Guam national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Guam

Nickname(s)	Matao (The Noblemen)
Association	Guam Football Association
Confederation	AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation	EAFF (East Asian)
Head coach	Dominic Gadia
Captain	Jason Cunliffe
Most caps	Jason Cunliffe (66)
Top scorer	Jason Cunliffe (26)
Home stadium	GFA National Training Center
FIFA code	GUM
First colors Second colors
FIFA ranking
Current	192 (7 February 2019)
Highest	146 (August–September 2015)
Lowest	207 (March 2022)
Elo ranking
Current	207 (3 March 2019)
Highest	96 (June 2015)
Lowest	108 (March 2007)
First international
Guam 1–5 Solomon Islands  (Tumon, Guam; 2 August 1975)
Biggest win
Unofficial  Guam 16–1 Pohnpei  (Koror City, Palau; 27 July 1998)  Guam 15–0 Yap  (Koror City, Palau; 31 July 1998) Official  Guam 9–0 Northern Mariana Islands  (Hagåtña, Guam; 1 April 2007)
Biggest defeat
North Korea 21–0 Guam  (Taipei, Taiwan; 11 March 2005)
Pacific Games
Appearances	5 (first in 1975)
Best result	Sixth place (1979)
Pacific Mini Games
Appearances	1 (first in 1993)
Best result	Group stage (1993)

The Guam national football team is the official football team for Guam. Guam is a territory of the United States. The team plays in international football games. The Guam Football Association controls the team. They are part of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). They belong to the East Asian region.

In 2015, Guam reached its highest FIFA World Ranking ever. They were ranked 146th. This happened after they won games against Turkmenistan and India. Guam's first FIFA World Cup qualification game was against Iran national football team in Tabriz.

History of Guam Football

How Football Started in Guam (1960s–1990s)

Football began in Guam in the 1960s. Two people helped start it: Tony Gillespie, an Irish priest, and Charles Whang, a construction company owner. Whang later became the first president of the Guam Football Association in 1975.

Guam played its first international game in 1975. It was at the 1975 Pacific Games. They lost 5–1 to the Solomon Islands. After that, they lost 11–0 to Fiji. This meant they were out of the competition.

In the 1979 Games, Guam lost again. They lost 11–1 to New Caledonia and 5–0 to New Hebrides. But in a special tournament, Guam won their first games. They beat Western Samoa 4–2 and Tuvalu 7–2.

Becoming Part of AFC and FIFA (1991–2011)

Even though Guam was seen as part of Oceania, they joined the AFC in 1991. They became a full member of the AFC and FIFA in 1996.

As a full member, Guam played its first games against Asian teams. This was during the 1996 AFC Asian Cup qualification. They lost all three matches. They lost to South Korea (9–0), Vietnam (9–0), and Chinese Taipei (9–2).

In 1998, Guam played in the Micronesian Games. This was a special 9-a-side tournament. Guam finished first in their group. However, they lost 3–0 to Northern Mariana Islands in the final game. Guam also played in the 2000 Asian Cup qualifiers. They finished last in their group. They lost to Vietnam (11–0), China (19–0), and Philippines (2–0).

Guam helped start the East Asian Football Federation in 2002. They played in the first 2003 East Asian Football Championship qualifiers. They finished last and did not score any goals. The same happened in the 2004 AFC Asian Cup qualification. They were beaten by Bhutan and Mongolia. For the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, Guam was supposed to play Nepal. But both teams pulled out because of money problems.

In the 2005 East Asian Football Championship qualifiers, Guam lost all four games by a lot. They lost to Chinese Taipei (9–0), Hong Kong (15–0), Mongolia (4–1), and North Korea (21–0). After these losses, Guam joined the 2006 AFC Challenge Cup. This competition helps "emerging nations" improve their football. Guam lost all three games there too. They lost to Palestine (11–0), Bangladesh (3–0), and Cambodia (3–0).

Guam moved to the second stage of qualifying in the 2008 East Asian Football Championship. They beat Northern Marianas 12–2 over two games. But they were then knocked out by Chinese Taipei (10–0) and Hong Kong (15–1). In the 2010 East Asian Football Championship qualifiers, Guam won its first game against a FIFA member. They beat Mongolia 1–0. They finished first in their group but were eliminated in the next stage. Guam returned to the 2011 Pacific Games after 16 years. They only beat American Samoa 2–0. They finished second to last and did not reach the knockout rounds.

Building a Stronger Team (2012–Present)

Gary White became Guam's manager in 2012. He brought in players of Guamanian background who played in the United States. These included Ryan Guy and A. J. DeLaGarza. This helped make the team better. In the 2013 EAFF East Asian Cup, the Matao team moved past the first round. They beat Northern Marianas (3–1) and Macao (3–0).

