Equatorial Guinea national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Equatorial Guinea

Nickname(s)	Nzalang Nacional (National Thunder)
Association	Federación Ecuatoguineana de Fútbol
Confederation	CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation	UNIFFAC (Central Africa)
Head coach	Juan Michá
Captain	Carlos Akapo
Most caps	Federico Bikoro (55)
Top scorer	Emilio Nsue (22)
Home stadium	Estadio de Malabo
FIFA code	EQG
First colours Second colours Third colours
FIFA ranking
Current	148 (7 February 2019)
Highest	49 (February 2015)
Lowest	195 (December 1998)
Elo ranking
Current	139 17 (3 March 2019)
Highest	107 (31 January 2015)
Lowest	187 (March 2003)
First international
China 6–2 Equatorial Guinea  (China, 23 May 1975)
Biggest win
Equatorial Guinea 4–0 Central African Republic  (Bata, Equatorial Guinea; 1 December 2014)  Equatorial Guinea 4–0 South Sudan  (Malabo, Equatorial Guinea; 4 September 2016)  Equatorial Guinea 4–0 Ivory Coast  (Abidjan, Ivory Coast; 22 January 2024)
Biggest defeat
Congo 6–0 Equatorial Guinea  (Congo, 13 December 1990)
Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances	4 (first in 2012)
Best result	Fourth place (2015)
African Nations Championship
Appearances	1 (first in 2018)
Best result	Group stage (2018)
COSAFA Cup
Appearances	0
Best result	Withdrew (2015)

The Equatorial Guinea national football team (also known as Nzalang Nacional, meaning "National Thunder") represents the country of Equatorial Guinea in men's international football games. It is managed by the Equatoguinean Football Federation, which is part of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

This team has never played in the FIFA World Cup. However, they have qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations four times. They hosted the tournament twice, in 2012 and 2015. Their best result was finishing fourth in 2015. They also reached the quarter-finals in 2012 and 2021.

Team History: From First Game to AFCON Success

Equatorial Guinea played its very first football match on May 23, 1975. They lost 6–2 to China in a friendly game. After that, they didn't play another match until December 1985 in the UDEAC Cup.

In that tournament, they lost 5–0 to Congo. But they earned their first-ever draw (1–1) against the Central African Republic. Their first win came much later, in 1999, when they beat the Central African Republic 4–2.

Hosting the Africa Cup of Nations

In the late 2000s, the FEGUIFUT teamed up with Gabon to bid for hosting the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations. They won the bid, and two new stadiums were built in Equatorial Guinea: Estadio de Bata and Estadio de Malabo.

The 2012 Africa Cup of Nations was Equatorial Guinea's first time playing in a major international tournament. They started with a historic 1–0 win against Libya. A goal by Javier Balboa in the 87th minute secured the victory. They then beat Senegal 2–1, which meant they made it to the quarter-finals! They finished second in their group, even after losing 1–0 to Zambia. In the quarter-finals, they lost 3–0 to Ivory Coast.

Three years later, Equatorial Guinea hosted the 2015 tournament all by themselves. They stepped in to host after Morocco pulled out. In their first game, they drew 1–1 with Congo, with Emilio Nsue scoring. They also drew 0–0 with Burkina Faso. To reach the quarter-finals, they needed to beat their rival, Gabon. They won 2–0 with goals from Javier Balboa and Ibán.

In the quarter-finals, they beat Tunisia 2–1, thanks to two goals from Balboa. They made it to the semi-finals but lost 3–0 to Ghana. In the third-place match, they drew 0–0 with DR Congo but lost on penalties. Finishing fourth was their best international result ever! This also helped them reach their highest-ever FIFA ranking of 49th place.

Surprising Success in 2021 AFCON

Equatorial Guinea didn't qualify for the 2017 and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. They also missed out on the 2018 FIFA World Cup. During the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification, they were in a tough group. They lost their first two games, making it seem like they wouldn't qualify again.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a break in games. When matches restarted, Equatorial Guinea made an amazing comeback. They beat Libya 3–2 with two late goals. They won against Libya again at home, 1–0. After beating Tanzania 1–0 at home, Equatorial Guinea achieved something historic: they qualified for the AFCON through regular qualification for the first time ever!

In the 2021 AFCON tournament, they were in Group E. They lost their first match to Ivory Coast. But then, they caused a big surprise by beating the defending champions, Algeria! In their last group game, they defeated Sierra Leone. This meant they finished second in their group and moved on to the Round of 16.

