Latvia national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Latvia

Nickname(s)	11 vilki (11 Wolves)
Association	Latvijas Futbola federācija (LFF)
Confederation	UEFA
Head coach	Paolo Nicolato
Captain	Kristers Tobers
Most caps	Vitālijs Astafjevs (167)
Top scorer	Māris Verpakovskis (29)
Home stadium	Skonto Stadium Daugava Stadium (rare matches)
FIFA code	LVA
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	131 1 (7 February 2019)
Highest	45 (November 2009)
Lowest	148 (September 2017)
Elo ranking
Current	138 18 (3 March 2019)
Highest	45 (25 September 1938)
Lowest	155 (October 2019)
First international
Latvia 1–1 Estonia  (Riga, Latvia; 24 September 1922)
Biggest win
Latvia 6–1 Lithuania  (Riga, Latvia; 30 May 1935)  Latvia 5–0 Lithuania  (Võru, Estonia; 1 June 2012)  Gibraltar 0–5 Latvia  (Gibraltar; 29 March 2016)  Andorra 0–5 Latvia  (Andorra la Vella, Andorra; 17 November 2020)
Biggest defeat
Sweden 12–0 Latvia  (Stockholm, Sweden; 29 May 1927)
European Championship
Appearances	1 (first in 2004)
Best result	Group stage (2004)
Baltic Cup
Appearances	29 (first in 1928)
Best result	Champions (1928, 1932, 1936, 1937, 1993, 1995, 2001, 2003, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018)

The Latvia national football team represents Latvia in international men's football games. It is managed by the Latvian Football Federation. The team has never played in the FIFA World Cup. However, they did qualify for the European Championship in 2004. This was a big achievement for the team.

Latvia also plays in the Baltic Cup tournament. This competition happens every two years. Latvia competes against its neighbors, Lithuania and Estonia. Latvia has won the Baltic Cup a record 13 times. Their most recent win was in 2018.

The team's main home stadium is the Daugava Stadium in Riga. But since late 2022, most games have been played at Skonto Stadium.

History of Latvian Football

Early Days and First Matches

Latvia played its very first football match in 1922. It was a 1–1 draw against Estonia. Before World War II, from 1922 to 1940, Latvia played 99 official games. They also won the Baltic Cup 12 times during this period.

In 1937, Latvia tried to qualify for the 1938 World Cup. They were in a group with Austria and Lithuania. Latvia beat Lithuania twice. But they lost to Austria. Even though Austria later couldn't play in the World Cup, Latvia was not chosen to replace them.

Becoming Independent and Euro 2004

In 1940, Latvia became part of the Soviet Union. The country became independent again in 1991. Their first game after independence was against Estonia in November 1991. Their first game recognized by FIFA was in April 1992 against Romania. Latvia lost that game 2–0.

Latvian fans at Euro 2004

In 2003, Latvia surprised everyone by finishing second in their qualifying group for Euro 2004. This meant they got to play in a special play-off round. They played against Turkey. Latvia won the first game 1–0, thanks to a goal from their top scorer, Māris Verpakovskis. The second game was a 2–2 draw. This meant Latvia won 3–2 overall and qualified for the tournament!

Latvia was the first and only Baltic team to ever qualify for a European Championship. At Euro 2004, Latvia was in a tough group. They played against Germany, Czech Republic, and Netherlands. In their first match, Latvia scored against the Czech Republic, but lost 2–1. Four days later, they got a great 0–0 draw against Germany. This earned them their first point in a major tournament. They lost their last game 3–0 to the Netherlands and were eliminated.

Since then, Latvia has not qualified for another big tournament. They almost made it to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. But a big loss to Greece ended their hopes. In recent years, the team has struggled. For example, in the Euro 2020 qualifiers, Latvia lost 9 out of 10 games.

Team Look and Feel

Team Kits

Latvia's football kit is usually a red jersey with white details. They wear red shorts and socks. Their away kit is mostly white. Different companies have made Latvia's kits over the years.

Kit supplier	Period
Umbro	1992-1994
Adidas	1994-1996
Tro	1996–1998
Puma	1998–2000
Tramondi	2000–2002
Adidas	2002–present

Team Crest

Before July 2018, the team's badge was the Latvian Football Federation logo. Then, it changed to a shield with a football. The shield has the colors of the Latvian flag. The word 'LATVIJA' is written above it. A second logo, with a howling wolf, was also created. This is part of their "#11vilki" (meaning "#11wolves") brand.

Where to Watch Games

All Latvian matches are shown on the Go3 web streaming service. This service is owned by TV3 Group. For many years, LTV7 used to broadcast the games. But in 2018, TV3 Group took over the rights.

