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Gambia national football team facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
This page is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Gambia women's national football team.
Quick facts for kids
Gambia
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) The Scorpions
Association Gambia Football Federation (GFF)
Confederation CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation WAFU (West Africa)
Head coach Johnny McKinstry
Captain Omar Colley
Most caps Omar Colley (55)
Top scorer Assan Ceesay (13)
Home stadium Independence Stadium
FIFA code GAM
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 166 Steady (7 February 2019)
Highest 65 (June 2009)
Lowest 179 (March 2017)
Elo ranking
Current 135 Increase 3 (3 March 2019)
Highest 93 (January 1984)
Lowest 145 (22 November 1993)
First international
 British Gambia 2–1 Sierra Leone
(Gambia; 9 February 1953)
Biggest win
 Gambia 6–0 Lesotho 
(Bakau, Gambia; 13 October 2002)
Biggest defeat
 Guinea 8–0 Gambia 
(Guinea; 14 May 1972)
Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances 2 (first in 2021)
Best result Quarter-finals (2021)

The Gambia national football team, also known as The Scorpions, plays for the Gambia in international men's football games. The Gambia Football Federation controls the team. Before 1965, the team and country were called British Gambia.

The Scorpions have never played in the FIFA World Cup. However, in 2021, they made history by qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations finals for the very first time. The team is part of both FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

History of The Scorpions

The Gambia national football team played its first game on February 9, 1953. They were known as British Gambia back then. They won 2–1 against Sierra Leone in a friendly match at home.

In April 1963, the team joined a tournament in Senegal. They played against teams like France's amateur team and what is now Burkina Faso. They did not make it to the next round.

After this, The Gambia did not play another match until 1968. They lost to Sierra Leone again in 1971. In 1972, they played their first African Games qualifier against Guinea and lost.

Early Tournament Attempts

In 1975, The Gambia tried to qualify for the 1976 Summer Olympics. They lost to Guinea and did not qualify.

Later that year, they aimed for the African Cup of Nations. They played against Morocco but lost both games. This meant they could not reach the 1976 finals.

On January 30, 1977, The Gambia played its first game against a full European team. They lost 4–1 to Denmark at home.

Big Wins and Challenges

The team achieved its biggest win ever on October 13, 2002. They beat Lesotho with a score of 6–0.

In May 2014, the team faced a challenge. The CAF banned The Gambia from its competitions for two years. This was due to issues with player registration.

Recent Successes

The team's performance improved during the qualifying games for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. Even though they did not qualify, they played well. They even drew twice with strong team Algeria.

On November 13, 2019, The Gambia made history. They won their first away game in an AFCON or FIFA World Cup qualifier. They beat Angola 3–1 in Luanda. This was a huge step after 40 attempts.

Their amazing journey led them to qualify for their first major tournament in 2021. As the lowest-ranked team in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, The Gambia surprised everyone. They beat favorites Tunisia in the group stage. They finished second in their group without losing a game. They then beat Guinea in the Round of 16. This sent them to the quarter-finals in their first try. They were finally knocked out by the host team, Cameroon.

Home Stadium

Gambia v guinea
Football fans watching Gambia v Guinea

The home stadium for The Scorpions is Independence Stadium. It is in Bakau, Gambia. This stadium is used for many things, like football matches, music concerts, and national events. It can hold up to 30,000 people.

Recent Matches and Schedule

Main article: Gambia national football team results (2020–present)

Here are the results of matches played in the last year. Also, any upcoming games are listed.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2024 Matches

2025 Matches

Coaches and Staff

The team has had many coaches over the years. The current head coach is Johnny McKinstry. He started in 2024.

  • Switzerland Hans Heiniger (1987–1992)
  • The Gambia Sang Ndong (1992-1994)
  • The Gambia Sang Ndong (1994–2003)
  • Germany Antoine Hey (2006–2007)
  • Spain José Martínez (2007–2008)
  • Belgium Paul Put (2008–2011)
  • The Gambia Peter Bonu Johnson (2011–2012)
  • Italy Luciano Mancini (2012–2013)
  • The Gambia Peter Bonu Johnson (2013–2015)
  • Spain Switzerland Raoul Savoy (2015)
  • The Gambia Sang Ndong (2016–2018)
  • Belgium Tom Saintfiet (2018–2024)
  • Northern Ireland Johnny McKinstry (2024–)

The team also has assistant coaches, a goalkeeping coach, and medical staff. Sang Ndong, a former coach, is now the Technical Director.