In the Round of 16, they played against Mali. The game ended in a 0–0 draw after extra time, so it went to penalties. Equatorial Guinea won the penalty shootout 6–5, thanks to their goalkeeper Jesús Owono who saved two shots. This was the third time they reached the quarter-finals of the AFCON, and the first time they advanced past the Round of 16. They eventually lost 3–1 to Senegal, who went on to win the tournament.

Home Stadium

Estadio de Malabo

Equatorial Guinea's main home stadium is the Estadio de Malabo in the city of Malabo. It can hold up to 15,250 people. The team played many games there when they co-hosted the AFCON 2012. They also played at the newer Estadio de Bata, where they won both their matches against Libya and Senegal.

Kit and Colours

The Equatorial Guinea team wears a red and white uniform. Their kit is made by the company Erreà. When they play at home, they wear a solid red jersey and matching shorts with white stripes. The team's number, the FEGUIFUT logo, and the Erreà logo are on the chest. Their socks are red with white at the top. When they play away, they wear an all-white shirt with blue stripes.

Team Rivalries

Tunisia

The rivalry with Tunisia has become quite intense recently. It started during the quarter-finals of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. In that game, Tunisia felt that the referee made unfair decisions, which led to them losing 2–1 to Equatorial Guinea. This caused a lot of anger among Tunisian players and fans. Since then, these two teams have often met in important qualification matches. Even though Tunisia has often won, Equatorial Guinea has shown they can be very strong, beating Tunisia at home in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification and the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification. They are set to play each other again in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification.

Gabon

Equatorial Guinea's classic rival is its neighbor, Gabon. This rivalry is partly due to disagreements over shared land. Their first official match was on December 18, 1987. Gabon won that game 4–3 after a penalty shootout, following a 0–0 draw. After losing five more times over the next 15 years, Equatorial Guinea finally got its first win against Gabon on June 8, 2003. They won 2–1 at home during the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations qualification. This victory is still one of the most celebrated matches by local fans. They also had a big 2–0 win over Gabon at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. That win helped them get past the group stage and knocked Gabon out of the tournament.

Current Coaching Staff

Position	Name
Head coach	Juan Michá Obiang Bicogo
Assistant coach	Casto Nopo
Goalkeeping coach	Benjamín Olo Mbang Esono
Doctors	Galo Ela Owono Ndong
	Fernando Oyono Mba Nsue
Physiotherapists	Carlos Obiang Esono Nzang
	Boyebote Masa Nsue Efua
	Jesús Ndong Nchama Ekeng
Delegate	Daniel Ebendeng Oyono Mbang
Physical trainers	José Víctor Nchama Asumu Nguema
Utility man	Levi Ela Ayong Nsue
Assistant utility man	José Marcos Mituy Owono Nzang
Nutritionist	Úrsula Esono Mbela Ndong
Security representative	Juan Ricardo Ela Ndong Mve

Players: Who Plays for Equatorial Guinea?

Current Squad

These players were called up for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches in November 2024.

Caps (games played) and goals are updated as of November 17, 2024, after the match against Togo.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Jesús Owono	(2001-03-01) 1 March 2001 (age 24)	35	0	Alavés
13	1GK	Miguel Eyama	(1998-07-08) 8 July 1998 (age 26)	8	0	Deportivo Mongomo
23	1GK	Manuel Sapunga	(1992-11-23) 23 November 1992 (age 32)	4	0	Polokwane City
2	2DF	Néstor Senra	(2002-01-04) 4 January 2002 (age 23)	9	0	Atlético Antoniano
3	2DF	Marvin Anieboh	(1997-08-26) 26 August 1997 (age 27)	18	0	Don Benito
6	2DF	Cosme Anvene	(1990-03-03) 3 March 1990 (age 35)	20	0	Deportivo Unidad
11	2DF	Basilio Ndong	(1999-01-17) 17 January 1999 (age 26)	54	0	Universitatea Craiova
12	2DF	Cristian Ebea	(2001-02-02) 2 February 2001 (age 24)	6	0	Rayo Majadahonda
15	2DF	Carlos Akapo (captain)	(1993-03-12) 12 March 1993 (age 32)	42	2	San Jose Earthquakes
16	2DF	Saúl Coco	(1999-02-09) 9 February 1999 (age 26)	27	3	Torino
20	2DF	Luis Enrique Nsue	(1998-01-16) 16 January 1998 (age 27)	11	0	COD Meknès
21	2DF	Esteban Obiang	(1998-05-07) 7 May 1998 (age 27)	37	1	Argeș Pitești
4	3MF	Federico Bikoro	(1996-03-17) 17 March 1996 (age 29)	59	6	Raja CA
5	3MF	Omar Mascarell	(1993-02-02) 2 February 1993 (age 32)	6	0	Mallorca
7	3MF	José Machín	(1996-08-14) 14 August 1996 (age 28)	31	0	Frosinone
8	3MF	Jannick Buyla	(1998-10-06) 6 October 1998 (age 26)	30	3	Tarazona
10	3MF	Gael Joel Akogo	(2003-12-21) 21 December 2003 (age 21)	7	0	Recreativo Granada
14	3MF	Pedro Obiang	(1992-03-27) 27 March 1992 (age 33)	23	3	Sassuolo
18	3MF	Jordan Gutiérrez	(1998-07-08) 8 July 1998 (age 26)	13	0	Septemvri Sofia
22	3MF	Pablo Ganet	(1994-11-04) 4 November 1994 (age 30)	51	5	Mérida
9	4FW	Dorian Jr.	(2001-05-12) 12 May 2001 (age 24)	19	1	Marbella
17	4FW	Josete Miranda	(1998-07-22) 22 July 1998 (age 26)	47	3	Iraklis Thessaloniki
19	4FW	Luis Nlavo	(2001-07-09) 9 July 2001 (age 23)	27	5	Moreirense
24	4FW	Domingo Mba	(2000-02-24) 24 February 2000 (age 25)	2	0	Moscardó