Starting in 2024, the matches of the Latvian national football team will return to LTV7.

Home Stadiums

The team's home games are played at either Skonto Stadium or Daugava Stadium in Riga. Daugava Stadium was the main venue from 1992 to 2000. Skonto Stadium was used while Daugava Stadium was being planned for renovation.

The renovation of Daugava Stadium started in 2017. The team returned to Daugava Stadium in 2018. However, since mid-2022, games have been moved back to Skonto Stadium. This is because of issues with the grass pitch at Daugava. The Latvian Football Federation plans for Skonto Stadium to be the main home for the men's team. Daugava Stadium will be a backup. It will also host games for the women's and youth teams.

In the past, between 1921 and 1940, games were held at different places. One of them was the Army Sports Club Stadium in Riga.

Home Venue Records

Here's a look at how Latvia has played at its home stadiums since 1992.

Team Staff

Coaching Staff

Here are the people who help coach and manage the team:

Position	Name
Head coach	Paolo Nicolato
Assistant coach	Massimo Paganin
	Aleksandrs Cauņa
Video Analyst	Leonardo Carletti
Video Analyst	Iļja Ščaņicins
Fitness coach	Māris Smirnovs
Fitness coach	Vincenzo Pincolini
Goalkeeping coach	Andris Vaņins
Physiotherapist	Artūrs Ivuškāns
	Jurijs Ksenzovs
	Dmitrijs Jefremenkovs
Masseur	Sergejs Avakovs
Doctor	Boriss Novikovs
Manager	Roberts Mežeckis
Kitman	Jānis Zeltiņš
Media officer	Iļja Poļakovs

Manager Statistics

This table shows the record of different coaches who have led the Latvian team:

Coaching History

Here is a list of all the coaches who have managed the Latvian national football team:

Players

Current Squad

These players were chosen for the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League C games in November 2024. Caps (games played) and goals are counted up to November 7, 2024.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
23	1GK	Rihards Matrevics	(1999-03-18) 18 March 1999 (age 26)	12	0	Riga FC-2
12	1GK	Frenks Orols	(2000-06-26) 26 June 2000 (age 24)	0	0	Daugavpils
1	1GK	Krišjānis Zviedris	(1997-01-21) 21 January 1997 (age 28)	0	0	Auda
4	2DF	Kaspars Dubra	(1990-12-20) 20 December 1990 (age 34)	66	3	Panevėžys
11	2DF	Roberts Savaļnieks	(1993-02-04) 4 February 1993 (age 32)	65	2	RFS
14	2DF	Andrejs Cigaņiks	(1997-04-12) 12 April 1997 (age 28)	59	4	Luzern
13	2DF	Raivis Jurkovskis	(1996-12-07) 7 December 1996 (age 28)	49	0	Riga
5	2DF	Antonijs Černomordijs	(1996-09-26) 26 September 1996 (age 28)	38	1	Riga
3	2DF	Vitālijs Jagodinskis	(1992-02-28) 28 February 1992 (age 33)	34	0	Visakha
2	2DF	Daniels Balodis	(1998-06-10) 10 June 1998 (age 27)	15	1	Valmiera
21	2DF	Maksims Toņiševs	(2000-05-12) 12 May 2000 (age 25)	3	0	Valmiera
11	2DF	Emīls Birka	(2000-04-25) 25 April 2000 (age 25)	1	0	Auda
	2DF	Oskars Vientiess	(2002-10-08) 8 October 2002 (age 22)	0	0	Metta
16	3MF	Alvis Jaunzems	(1999-06-16) 16 June 1999 (age 25)	41	0	Stal Mielec
6	3MF	Kristers Tobers (captain)	(2000-12-13) 13 December 2000 (age 24)	37	1	Grasshopper
22	3MF	Aleksejs Saveļjevs	(1999-01-30) 30 January 1999 (age 26)	25	1	Auda
8	3MF	Renārs Varslavāns	(2001-08-23) 23 August 2001 (age 23)	14	1	Valmiera
15	3MF	Dmitrijs Zelenkovs	(2000-05-15) 15 May 2000 (age 25)	12	0	RFS
17	3MF	Lukass Vapne	(2003-08-31) 31 August 2003 (age 21)	8	0	Valmiera
19	3MF	Deniss Meļņiks	(2002-09-07) 7 September 2002 (age 22)	3	0	Valmiera
10	4FW	Jānis Ikaunieks	(1995-02-16) 16 February 1995 (age 30)	63	12	RFS
20	4FW	Roberts Uldriķis	(1998-04-03) 3 April 1998 (age 27)	55	8	Athens Kallithea
9	4FW	Vladislavs Gutkovskis	(1995-04-02) 2 April 1995 (age 30)	50	11	Daejeon Hana Citizen
7	4FW	Eduards Dašķevičs	(2002-07-12) 12 July 2002 (age 22)	16	0	Riga
18	4FW	Dario Šits	(2004-02-04) 4 February 2004 (age 21)	3	1	Helmond Sport
	4FW	Raimonds Krollis	(2001-10-28) 28 October 2001 (age 23)	39	4	Triestina