Team Players

Current Squad

These players were chosen for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification games in November 2024.

Caps (games played) and goals are correct as of November 18, 2024, after the match against Tunisia.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Ebrima Jarju (1998-03-16) 16 March 1998 (age 27) 6 0 Estonia Paide
1GK Sheikh Sibi (1998-02-21) 21 February 1998 (age 27) 5 0 Italy Virtus Verona
1GK Lamin Saidy (2001-06-17) 17 June 2001 (age 23) 2 0 The Gambia Real de Banjul
2DF Omar Colley (captain) (1992-10-24) 24 October 1992 (age 32) 58 1 Greece PAOK
2DF Ibou Touray (1994-12-24) 24 December 1994 (age 30) 27 0 England Stockport County
2DF James Gomez (2001-11-14) 14 November 2001 (age 23) 24 1 Denmark Odense
2DF Joseph Ceesay (1998-06-03) 3 June 1998 (age 27) 5 0 Italy Cesena
2DF Jacob Mendy (1996-12-27) 27 December 1996 (age 28) 3 0 Wales Wrexham
2DF Dadi Gaye (1995-03-21) 21 March 1995 (age 30) 2 0 Norway Strømsgodset
2DF Baboucarr Njie (1995-06-05) 5 June 1995 (age 30) 2 0 United States San Antonio
2DF Momodou Lion Njie (2001-12-10) 10 December 2001 (age 23) 1 0 Norway KFUM Oslo
3MF Ablie Jallow (1998-11-14) 14 November 1998 (age 26) 38 8 France Metz
3MF Ebou Adams (1996-01-15) 15 January 1996 (age 29) 24 1 England Derby County
3MF Ebrima Darboe (2001-06-06) 6 June 2001 (age 24) 18 0 Italy Frosinone
3MF Alasana Manneh (1998-04-08) 8 April 1998 (age 27) 18 0 Denmark Odense
3MF Mahmudu Bajo (2004-08-15) 15 August 2004 (age 20) 4 0 Slovakia FC DAC 1904
3MF Abubakr Barry (2000-07-02) 2 July 2000 (age 24) 1 0 Austria Austria Wien
4FW Musa Barrow (1998-11-14) 14 November 1998 (age 26) 46 9 Saudi Arabia Al Taawoun
4FW Ali Sowe (1994-06-14) 14 June 1994 (age 30) 18 1 Turkey Çaykur Rizespor
4FW Abdoulie Sanyang (1999-05-08) 8 May 1999 (age 26) 17 0 Croatia Hajduk Split
4FW Alieu Fadera (2001-11-03) 3 November 2001 (age 23) 13 0 Italy Como
4FW Yankuba Minteh (2004-07-22) 22 July 2004 (age 20) 13 4 England Brighton & Hove Albion
4FW Abdoulie Ceesay (2004-01-05) 5 January 2004 (age 21) 3 1 Estonia Paide
4FW Suleiman Camara (2001-12-07) 7 December 2001 (age 23) 2 0 Spain Racing de Santander
4FW Alassana Jatta (1999-01-12) 12 January 1999 (age 26) 1 1 England Notts County

