar, and Indonesia.

However, Bahrain played really well and didn't lose any games in the group stage. They had an exciting 2–2 draw with China in Beijing. They also drew 1–1 with Qatar before beating Indonesia 3–1. This helped them reach the quarter-finals for the first time ever!

In the quarter-finals, Bahrain beat Uzbekistan in a penalty shootout after the game ended 2–2. They then played an incredible game against the champions, Japan. They only lost 3–4 after extra time. Finally, they lost 2–4 to Iran in the match for third place. This tournament showed that Bahrain was becoming a serious football team in Asia.

Close Calls for the World Cup (2006 & 2010)

After the 2004 Asian Cup, Bahrain continued to aim for the FIFA World Cup.

In the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, Bahrain played against Uzbekistan in a playoff. They won because of the "away goals rule" (meaning they scored more goals in the away game). This led them to another playoff against Trinidad and Tobago from North America. The winner would go to the World Cup. Bahrain drew 1–1 away but lost 0–1 at home, so Trinidad and Tobago went to the World Cup for the first time.

For the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, Bahrain again reached the final playoff. They played against Saudi Arabia to be Asia's fifth-best team. Bahrain drew 2–2 with Saudi Arabia, scoring a goal in the last moments. This meant they won on away goals again! They then played New Zealand for a spot in the World Cup. After a 0–0 draw in Bahrain, they lost 0–1 in New Zealand. This was the second time Bahrain missed out on the World Cup right at the end.

Tough Times (2011-2018)

Asian Cup Challenges

Bahrain qualified for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar. They were in a difficult group with Australia, South Korea, and India. They lost to South Korea, then won big against India (5–2). But they lost to Australia, which meant they were knocked out in the group stage.

The 2015 AFC Asian Cup was also disappointing. Bahrain lost their first two games to Iran and the UAE. They did manage to beat Qatar 2–1 in their last game, but they still finished third in their group and didn't move on.

World Cup Qualifiers (2014 & 2018)

In the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Bahrain didn't do as well. They were in a group with Indonesia, Iran, and Qatar. While they beat Indonesia twice, they lost badly to Iran (0–6) and drew their other games. They didn't get enough points to move to the next round.

For the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Bahrain finished fourth in their group. This poor performance caused a lot of upset among fans. The coach, Sergio Batista, was replaced by Miroslav Soukup, who tried to rebuild the team.

Even during these tough times, Bahrain had some good moments. They reached the semi-finals of the 23rd Arabian Gulf Cup.

Recent Success (2019-Present)

A Golden Year: 2019 Asian Cup, WAFF, and Gulf Cup Champions

At the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, Bahrain was in a group with India, Thailand, and the host country, UAE. They started well with a 1–1 draw against the UAE. However, they lost 0–1 to Thailand. In their final group match against India, Bahrain needed a win. In injury time, Jamal Rashid scored a penalty, giving Bahrain a 1–0 victory! This win sent Bahrain to the knockout stage for only the second time ever, and it knocked India out of the tournament. In the next round, Bahrain lost a close game 2–1 to South Korea after extra time. This was seen as a big success for Bahraini football.

After the Asian Cup, Bahrain went on to win two major tournaments for the first time! They won the 2019 WAFF Championship by beating Iraq 1–0. Then, they won the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup by defeating Saudi Arabia 1–0. Both wins happened under coach Hélio Sousa.

2022 World Cup Qualifiers

Bahrain had a big win against Iran (1–0) in the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers. This made many people think Bahrain would reach the next round. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused problems. Fans couldn't attend games, and Bahrain's local league was often stopped. This made it hard for the team to prepare. They lost 0–3 to a much-improved Iranian team. Even though they later beat Hong Kong 4–0, it wasn't enough, and they missed out on the next round.

2023 Asian Cup

In the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, Bahrain did well in their group, which included Malaysia, South Korea, and Jordan. After losing their first game to South Korea, they won two games in a row. They then lost to Japan in the Round of 16.