Guam then played in the 2012 Philippine Peace Cup. They lost to Philippines (1–0) and Chinese Taipei (2–0). But they beat Macao (3–0) in their last group game. They finished third in that tournament. Guam also reached the second qualifying stage for the 2015 and 2017 EAFF Championship. They finished third and fourth, but did not reach the final competition.

In the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Guam won against Turkmenistan (1–0) and India (2–1). They finished fourth in their group. This meant they qualified for the 2019 Asian Cup third round qualifiers. However, Guam decided not to play before the draw happened. Guam also did not get past the first qualifying round for the 2019 EAFF Championship.

During the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, Guam beat Bhutan 5–1 over two games. But they lost all eight of their second-round matches. They finished last in their group. They scored two goals and let in 32 goals.

After almost a year without playing, Guam took part in the first round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification. They played against Singapore. Guam lost 3–1 overall in those two games.

Team Nickname: The Matao

Until 2011, the Guam team was called Chamorros. This name comes from the local people of Guam. When Gary White became the manager, the team changed its nickname to Matao. In the Chamorro language, Matao means the highest social class in old Chamorro society. Coach White also encouraged the team to say the Guam pledge before each game. This pledge is called the Inifresi.

Recent Games and Future Schedule

Here are the results of games Guam has played in the last year. Also, any future games that are planned are listed.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2024 Matches

2024 Marianas Cup April 6	Northern Mariana Islands	2–2	Guam
	M. Toves  8' ???  71' (o.g.)	https://www.mvariety.com/sports/localsports/nmi-men-edge-guam-2-1/article_3a90fa10-f5ad-11ee-9446-c386f4818a14.html	Manibusan  48' Stenson  60'

2024 Marianas Cup April 7	Northern Mariana Islands	2–1	Guam
	Narvaez Jr.  6' Lizama  68'	https://www.mvariety.com/sports/localsports/nmi-men-edge-guam-2-1/article_3a90fa10-f5ad-11ee-9446-c386f4818a14.html	Harmon  74'

2025 EAFF E-1 preliminary 8 December	Guam	v	North Korea	Mong Kok, Hong Kong
14:00 UTC+8				Stadium: Mong Kok Stadium

2025 EAFF E-1 preliminary 11 December	Macau	v	Guam	Kowloon, Hong Kong
14:00 UTC+8				Stadium: Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground

Team Coaches and Staff

Current Coaching Staff

Position	Name
Head coach	Samuel San Gil
Assistant coach	Chris Malenab
Assistant coach	Matt Holland
Goalkeeper coach	Jeroen Bos
Video Analyst	Chris Malenab
Team Doctor	Dr. Luis Cruz
Physiotherapist	J.P. Thompson
Physiotherapist	Walfred Javier
Team Manager	Vance Manibusan
High Performance Manager	Pavel Gubenko
Media Officer	Jill Espiritu
Equipment Director	Thomas Castro

Coaching History

Team Players

Current Squad

These players were chosen for the games against  Singapore in October 2023.

The numbers for games played (caps) and goals scored are correct as of October 17, 2023, after the game against  Singapore.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Dallas Jaye	(1993-06-19) June 19, 1993 (age 32)	22	0	free agent
18	1GK	John-Michael Guidroz	(2004-01-01) January 1, 2004 (age 21)	0	0	University of West Florida
21	1GK	Zaine Rocca	(2007-06-28) June 28, 2007 (age 18)	0	0	Total Futbol Academy
2	2DF	Isiah Lagutang	(1997-08-03) August 3, 1997 (age 27)	13	1	Bank of Guam Strykers FC
3	2DF	Jonahan Romero	(1988-03-17) March 17, 1988 (age 37)	34	0	SYC United
5	2DF	Leon Morimoto	(2001-12-18) December 18, 2001 (age 23)	4	0	Temperley
6	2DF	Nate Lee	(1994-05-06) May 6, 1994 (age 31)	11	0	FC Frederick
12	2DF	Anthony Quidachay	(2002-06-11) June 11, 2002 (age 23)	1	0	Chatham Cougars
13	2DF	Takumi Ito	(2000-02-03) February 3, 2000 (age 25)	3	0	Ezra
15	2DF	Shane Healy	(1998-07-03) July 3, 1998 (age 26)	3	0	Bank of Guam Strykers FC
20	2DF	Dane Agustin	(2006-01-23) January 23, 2006 (age 19)	2	0	San Antonio FC Academy
4	3MF	Kyle Halehale	(2002-06-03) June 3, 2002 (age 23)	10	0	Hartford City FC
7	3MF	John Matkin	(1986-04-20) April 20, 1986 (age 39)	30	2	Free agent
8	3MF	Alec Taitague	(2000-05-09) May 9, 2000 (age 25)	30	2	Roanoke Maroons
10	3MF	Jason Cunliffe (captain)	(1983-10-23) October 23, 1983 (age 41)	66	26	Bank of Guam Strykers FC
14	3MF	Jude Bischoff	(1992-04-26) April 26, 1992 (age 33)	1	0	Guam Shipyard
17	3MF	Levi Berg	(2008-04-15) April 15, 2008 (age 17)	1	0	Guam Shipyard
22	3MF	Travis Nicklaw	(1993-12-21) December 21, 1993 (age 31)	36	1	Free agent
23	3MF	Jason Castro	(2007-07-06) July 6, 2007 (age 17)	0	0
9	4FW	Marcus López	(1992-02-09) February 9, 1992 (age 33)	37	6	Bank of Guam Strykers FC
11	4FW	Eddie Na	(1996-02-12) February 12, 1996 (age 29)	8	0	Tacoma Stars
16	4FW	Ka'eo Gonsalves	(2005-01-06) January 6, 2005 (age 20)	2	0	Richmond Kickers
19	4FW	Oz Rocca	(2004-08-10) August 10, 2004 (age 20)	2	0	Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners

