Cuba national football team facts for kids
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Nickname(s) | Los Leones del Caribe (The Lions of the Caribbean) Los Diablos Rojos (The Red Devils) |
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Association | Asociación de Fútbol de Cuba (AFC) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Confederation | CONCACAF (North America) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sub-confederation | CFU (Caribbean) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Head coach | Yunielys Castillo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Captain | Karel Espino | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Most caps | Yénier Márquez (126) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Top scorer | Lester Moré (30) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Home stadium | Estadio Pedro Marrero | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
FIFA code | CUB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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FIFA ranking | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current | 174 ![]() |
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Highest | 46 (November – December 2006) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lowest | 182 (August 2017, March–May 2018) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Elo ranking | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current | 121 ![]() |
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Highest | 52 (February 2005) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lowest | 147 (September 2019) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First international | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() ![]() (Havana, Cuba; 16 March 1930) |
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Biggest win | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() ![]() (Havana, Cuba; 8 September 2018) |
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Biggest defeat | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() ![]() (Antibes, France; 12 June 1938) ![]() ![]() (Moscow, Soviet Union; 24 July 1980) ![]() ![]() (Volgograd, Russia; 20 November 2023) |
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World Cup | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Appearances | 1 (first in 1938) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best result | Quarter-finals (1938) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CONCACAF Championship / Gold Cup | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Appearances | 12 (first in 1971) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best result | Fourth place (1971) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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The Cuba national football team represents Cuba in men's international football. The team is controlled by the Asociación de Fútbol de Cuba (Football Association of Cuba). This association joined FIFA in 1932. It was also a founding member of CONCACAF in 1961.
The team is nicknamed Los Leones del Caribe, which means "The Lions of the Caribbean".
Cuba was the first team from the Caribbean to reach the Quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup. This happened in the 1938 World Cup. They beat Romania 2–1 in a replay match. However, they were then knocked out by Sweden with an 8–0 loss. Cuba has not played in the World Cup since then.
Cuba has also done well in other tournaments. They finished second in the North American Nations Cup in 1947. They were also second in the Caribbean Cup in 1996, 1999, and 2005. In 2012, they won the Caribbean Cup for the first time.
Contents
History of Cuban Football
Early Matches
Cuba played its very first international football match on March 16, 1930. This was during the 1930 Central American and Caribbean Games. They won against Jamaica 3–1 in Havana. Just four days later, they beat Honduras 7–0. José Tapia was their manager during this time.
Cuba tried to qualify for the 1934 FIFA World Cup in Italy. They played against Haiti and won all three matches. Then, they faced Mexico in three more games. Mexico won all of these matches. So, Cuba did not qualify for the 1934 World Cup.
World Cup Journey in 1938
The 1938 FIFA World Cup was held in France. Many teams from the Americas did not want to play there. Because of this, Cuba and Brazil were the only teams from the Americas that qualified.
The tournament was a knockout competition. Cuba's first match was against Romania on June 5, 1938. The game was a thrilling 3–3 draw, with goals from Hector Socorro and Tomás Fernández for Cuba.
They played a replay match on June 9. Cuba won this game 2–1, with goals from Socorro and Carlos Oliviera. This win meant Cuba moved on to the quarter-finals. In the quarter-final, Cuba played against Sweden on June 12. Sweden won the match 8–0, ending Cuba's World Cup journey.
Football from 1949 to 2000
Cuba tried to qualify for the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. They played against the United States and Mexico. Cuba finished third in their group and did not qualify.
After that, Cuba did not play in World Cup qualifiers again until 1966. They returned to qualification for the 1978 FIFA World Cup. For the 1982 FIFA World Cup, Cuba almost made it to the finals. They were only two points away from qualifying.
Recent Football History
In the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Cuba reached the quarter-finals. They beat Canada 2–0 in the group stage. In the qualifiers for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Cuba played Costa Rica. They drew 2–2 at home and 1–1 away, but Costa Rica advanced because of the "away goals" rule.
For the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Cuba drew 3–3 with Antigua and Barbuda. Then, they won the next match 4–1 to move to the next round. In that round, they played against the United States, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guatemala. Cuba finished fourth in the group, with one win against Guatemala.
In 2010, Cuba finished third in the 2010 Caribbean Cup. This earned them a spot in the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup. In 2012, Cuba made history by winning the 2012 Caribbean Cup for the first time.
For the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Cuba was in a tough group with Honduras, Panama, and Canada. They had some close games but ended with one draw and five losses. Their only goal in the qualifiers was scored by Alberto Gomes against Panama.
Players Moving to Other Countries
Over the years, some Cuban football players have moved to other countries to play. For example, during the 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup in Los Angeles, two players, Rey Ángel Martínez and Alberto Delgado, decided to stay in the United States.
Other players, like Maykel Galindo in 2005, and Osvaldo Alonso and Lester More in 2007, also moved during Gold Cup tournaments. In 2008, seven players from the U-23 team, including Yeniel Bermúdez, Yordany Álvarez, and Yendry Díaz, moved while in Tampa, Florida. Later that year, Reynier Alcántara and Pedro Faife also moved.