Recent Call-ups

These players have been called up in the last 12 months and can still play for the national team.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Marcos Ondo	(2000-08-13) 13 August 2000 (age 24)	5	0	Cano Sport	v.  Malawi, 10 June 2024
GK	Aitor Embela	(1996-04-17) 17 April 1996 (age 29)	9	0	CD Soneja	2023 Africa Cup of Nations
GK	Mariano Magno Mba	(1999-08-03) 3 August 1999 (age 25)	0	0	Deportivo Unidad	2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
DF	José Elo	(2000-10-21) 21 October 2000 (age 24)	4	1	Unattached	v.  Liberia, 14 October 2024
DF	Rafael Nguema	(2006-02-22) 22 February 2006 (age 19)	1	0	Deportivo Mongomo	v.  Togo, 9 September 2024
DF	Antonio Mekina	(2004-11-17) 17 November 2004 (age 20)	0	0	15 de Agosto [es]	v.  Togo, 9 September 2024
DF	Charles Ondo	(2003-10-22) 22 October 2003 (age 21)	4	0	Hemel Hempstead Town	v.  Malawi, 10 June 2024
DF	Juan Pedro Nsue	(1998-07-22) 22 July 1998 (age 26)	0	0	Deportivo Ebenezer	v.  Malawi, 10 June 2024
DF	Luis Meseguer	(1999-09-07) 7 September 1999 (age 25)	15	1	Las Rozas	2024 FIFA Series
DF	Vicente Esono	(2002-10-30) 30 October 2002 (age 22)	8	0	Wafaa Riadi Fassi	2024 FIFA Series
DF	Marcelo Asumu	(1992-01-16) 16 January 1992 (age 33)	2	0	Deportivo Unidad	2024 FIFA Series
DF	Javier Mum	(2001-01-24) 24 January 2001 (age 24)	1	0	MUZA	2024 FIFA Series
DF	Hugo Buyla	(2005-03-08) 8 March 2005 (age 20)	1	0	América under-23	2023 Africa Cup of Nations
DF	Diosdado Mbele	(1997-04-08) 8 April 1997 (age 28)	38	0	Leones Vegetarianos	2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
DF	Miguel Ángel Mayé	(1995-12-08) 8 December 1995 (age 29)	17	0	15 de Agosto [es]	2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
DF	Cristián Nzang	(1990-07-27) 27 July 1990 (age 34)	12	0	Deportivo Mongomo	2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
MF	Santiago Eneme	(2000-09-29) 29 September 2000 (age 24)	30	0	Slovan Liberec	v.  Liberia, 14 October 2024
MF	Ramón Boho	(2001-08-30) 30 August 2001 (age 23)	0	0	15 de Agosto [es]	v.  Liberia, 14 October 2024
MF	Álex Balboa	(2001-03-06) 6 March 2001 (age 24)	16	0	Almere City	v.  Togo, 9 September 2024
MF	José Fidel Sipi	(2001-01-07) 7 January 2001 (age 24)	4	0	MUZA	v.  Togo, 9 September 2024
MF	Joanet	(1999-03-01) 1 March 1999 (age 26)	10	1	Atlètic Lleida	v.  Malawi, 10 June 2024
MF	Gerardo Dougan	(2001-10-05) 5 October 2001 (age 23)	0	0	15 de Agosto [es]	v.  Malawi, 10 June 2024
MF	Federico Nsue	(1997-04-20) 20 April 1997 (age 28)	4	0	Bălți	2024 FIFA Series
MF	Raúl Constantino Ondo	(2000-03-02) 2 March 2000 (age 25)	2	0	Diablo Rojo	2024 FIFA Series
MF	Basilio Rieno	(2004-11-16) 16 November 2004 (age 20)	2	0	Burnley U21	2024 FIFA Series
MF	Adriano Nguema	(2003-06-12) 12 June 2003 (age 22)	0	0	15 de Agosto [es]	2024 FIFA Series WD
MF	Niko Kata	(1993-01-15) 15 January 1993 (age 32)	14	0	Formentera	2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
MF	Mansueto Nguema	(1997-04-17) 17 April 1997 (age 28)	2	0	The Panthers	2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
FW	Iban Salvador	(1995-12-11) 11 December 1995 (age 29)	47	8	Wisła Płock	v.  Liberia, 14 October 2024
FW	Óscar Siafá	(1997-09-12) 12 September 1997 (age 27)	16	0	Birkirkara	v.  Malawi, 10 June 2024
FW	Pedro Oba	(2000-05-18) 18 May 2000 (age 25)	16	5	Loto-Popo	2024 FIFA Series
FW	Salomón Obama	(2000-02-04) 4 February 2000 (age 25)	16	1	Ràngers	2024 FIFA Series
FW	Noé Ela	(2003-04-17) 17 April 2003 (age 22)	6	0	Alavés C	2024 FIFA Series
FW	José Nabil Ondo	(2005-11-23) 23 November 2005 (age 19)	3	0	Cano Sport	2024 FIFA Series
FW	Cristian Makaté	(2002-09-21) 21 September 2002 (age 22)	1	0	Union SG U23	2024 FIFA Series
FW	Armando Juan Mañé	(1992-09-19) 19 September 1992 (age 32)	4	0	Atlético Semu	2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
FW	Adrián Garrido	(2001-11-18) 18 November 2001 (age 23)	1	0	Mallorca B	2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
FW	Aitor Lorá	(1996-12-17) 17 December 1996 (age 28)	1	0	Bisceglie	2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
FW	Pedro Martín Ela	(2004-06-04) 4 June 2004 (age 21)	0	0	15 de Agosto [es]	2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
INJ Withdrew due to injury PRE Preliminary squad RET Retired from the national team SUS Serving suspension WD Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue.