Other Players Called Up Recently

These players have also been part of the Gambia squad in the last year.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Lamin Sarr (2001-03-11) 11 March 2001 (age 24) 0 0 Sweden Lunds BK v.  Gabon, 11 June 2024
GK Modou Jobe (1988-10-27) 27 October 1988 (age 36) 31 0 South Africa Black Leopards 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
GK Baboucarr Gaye (1998-02-24) 24 February 1998 (age 27) 21 0 Bulgaria Lokomotiv Sofia 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
DF Edrissa Ceesay (2001-04-16) 16 April 2001 (age 24) 3 0 Serbia Jedinstvo Ub v.  Tunisia, 8 September 2024
DF Sainey Sanyang (2003-04-18) 18 April 2003 (age 22) 0 0 Bulgaria CSKA Sofia v.  Tunisia, 8 September 2024
DF Muhammed Sanneh (2000-02-19) 19 February 2000 (age 25) 12 0 Free Agent v.  Gabon, 11 June 2024
DF Omar Gaye (1998-09-18) 18 September 1998 (age 26) 5 0 Free Agent v.  Gabon, 11 June 2024
DF Dembo Saidykhan (2004-01-20) 20 January 2004 (age 21) 0 0 Canada Vancouver Whitecaps 2 v.  Gabon, 11 June 2024
DF Bubacarr Sanneh (1994-11-14) 14 November 1994 (age 30) 40 1 Bosnia and Herzegovina FK Zvijezda 09 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
DF Dawda Ngum (1990-09-02) 2 September 1990 (age 34) 21 0 Sweden Ariana 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
DF Noah Sonko Sundberg (1996-06-06) 6 June 1996 (age 29) 18 0 Bulgaria Ludogorets Razgrad 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
DF Saidy Janko (1995-10-22) 22 October 1995 (age 29) 10 0 Switzerland Young Boys 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
DF Sulayman Bojang (1997-09-03) 3 September 1997 (age 27) 6 0 Norway Skeid 2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
DF Ismaila Jome (1994-11-04) 4 November 1994 (age 30) 2 0 United States Oakland Roots 2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
DF Alagie Saine (2003-01-20) 20 January 2003 (age 22) 0 0 Denmark Horsens 2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
MF Saidou Khan (1995-12-05) 5 December 1995 (age 29) 1 0 England Swindon Town v.  Madagascar, 14 October 2024
MF Hamza Barry (1994-05-03) 3 May 1994 (age 31) 28 1 Denmark Vejle v.  Tunisia, 8 September 2024
MF Yusupha Bobb (1996-06-22) 22 June 1996 (age 28) 21 0 Morocco KAC Marrakech v.  Gabon, 11 June 2024
MF Sulayman Marreh (1996-01-15) 15 January 1996 (age 29) 35 1 Serbia Železničar Pančevo 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
MF Bubacarr Jobe (1994-11-21) 21 November 1994 (age 30) 10 3 Sweden Kristianstad 2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
MF Sainey Njie (2001-08-30) 30 August 2001 (age 23) 5 0 Serbia Radnik Surdulica 2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
MF Jesper Ceesay (2003-05-04) 4 May 2003 (age 22) 0 0 Sweden Norrköping 2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
MF Saikou Touray (2000-06-06) 6 June 2000 (age 25) 0 0 France Grenoble 2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
FW Muhammed Badamosi (1998-12-27) 27 December 1998 (age 26) 26 4 Serbia Čukarički v.  Madagascar, 14 October 2024
FW Ebrima Colley (2000-02-01) 1 February 2000 (age 25) 28 2 Switzerland Young Boys v.  Tunisia, 8 September 2024
FW Musa Juwara (2001-12-26) 26 December 2001 (age 23) 5 0 Denmark Vejle v.  Tunisia, 8 September 2024
FW Adama Sidibeh (1998-06-25) 25 June 1998 (age 26) 4 1 Scotland St Johnstone v.  Tunisia, 8 September 2024
FW Adama Bojang (2004-05-28) 28 May 2004 (age 21) 1 0 France Reims v.  Gabon, 11 June 2024
FW Assan Ceesay (1994-03-17) 17 March 1994 (age 31) 41 13 Saudi Arabia Damac 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
FW Lamin Jallow (1994-07-22) 22 July 1994 (age 30) 19 1 Italy Fidelis Andria 2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
FW Dembo Darboe (1998-08-17) 17 August 1998 (age 26) 5 0 Kazakhstan Astana 2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE

WD Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue.
INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury.
PRE Preliminary squad.
RET Player has retired from international football.
SUS Suspended from the national team.

Team Records

Here are some records for the Gambia national football team.

Players in bold are still playing for Gambia.