More recently, in 2019, five players (Yordan Santa Cruz, Andy Baquero, David Urgelles, Orlendis Benítez, and Alejandro Portal) moved to Canada during a tournament. In 2023, four players (Roberney Caballero, Denilson Milanés, Neisser Sandó, and Jassael Herrera) moved while the team was in the United States for the Gold Cup. Another player, Sandy Sánchez, also moved after a game. These players often seek new opportunities to play football professionally.
Team Gear and Sponsors
Kit Sponsorship
Kit supplier | Period |
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1981–1983 |
None | 1984–1987 |
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1988–2012 |
Foward | 2013 |
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2015–present |
Recent Matches and Schedule
Here are some of the recent match results for the Cuban national team, as of July 2025.
Win Draw Loss
2024 Matches
- March 26: Cuba won 1–0 against Nicaragua in a friendly match.
- June 6: Cuba lost 3–1 to Honduras in a World Cup qualifier.
- June 11: Cuba won 3–0 against Cayman Islands in a World Cup qualifier (awarded).
- September 6: Cuba drew 0–0 with Jamaica in the Nations League.
- September 10: Cuba drew 1–1 with Nicaragua in the Nations League.
- October 10: Cuba drew 2–2 with Trinidad and Tobago in the Nations League.
- October 14: Cuba lost 3–1 to Trinidad and Tobago in the Nations League.
- November 14: Cuba lost 2–1 to Saint Kitts and Nevis in a Gold Cup qualifier.
- November 18: Cuba won 4–0 against Saint Kitts and Nevis in a Gold Cup qualifier, winning 5–2 overall to advance.
2025 Matches
- March 21: Cuba lost 2–1 to Trinidad and Tobago in a Gold Cup qualifier.
- March 25: Cuba lost 4–0 to Trinidad and Tobago in a Gold Cup qualifier, losing 6–1 overall and not qualifying for the Gold Cup finals.
- June 6: Cuba won 1–0 against Antigua and Barbuda in a World Cup qualifier.
- June 10: Cuba lost 2–1 to Bermuda in a World Cup qualifier.
Coaching History
José Tapia (1930–1934)
Gavin Newton (1934–1935)
José Tapia (1935–1938)
Marcelino Minsal (1947–1949)
František Churda (1963–1964)
Karoly Kósa (1966)
László Mohácsi (1967)
Kim Yong-ha (1970–1971)
Sergio Padrón (1976)
Tibor Ivanics (1980–1981)
Roberto Hernández (1985–1988)
Giovanni Campari (1990–1996)
William Bennett (1996–2000)
Miguel Company (2000–2004)
Luis Armelio Garcia (2004–2005)
Raúl González (2006–2007)
Reinhold Fanz (2008)
Raúl González (2008–2012)
Chandler González (2012)
Walter Benítez (2012–2015)
Raúl González (2015–2016)
Julio Valero (2016)
Raúl Mederos (2016–2019)
Pablo Elier Sánchez (2019–2023)
Yunielys Castillo (2023–present)
Current Players
Team Members
The following 23 players were chosen for the World Cup qualification matches in June 2025.
Player information is correct as of June 10, 2025, after the match against Bermuda.
No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
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1 | GK | Ismel Morgado | 31 May 2003 | 5 | 0 | ![]() |
12 | GK | Raiko Arozarena | 27 March 1997 | 17 | 0 | ![]() |
21 | GK | Yurdy Hodelin | 23 September 2005 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
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2 | DF | Ricardo Polo | 14 May 2005 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
3 | DF | Camilo Pinillo | 21 February 2005 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
4 | DF | Cavafe | 25 April 1999 | 27 | 2 | ![]() |
5 | DF | Karel Pérez | 25 August 2005 | 12 | 0 | ![]() |
6 | DF | Pedro Bravo | 5 December 2001 | 6 | 1 | ![]() |
8 | DF | Leandro Mena | 3 February 2005 | 4 | 0 | ![]() |
22 | DF | Orlando Calvo | 9 April 1999 | 12 | 0 | ![]() |
23 | DF | Josué Valdez | 14 April 2003 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
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10 | MF | Dairon Reyes | 18 September 2003 | 20 | 1 | ![]() |
13 | MF | Diego Catasus | 3 April 2005 | 7 | 0 | ![]() |
14 | MF | Karel Espino | 27 October 2001 | 33 | 2 | ![]() |
15 | MF | Marcos Campos | 15 November 2005 | 2 | 0 | ![]() |
16 | MF | Rey Rodríguez | 15 January 2003 | 10 | 0 | ![]() |
18 | MF | Yasniel Matos | 29 March 2002 | 34 | 3 | ![]() |
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7 | FW | Willian Pozo-Venta | 27 August 1997 | 27 | 4 | ![]() |
9 | FW | Maikel Reyes | 4 March 1993 | 53 | 13 | ![]() |
11 | FW | Onel Hernández | 1 February 1993 | 15 | 4 | ![]() |
17 | FW | Martín Rodríguez | 31 August 2005 | 2 | 0 | ![]() |
19 | FW | Jorge Aguirre | 5 January 2000 | 2 | 1 | ![]() |
20 | FW | Alessio Raballo | 9 September 2006 | 3 | 0 | ![]() |
Other Players Called Up Recently
These players have also been part of the Cuba squad in the last year.