Recent Call-ups

These players have also been called to the Guam team in the last 12 months.

Player Records

Players in bold are still playing for Guam.

Most Games Played (Appearances)

Jason Cunliffe is Guam's top goalscorer and has played the most games for the team.

Top Goal Scorers

Tournament Records

FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup										Qualification
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	F	A		Pld	W	D	L	F	A
1930 to 1998	Not a FIFA member									Not a FIFA member
2002	Did not qualify									2	0	0	2	0	35
2006	Withdrew									Withdrew
2010
2014
2018	Did not qualify									8	2	1	5	3	16
2022										10	1	0	9	7	33
2026										2	0	0	2	1	3
2030	To be determined									To be determined
2034
Total		0/7							22	3	1	18	11	87

AFC Asian Cup

AFC Asian Cup										AFC Asian Cup qualification
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GS	GA		Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1956	Not a member of the AFC									Not a member of the AFC
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992	Did not enter									Did not enter
1996	Did not qualify									3	0	0	3	2	27
2000										3	0	0	3	0	32
2004										2	0	0	2	0	11
2007	Did not enter									Did not enter
2011	Did not qualify									AFC Challenge Cup
2015
2019	Withdrew during qualification									8	2	1	5	3	16
2023	Did not qualify									12	1	0	11	8	36
2027	Excluded during qualification									2	0	0	2	1	3
Total	0/18	—								30	3	1	25	14	125

• 2019 – Guam pulled out of the third tournament because of money problems.

East Asian Football Championship

East Asian Football Championship record										Preliminary competition
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
East Asian Football Championship
2003	Did not qualify									4	0	0	4	0	22
2005										4	0	0	4	1	49
2008										4	2	0	2	13	27
2010										6	2	1	3	9	28
EAFF East Asian Cup
2013	Did not qualify									6	2	1	3	8	18
2015										6	3	2	1	10	6
EAFF E-1 Football Championship
2017	Did not qualify									3	0	0	3	2	7
2019										3	1	1	1	5	3
2022	Did not participate									Not held
2024	To be determined									To be determined
Total	-	0/9	0	0	0	0	0	0		36	10	5	21	48	160

AFC Challenge Cup

AFC Challenge Cup record										Qualification record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
2006	Group stage	16th	3	0	0	3	0	17		No qualification
2008	Did not qualify									3	0	0	3	4	18
2010	Did not enter									Did not enter
2012
2014	Did not qualify									3	1	0	2	3	9
Total	Group stage	1/5	3	0	0	3	0	17		6	1	0	5	7	27

Pacific Games

Pacific Games record Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA 1963 Did not enter 1966 1969 1971 1975 Group stage 7th 2 0 0 2 1 16 1979 6th 5 2 0 3 13 25 1983 Did not enter 1987 1991 Group stage 8th 4 0 0 3 1 52 1995 8th 3 0 0 3 0 23 2003 Did not enter 2007 2011 Group stage 9th 5 1 1 3 4 21 2015 N/A – tournament was U23 2019 Did not enter Total Group stage 5/15 19 3 1 14 19 147

Pacific Mini Games Pacific Mini Games record Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA 1981 did not enter 1993 Group stage 8th 3 0 0 3 1 35 2017 did not enter Total Group Stage 1/3 3 0 0 3 1 35

Micronesian Games

Micronesian Games record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GS	GA
1998	Runners-up	2nd	6	5	0	1	52	7
2014	Did not enter
2018
2022	To be determined
Total	Runners-up	1/3	6	5	0	1	43	5

Honors and Achievements

Friendly Competitions

• Mariana Cup
  • Champions (3): 2007, 2008, 2010

Images for kids

• 

  The official badge of the Guam national football team.

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Guam para niños