Team Information

Rivalries

Bahrain has a strong rivalry with Qatar. This is because of historical tensions between the two countries. They have played 39 matches against each other. Bahrain has won 11 games, lost 8, and drawn 19.

Kit Providers

The Bahrain national team has had many different companies make their uniforms over the years. These include well-known brands like Umbro, Puma, Diadora, and Macron.

Recent Games

Here are some of Bahrain's recent football match results.

• 2023
  • 21 November: Bahrain 0–2 UAE (World Cup qualification) - Loss
• 2024
  • 6 January: Bahrain 0–2 Australia (Friendly) - Loss
  • 10 January: Bahrain 0–3 Angola (Friendly) - Loss
  • 15 January: South Korea 3–1 Bahrain (Asian Cup Group Stage) - Loss
  • 20 January: Bahrain 1–0 Malaysia (Asian Cup Group Stage) - Win
  • 25 January: Jordan 0–1 Bahrain (Asian Cup Group Stage) - Win
  • 31 January: Bahrain 1–3 Japan (Asian Cup Round of 16) - Loss
  • 21 March: Nepal 0–5 Bahrain (World Cup qualification) - Win
  • 26 March: Bahrain 3–0 Nepal (World Cup qualification) - Win
  • 6 June: Bahrain 0–0 Yemen (World Cup qualification) - Draw
  • 11 June: UAE 1–1 Bahrain (World Cup qualification) - Draw
  • 5 September: Australia 0–1 Bahrain (World Cup qualification) - Win
  • 10 September: Bahrain 0–5 Japan (World Cup qualification) - Loss
  • 10 October: Bahrain 2–2 Indonesia (World Cup qualification) - Draw
  • 15 October: Saudi Arabia 0–0 Bahrain (World Cup qualification) - Draw
  • 14 November: Bahrain 0–1 China (World Cup qualification) - Loss
  • 19 November: Bahrain 2–2 Australia (World Cup qualification) - Draw

Team Staff

Current Staff

Role	Name
Head coach	Dragan Talajić
Assistant coach	Goran Lackovic
	Isa Al Alawi
	Khalid Abdulghafour
	Salman Sharida
Goalkeeper coach	Sayed Khamis
Youth coach	Sulaiman Al Bulaihi
Analyst	Ahmed Kamal

Coaching History

Many coaches have led the Bahrain national football team over the years. Some of them were from Bahrain, while others came from different countries like Egypt, England, Germany, and Portugal. This shows how the team has learned from different football styles around the world.

Players

Current Squad

Here are the players who were recently called up for the team.