Most Games Played

Omar Colley (cropped)
Omar Colley has played the most games for Gambia with 56 appearances.
Rank Player Caps Goals Career
1 Omar Colley 56 1 2012–present
2 Musa Barrow 44 9 2018-present
3 Pa Modou Jagne 43 2 2006–2022
4 Assan Ceesay 41 13 2013–present
5 Bubacarr Sanneh 40 1 2012–present
6 Ebrima Sohna 38 3 2007–2022
7 Sulayman Marreh 35 1 2011–present
8 Abdou Jammeh 33 2 2006–2015
9 Ablie Jallow 32 8 2015–present
10 Modou Jobe 31 0 2007–present

Top Goal Scorers

Rank Player Goals Caps Ratio Career
1 Assan Ceesay 13 41 0.32 2013–present
2 Musa Barrow 9 44 0.2 2018–present
3 Ablie Jallow 8 32 0.25 2015–present
4 Momoudou Ceesay 6 16 0.38 2010–2015
5 Omar Samba 5 11 0.45 1995–2002
Jatto Ceesay 5 17 0.29 1994–2007
Mustapha Jarju 5 26 0.19 2006–2013
8 Yankuba Minteh 4 10 0.4 2022–present
Muhammed Badamosi 4 24 0.17 2018–present
10 Samuel Kargbo 3 9 0.33 1994–1996
Njogu Demba-Nyrén 3 15 0.2 2006–2011
Edrissa Sonko 3 16 0.19 1996–2008
Aziz Corr Nyang 3 17 0.18 2002–2011
Bubacarr Jobe 3 17 0.18 2018–present
Mamadou Danso 3 20 0.15 2011–2019
Ebrima Ebou Sillah 3 24 0.13 1996–2008
Ebrima Sohna 3 38 0.08 2007–2022

Tournament History

FIFA World Cup Appearances

The Gambia 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 1950 Part of  United Kingdom Part of  United Kingdom
1954 to 1966 Not a FIFA member Not a FIFA member
1970 to 1978 Did not enter Did not enter
Spain 1982 Did not qualify 2 0 1 1 2 1
Mexico 1986 2 1 0 1 3 6
Italy 1990 Did not enter Did not enter
United States 1994 Withdrew Withdrew
France 1998 Did not qualify 2 1 0 1 2 5
South Korea Japan 2002 2 0 0 2 0 3
Germany 2006 2 1 0 1 2 3
South Africa 2010 6 2 3 1 6 3
Brazil 2014 6 1 1 4 4 11
Russia 2018 2 0 1 1 2 3
Qatar 2022 2 0 0 2 1 3
Canada Mexico United States 2026 To be determined 3 1 0 3 9 9
Morocco Portugal Spain 2030 To be determined
Saudi Arabia 2034
Total – 0/14 – – – – – – 30 7 6 17 31 47

Africa Cup of Nations Appearances

The Gambia has qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations twice. Their best result was reaching the quarter-finals in 2021.

Africa Cup of Nations record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA
Sudan 1957 to Ghana 1963 Part of United Kingdom
Tunisia 1965 Not affiliated to CAF
Ethiopia 1968 to Egypt 1974 Did not enter
Ethiopia 1976 Did not qualify
Ghana 1978 Did not enter
Nigeria 1980 to Morocco 1988 Did not qualify
Algeria 1990 Withdrew
Senegal 1992 Did not qualify
Tunisia 1994 Did not enter
South Africa 1996 Withdrew during qualifying
Burkina Faso 1998 Banned for withdrawing in 1996
Ghana Nigeria 2000 Withdrew
Mali 2002 to South Africa 2013 Did not qualify
Equatorial Guinea 2015 Banned
Gabon 2017 Did not qualify
Egypt 2019
Cameroon 2021 Quarter-finals 6th 5 3 1 1 4 3
Ivory Coast 2023 Group stage 23rd 3 0 0 3 2 7
Morocco 2025 Did not qualify
Kenya Tanzania Uganda 2027 To be determined
2029
Total Quarter-finals 2/34 8 3 1 4 6 10

Awards and Achievements

The Gambia national football team has won some regional awards.

Regional Competitions

  • Amilcar Cabral Cup
    • Second place (3 times): 1980, 1985, 2001
    • Third place (1 time): 1993

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Gambia para niños

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