Recent Call-ups

These players have also been called up to the team in the last year.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Roberts Ozols	(1995-09-10) 10 September 1995 (age 29)	19	0	Qizilqum	v.  Faroe Islands, 10 September 2024
DF	Vjačeslavs Isajevs	(1993-08-23) 23 August 1993 (age 31)	7	0	FK Auda	v.  Faroe Islands, 10 September 2024
DF	Vitālijs Maksimenko	(1990-12-08) 8 December 1990 (age 34)	54	1	Aiolikos	v.  Liechtenstein, 26 March 2024
DF	Mārcis Ošs	(1991-07-25) 25 July 1991 (age 33)	27	1	RFS	v.  Liechtenstein, 26 March 2024
DF	Vladislavs Sorokins	(1997-05-10) 10 May 1997 (age 28)	10	0	Kyzylzhar	v.  Liechtenstein, 26 March 2024
FW	Marko Regža	(1999-01-20) 20 January 1999 (age 26)	10	0	Riga	v.  Faroe Islands, 10 September 2024
RET Retired from national team INJ Injured player WD Withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue

Player Records

These are some of the top players in Latvia's football history. Players in bold are still playing for Latvia.

Most Games Played

Vitālijs Astafjevs is Latvia's most capped player with 167 appearances.

Top Goal Scorers

Māris Verpakovskis is Latvia's top scorer with 29 goals.

Hat-tricks (3 or more goals in one game)

Player	Competition	Against	Home/Away	Result	Date
, Voldemārs ŽinsVoldemārs Žins	International Friendly	Lithuania	Home	6–3	27 July 1927
, Voldemārs PladeVoldemārs Plade	1929 Baltic Cup	Lithuania	Home	3–1	14 August 1929
, Ēriks PētersonsĒriks Pētersons	1930 Baltic Cup	Lithuania	Away	3–3	17 August 1930
, Ēriks PētersonsĒriks Pētersons 4	International Friendly	Lithuania	Home	5–2	30 June 1931
, Ēriks PētersonsĒriks Pētersons	International Friendly	Lithuania	Home	6–2	12 June 1933
Hugo Vītols	International Friendly	Lithuania	Home	6–1	30 May 1935
, Fricis KaņepsFricis Kaņeps	1938 FIFA World Cup qualification	Lithuania	Home	4–2	29 July 1937

• ⁴ Player scored 4 goals

Clean Sheets (Games without letting in a goal)

Tournament Records

FIFA World Cup

Latvia has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup.

FIFA World Cup Record										Qualification Record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1930	Did not enter									Declined invitation
1934										Did not enter
1938	Did not qualify									3	2	0	1	10	5
1950	Part of the  Soviet Union									Part of the  Soviet Union
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994	Did not qualify									12	0	5	7	4	21
1998										10	3	1	6	10	14
2002										8	1	1	6	5	16
2006										12	4	3	5	18	21
2010										10	5	2	3	18	15
2014										10	2	2	6	10	20
2018										10	2	1	7	7	18
2022										10	2	3	5	11	14
2026	To be determined									To be determined
2030
2034
Total		0/11								85	21	18	46	93	144

UEFA European Championship

Latvia has qualified for the UEFA European Championship once, in 2004.

UEFA European Championship Record											Qualifying Record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1960	Part of the  Soviet Union										Part of the  Soviet Union
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996	Did not qualify										10	4	0	6	11	20
2000											10	3	4	3	13	12
2004	Group stage	14th	3	0	1	2	1	5	Squad		10	6	2	2	13	8
2008	Did not qualify										12	4	0	8	15	17
2012											10	3	2	5	9	12
2016											10	0	5	5	6	19
2020											10	1	0	9	3	28
2024											8	1	0	7	5	19
2028	To be determined										To be determined
2032
Total	Group stage	1/8	3	0	1	2	1	5	—		80	22	13	45	75	135

UEFA Nations League

UEFA Nations League Record
Season	Division	Group	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	P/R	RK
2018–19	D	1	6	0	4	2	2	6		51st
2020–21	D	1	6	1	4	1	8	4		53rd
2022–23	D	1	6	4	1	1	12	5		50th
2024–25	C	4	In progress
Total			18	5	9	4	22	15	50th

Baltic Cup

Latvia has won the Baltic Cup 13 times, more than any other country!