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
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DF | Yosel Piedra | 27 March 1994 | 46 | 2 | ![]() |
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DF | Dariel Morejón | 21 December 1998 | 45 | 0 | ![]() |
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DF | Alejandro Delgado | 14 February 2003 | 13 | 0 | ![]() |
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DF | Elvis Casanova | 17 September 2005 | 6 | 0 | ![]() |
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DF | Mario Peñalver | 6 January 2003 | 8 | 0 | ![]() |
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MF | Yunior Pérez | 12 March 2001 | 30 | 0 | ![]() |
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MF | Romario Torres | 9 February 2005 | 12 | 0 | ![]() |
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MF | Michael Camejo | 17 March 2005 | 4 | 0 | ![]() |
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FW | Daniel Díaz | 27 March 1994 | 17 | 0 | ![]() |
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FW | Christian Flores | 6 April 1999 | 3 | 1 | ![]() |
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FW | Aniel Casanova | 17 September 2005 | 3 | 1 | ![]() |
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FW | Luis Paradela | 21 January 1997 | 39 | 11 | ![]() |
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FW | Reydel Sánchez | 1 January 2004 | 5 | 0 | ![]() |
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FW | David Pérez | 24 April 2005 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
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INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury. |
Player Records
- Players in bold are still active with Cuba
Most Games Played
Rank | Player | Caps | Goals | Years |
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1 | Yénier Márquez | 126 | 16 | 2000–2015 |
2 | Odelín Molina | 123 | 0 | 1996–2013 |
3 | Jaime Colomé | 82 | 12 | 2002–2013 |
4 | Alexánder Cruzata | 74 | 2 | 1996–2005 |
5 | Lázaro Darcourt | 73 | 21 | 1995–2003 |
6 | Alain Cervantes | 68 | 8 | 2003–2016 |
7 | Silvio Pedro Miñoso | 66 | 0 | 2002–2008 |
8 | Reysander Fernández | 65 | 3 | 2003–2012 |
9 | Lester Moré | 62 | 30 | 1995–2007 |
10 | Manuel Bobadilla | 57 | 11 | 1995–2001 |
Top Goal Scorers
Rank | Player | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career |
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1 | Lester Moré | 30 | 62 | 0.48 | 1995–2007 |
2 | Lázaro Darcourt | 21 | 73 | 0.29 | 1995–2003 |
3 | Roberto Linares | 16 | 42 | 0.38 | 2008–2012 |
Yénier Márquez | 16 | 126 | 0.12 | 2000–2015 | |
5 | Eduardo Sebrango | 13 | 23 | 0.57 | 1996–1998 |
6 | Serguei Prado | 12 | 30 | 0.4 | 1999–2005 |
Maykel Galindo | 12 | 33 | 0.36 | 2002–2005 | |
Osmín Hernández | 12 | 46 | 0.26 | 1995–2004 | |
Maikel Reyes | 12 | 51 | 0.24 | 2012–present | |
Jaime Colomé | 12 | 82 | 0.15 | 2002–2013 |
Tournament Records
FIFA World Cup Record
Cuba has played in one FIFA World Cup.
FIFA World Cup Record | |||||||||
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Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad |
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Quarter-finals | 7th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 12 | Squad |
Total | Quarter-finals | 1/22 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 12 | — |
CONCACAF Gold Cup Record
Cuba has played in the CONCACAF Gold Cup many times.
CONCACAF Championship & Gold Cup Record | |||||||||
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Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad |
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Fourth place | 4th | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 7 | Squad |
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Group stage | 10th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 | Squad |
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Group stage | 11th | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Squad |
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Quarter-finals | 8th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | Squad |
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Group stage | 12th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 | Squad |
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Group stage | 12th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | Squad |
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Group stage | 12th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 16 | Squad |
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Quarter-finals | 8th | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 13 | Squad |
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Quarter-finals | 8th | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 14 | Squad |
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Group stage | 16th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 17 | Squad |
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Group stage | 15th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 | Squad |
Total | Fourth place | 12/28 | 40 | 5 | 6 | 29 | 30 | 121 | — |
Caribbean Cup Record
Cuba has had good success in the Caribbean Cup.
Achievements
Regional Titles
- NAFC Championship
- Caribbean Cup
- Central American and Caribbean Games
Summary of Medals
Senior Competition | ![]() |
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Total |
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NAFC Championship | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Total | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
See also
In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Cuba para niños
- Cuba national under-20 football team
- Cuba national under-17 football team