The numbers for games played (caps) and goals scored are correct as of June 12, 2024, after the match against UAE.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
21	1GK	Sayed Mohammed Jaffer	(1985-08-25) 25 August 1985 (age 39)	162	0	Al-Muharraq
22	1GK	Ebrahim Lutfalla	(1992-09-24) 24 September 1992 (age 32)	14	0	Al-Ahli
1	1GK	Ammar Mohamed	(1999-02-10) 10 February 1999 (age 26)	3	0	Al-Khaldiya
	2DF	Sayed Dhiya Saeed	(1992-07-17) 17 July 1992 (age 32)	112	8	Al-Khaldiya
2	2DF	Amine Benaddi	(1993-05-09) 9 May 1993 (age 32)	23	0	Al-Muharraq
17	2DF	Sayed Baqer	(1994-04-14) 14 April 1994 (age 31)	30	0	Al-Riffa
3	2DF	Waleed Al Hayam	(1988-11-04) 4 November 1988 (age 36)	114	0	Al-Muharraq
5	2DF	Hamad Al-Shamsan	(1997-09-29) 29 September 1997 (age 27)	21	0	Al-Riffa
23	2DF	Abdulla Al-Khulasi	(2003-09-02) 2 September 2003 (age 21)	10	1	Al-Muharraq
6	2DF	Ahmed Nabeel	(1995-08-25) 25 August 1995 (age 29)	10	0	Manama Club
18	2DF	Hazza Ali	(1995-06-09) 9 June 1995 (age 30)	6	0	Al-Riffa
17	2DF	Vincent Emmanuel	(2001-04-29) 29 April 2001 (age 24)	2	0	Sitra Club
14	3MF	Ali Haram	(1988-12-11) 11 December 1988 (age 36)	49	5	Al-Riffa
13	3MF	Moses Atede	(1997-12-17) 17 December 1997 (age 27)	3	0	Kuching City
11	3MF	Ebrahim Al-Khattal	(2000-09-19) 19 September 2000 (age 24)	19	3	Manama
8	3MF	Mohamed Marhoon	(1998-02-12) 12 February 1998 (age 27)	65	16	Kuwait SC
19	3MF	Kamil Al-Aswad (captain)	(1994-04-08) 8 April 1994 (age 31)	106	13	Al-Riffa
10	3MF	Abdulwahab Al-Malood	(1990-06-07) 7 June 1990 (age 35)	79	5	Al-Muharraq
7	3MF	Ali Madan	(1995-11-30) 30 November 1995 (age 29)	85	11	Ajman
4	3MF	Abbas Al-Asfoor	(1999-02-02) 2 February 1999 (age 26)	13	0	Al-Ahli
	3MF	Sayed Sharaf	(2002-12-23) 23 December 2002 (age 22)	0	0	Al-Ahli
20	4FW	Mahdi Al-Humaidan	(1993-05-19) 19 May 1993 (age 32)	56	5	Al-Khaldiya
12	4FW	Mahdi Abduljabbar	(1991-06-25) 25 June 1991 (age 33)	37	12	Manama
15	4FW	Jasim Al-Shaikh	(1996-02-01) 1 February 1996 (age 29)	60	4	Al-Riffa
	4FW	Hashim Sayed Isa	(1998-04-03) 3 April 1998 (age 27)	17	6	Al-Riffa
9	4FW	Husain Abdulkarim	(2002-05-14) 14 May 2002 (age 23)	4	0	Al-Muharraq
	4FW	Sayed Alwadaei		0	0	Villarreal U17