Olympic Games

Latvia has only played in the Olympic Games once, in 1924.

Olympic Games Record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad
1924	Second round	15th	1	0	0	1	0	7	Squad
Total	Second round	1/1	1	0	0	1	0	7	—

Game Records Against Other Teams

This table shows Latvia's results against other national teams up to November 17, 2024.

Opponent	Pld	W	D *	L	GF	GA	GD
Albania	5	0	5	0	6	6	0
Andorra	11	7	4	0	23	2	+21
Angola	1	0	1	0	1	1	0
Armenia	6	2	1	3	7	8	–1
Austria	9	2	1	6	9	24	−15
Azerbaijan	5	1	3	1	4	5	−1
Bahrain	1	0	1	0	2	2	0
Belarus	6	1	1	4	7	13	−6
Belgium	2	0	0	2	1	7	−6
Bolivia	1	1	0	0	2	1	+1
Bosnia and Herzegovina	2	0	0	2	1	9	−8
Brazil	1	0	0	1	0	3	−3
Bulgaria	3	0	0	3	0	6	−6
China	1	0	0	1	0	1	−1
Croatia	6	0	0	6	1	17	−16
Cyprus	3	0	1	2	1	4	−3
Czech Republic	5	0	1	4	4	13	−9
Denmark	4	0	1	3	1	7	−6
Estonia	61	28	22	11	95	63	+32
Finland	17	4	3	10	18	32	−14
Faroe Islands	8	2	5	1	5	5	0
France	1	0	0	1	0	7	−7
Georgia	10	3	2	5	10	18	−8
Germany	4	0	1	3	2	13	−11
Ghana	1	0	0	1	0	1	−1
Gibraltar	4	3	0	1	11	3	+8
Greece	8	1	2	5	6	13	−7
Honduras	1	0	0	1	1	2	−1
Hungary	7	1	0	6	7	16	−9
Iceland	7	2	3	2	12	12	0
Israel	8	1	1	6	6	18	−12
Japan	2	0	1	1	2	5	−3
Kazakhstan	7	2	4	1	7	5	+2
Kosovo	1	0	0	1	3	4	−1
Kuwait	2	0	1	1	1	3	−2
Liechtenstein	12	9	2	1	19	5	+14
Lithuania	57	29	12	16	119	79	+40
Luxembourg	7	6	1	0	20	4	+16
Malta	7	3	1	3	8	5	+3
Moldova	5	3	0	2	11	9	+2
Montenegro	4	0	2	2	2	5	−3
Netherlands	5	0	0	5	0	14	−14
North Korea	2	1	1	0	3	2	+1
Macedonia	5	0	0	5	2	11	−9
Northern Ireland	7	2	0	5	4	8	−4
Norway	4	1	1	2	4	5	-1
Oman	2	1	0	1	4	4	0
Poland	16	2	2	12	15	42	−27
Portugal	6	0	0	6	4	18	−14
Qatar	1	0	0	1	1	3	−2
Republic of Ireland	6	0	0	6	3	17	−14
Romania	5	0	1	4	0	9	−9
Russia	4	0	1	3	2	7	−5
San Marino	5	4	1	0	9	1	+8
Saudi Arabia	1	0	0	1	0	2	–2
Scotland	4	0	0	4	1	7	−6
Slovakia	5	0	3	2	5	9	−4
Slovenia	5	1	0	4	2	9	−7
South Korea	2	0	0	2	0	2	−2
Spain	4	0	1	3	0	9	−9
Sweden	17	2	4	11	12	54	−42
Switzerland	5	0	1	4	3	9	−6
Thailand	1	0	1	0	1	1	0
Tunisia	1	0	0	1	0	3	−3
Turkey	10	1	5	4	15	22	−7
Ukraine	3	0	1	2	1	3	−2
United States	1	0	0	1	0	1	−1
Uzbekistan	1	0	0	1	0	3	−3
Wales	3	0	0	3	0	5	−5
Total	418	118	101	199	495	692	−197

*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Team Achievements

Regional Competitions

• Baltic Cup
  • Champions (13): 1928, 1932, 1936, 1937, 1993, 1995, 2001, 2003, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018
  • Runners-up (14)
  • Third place (2)

Friendly Tournaments

• King's Cup
  • Champions (1): 2005

Images for kids

• 

  Latvian fans at Euro 2004

• 

  Vitālijs Astafjevs is Latvia's most capped player with 167 appearances.

• 

  Māris Verpakovskis is Latvia's top scorer with 29 goals.

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Letonia para niños

• Latvia men's national under-21 football team
• Latvia men's national under-19 football team
• Latvia men's national under-17 football team
• Latvia women's national football team
• Latvia women's national under-17 football team