Previous Squads

Team Records: Top Players and Scorers

Players in bold are still active with Equatorial Guinea.

Most Appearances

Federico Bikoro has played the most games for Equatorial Guinea, with 59 appearances.

Top Goalscorers

Emilio Nsue is Equatorial Guinea's top scorer with 22 goals.

Competition Records: World Cup and AFCON

FIFA World Cup Record

Equatorial Guinea has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup.

FIFA World Cup record										Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1930 to 1966	Part of  Spain									Part of  Spain
1970 to 1986	Not a FIFA member									Not a FIFA member
1990 to 1998	Did not enter									Did not enter
2002	Did not qualify									2	0	0	2	2	5
2006										2	1	0	1	1	2
2010										6	1	0	5	4	10
2014										8	1	2	5	9	17
2018										2	1	0	1	1	2
2022										8	4	3	1	8	6
2026	To be determined								4	1	0	3	1	7
2030									To be determined
2034
Total	–	0/9	–	–	–	–	–	–	32	9	5	18	26	49

Africa Cup of Nations Record

Equatorial Guinea has qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations four times, hosting twice.

Africa Cup of Nations record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1957 to 1968	Part of  Spain
1970 to 1986	Not affiliated to CAF
1988	Withdrew
1990	Did not qualify
1992 to 1994	Did not enter
1996	Withdrew
1998 to 2000	Did not enter
2002 to 2010	Did not qualify
2012	Quarter-finals	7th	4	2	0	2	3	5
2013	Did not qualify
2015	Fourth place	4th	6	2	3	1	5	5
2017	Did not qualify
2019
2021	Quarter-finals	7th	5	2	1	2	3	4
2023	Round of 16	10th	4	2	1	1	9	4
2025	Qualified
2027	To be determined
2029
Total	Fourth place	4/34	19	8	5	6	20	18

African Nations Championship Record

This tournament is for players who play in their home country's league.

African Nations Championship record
Appearances: 1
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
2009	Did not enter
2011
2014	Did not qualify
2016
2018	Group stage	15th	3	0	0	3	1	7
2020	Did not qualify
2022
Total	Group stage	1/7	3	0	0	3	1	7

Team Honours

Regional Competitions

• CEMAC Cup
  • Winners (1): 2006
  • Runners-up (1): 2009

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Guinea Ecuatorial para niños