Recent Call-ups

These players have also been called up for the team in the last 12 months.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Abdulkarim Fardan	(1992-04-25) 25 April 1992 (age 33)	1	0	Al-Riffa	v.  United Arab Emirates, 12 June 2024
GK	Ammar Ahmed	(1999-02-10) 10 February 1999 (age 26)	3	0	Manama Club	v.  United Arab Emirates, 21 November 2023
GK	Omar Salem	(1995-05-26) 26 May 1995 (age 30)	1	0	Budaiya	v.  United Arab Emirates, 21 November 2023
DF	Mohamed Adel	(1996-09-20) 20 September 1996 (age 28)	32	0	Al-Khaldiya	v.  United Arab Emirates, 11 June 2024
DF	Mohamed Al-Banna	(1989-10-17) 17 October 1989 (age 35)	2	0	Al-Muharraq	v.  Yemen, 6 June 2024
DF	Ahmed Bughammar	(1997-12-30) 30 December 1997 (age 27)	26	1	Al-Khaldiya	v.  United Arab Emirates, 21 November 2023
DF	Hussain Al-Eker	(2001-09-30) 30 September 2001 (age 23)	1	0	Al-Riffa	v.  United Arab Emirates, 21 November 2023
DF	Sayed Redha Isa	(1994-08-07) 7 August 1994 (age 30)	62	3	Al-Riffa	v.  United Arab Emirates, 21 November 2023
MF	Ahmed Al-Sherooqi	(2000-05-22) 22 May 2000 (age 25)	5	0	Al-Muharraq	v.  United Arab Emirates, 11 June 2024
MF	Mohamed Abdulwahab	(1989-11-13) 13 November 1989 (age 35)	18	1	Al-Najma	v.  United Arab Emirates, 21 November 2023
MF	Mohamed Al-Hardan	(1997-10-06) 6 October 1997 (age 27)	29	2	Al-Muharraq	v.  United Arab Emirates, 21 November 2023
MF	Ibrahim Al-Wali	(1997-06-12) 12 June 1997 (age 28)	1	0	Al-Najma	v.  United Arab Emirates, 21 November 2023
MF	Mohammed Abdul Qayoom	(2001-06-04) 4 June 2001 (age 24)	2	0	Al-Riffa	v.  United Arab Emirates, 21 November 2023
MF	Ali Hassan Isa	(1999-05-21) 21 May 1999 (age 26)	3	0	Al-Riffa	v.  United Arab Emirates, 21 November 2023
MF	Jasim Khelaif	(1998-02-22) 22 February 1998 (age 27)	11	0	East Riffa	v.  United Arab Emirates, 21 November 2023
MF	Mahdi Abdullatif	(1993-02-15) 15 February 1993 (age 32)	12	0	Manama Club	v.  United Arab Emirates, 21 November 2023
MF	Husain Al-Qassab	(2000-11-28) 28 November 2000 (age 24)	1	0	Al-Shabab	v.  United Arab Emirates, 21 November 2023
FW	Ismail Abdullatif	(1986-09-11) 11 September 1986 (age 38)	135	48	Al-Khaldiya	v.  United Arab Emirates, 11 June 2024
FW	Abdulla Yusuf Helal	(1993-06-12) 12 June 1993 (age 32)	90	13	Bohemians 1905	v.  United Arab Emirates, 11 June 2024
FW	Abdullah Al-Hashsash	(1992-08-17) 17 August 1992 (age 32)	8	2	Al-Ahli	v.  United Arab Emirates, 21 November 2023
FW	Hamza Al-Juban	(2000-04-17) 17 April 2000 (age 25)	2	0	Al-Muharraq	v.  United Arab Emirates, 21 November 2023
INJ Withdrew due to injury PRE Preliminary squad / standby RET Retired from the national team SUS Serving suspension WD Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue.

Records

Here are some of the top players for Bahrain, based on how many games they've played and how many goals they've scored. Players in bold are still playing for the national team.

Most Games Played

Top Goalscorers

Ismail Abdullatif is Bahrain's top scorer with 48 goals.

Tournament History

FIFA World Cup

Bahrain has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup. They have tried many times, but have not made it to the final tournament.

AFC Asian Cup

Bahrain has played in the AFC Asian Cup several times. Their best result was finishing fourth in 2004.

Gulf Cup

The Gulf Cup is a regional football tournament. Bahrain won the Gulf Cup for the first time in 2019! They have also finished as runners-up four times.

Arab Cup

Bahrain has played in the Arab Cup. They finished as runners-up twice, in 1985 and 2002.

Other Tournaments

• Asian Games: Bahrain has participated in the Asian Games football tournament a few times.
• Arab Games: Bahrain won the gold medal at the Arab Games in 2011!
• WAFF Championship: Bahrain won this championship in 2019.

Honours

Regional Titles

• Arabian Gulf Cup
  • Champions (1): 2019
  • Runners-up (4): 1970, 1982, 1992, 2003
  • Third place (3): 1990, 1994, 2004
• WAFF Championship
  • Champions (1): 2019
  • Third place (1): 2014
• Arab Games
  • Gold medal (1): 2011
• Arab Cup
  • Runners-up (2): 1985, 2002

Summary of Wins

Competition				Total
Arabian Gulf Cup	1	4	3	8
WAFF Championship	1	0	1	2
Arab Games	1	0	0	1
Arab Cup	0	2	0	2
Total	3	6	4	13

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Baréin para niños