Lebanon national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Lebanon

Nickname(s)	رجال الأرز (The Cedars)
Association	Lebanese Football Association (الاتحاد اللبناني لكرة القدم)
Confederation	AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation	WAFF (West Asia)
Head coach	Aleksandar Ilić
Captain	Hassan Maatouk
Most caps	Hassan Maatouk (100)
Top scorer	Vardan Ghazaryan Hassan Maatouk (21)
Home stadium	Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium
FIFA code	LBN
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	NR (7 February 2019)
Highest	77 (September 2018)
Lowest	178 (April – May 2011)
Elo ranking
Current	96 4 (3 March 2019)
Highest	46 (27 April 1940)
Lowest	164 (28 July 2011)
First international
Palestine, British Mandate 5–1 Lebanon  (Tel Aviv, Mandatory Palestine; 27 April 1940)
Biggest win
Lebanon 11–1 Philippines  (Tokyo, Japan; 28 September 1967)
Biggest defeat
Iraq 8–0 Lebanon  (Baghdad, Iraq; 25 November 1959)  Qatar 8–0 Lebanon  (Doha, Qatar; 27 March 1985)
Asian Cup
Appearances	3 (first in 2000)
Best result	Group stage (2000, 2019)
Arab Cup
Appearances	8 (first in 1963)
Best result	Third place (1963)
WAFF Championship
Appearances	7 (first in 2000)
Best result	Group stage (7 times)
Medal record Men's football Arab Cup Bronze 1963 Lebanon Pan Arab Games Bronze 1957 Beirut Bronze 1997 Beirut Mediterranean Games Bronze 1959 Beirut

The Lebanon national football team, controlled by the Lebanese Football Association (LFA), have represented Lebanon in association football since their inception in 1933. The squad is governed by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) continentally, and FIFA worldwide. While Lebanon have yet to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, they have qualified three times to the AFC Asian Cup: they first participated in 2000, when they hosted the event. Lebanon's main venue is the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in Beirut; however they also play in other locations such as the Saida Municipal Stadium in Sidon.

In 1935, Lebanon played their first match against the Romanian side CA Timișoara (TAC), but it was not ratified by FIFA. Lebanon played their first FIFA-recognised game in 1940 against Mandatory Palestine. During their 2014 qualification campaign for the World Cup, Lebanon reached the final qualifying round for the first time thanks to a 2–1 victory against South Korea at home in 2011, but failed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup finishing bottom of their group. At the 2019 Asian Cup, Lebanon were close to qualifying to the knock-out stages for the first time. However, they lost a tiebreaker to Vietnam in the third-place ranking on the fair play rule and were knocked out of the competition at the group stage. Lebanon also compete in the Arab Cup, the WAFF Championship, and the Pan Arab Games. As hosts, they have finished third—once at the Arab Cup and twice at the Pan Arab Games.

Inspired by their national symbol, the Lebanese team is known as "the Cedars" (Arabic: رجال الأرز) by fans and media. Their home kit is primarily red and their away kit white, a reference to their national flag. After a steady decline in their FIFA ranking from 1998 to 2016, Lebanon jumped 66 places (from 147th in 2016 to 81st in 2018) and reached their highest rank to date—77th—in September 2018. This came after a 16-game unbeaten streak, from 24 March 2016 to 11 October 2018, during which Lebanon won eight games and drew seven.

History

1933–1957: The beginning

Lebanon was one of the first nations in the Middle East to establish an administrative body for association football. On 22 March 1933, representatives of 13 football clubs gathered in the Minet El Hosn district in Beirut to form the Lebanese Football Association (LFA). The LFA was first headed by Hussein Sejaan, and joined FIFA in 1936.

On 3 February 1934, 22 players from Beirut were called up to a training camp by the LFA in view of a friendly game against the Romanian side CA Timișoara (TAC); the players were divided into two teams, and played against each other at the American University of Beirut's (AUB) field. The match against TAC, scheduled to be played on 18 February, was cancelled due to financial disagreements between the LFA and the AUB, who organised the encounter. The Beirut select team eventually played against TAC on 21 November 1935 at AUB's field, losing 3–0. Beirut XI played their first game against Syria's Damascus XI in 1939 at the Habib Abou Chahla Stadium; the match ended in a 5–4 loss. The two teams played 16 unofficial games until 1963, winning seven, drawing two, and losing seven.

Lebanese forward Camille Cordahi during the 1940 match against Mandatory Palestine

The national team's first official FIFA game was a 5–1 loss to Mandatory Palestine on 27 April 1940. Camille Cordahi, assisted by Muhieddine Jaroudi, scored for Lebanon in the second half, becoming his team's first official international scorer. Lebanon played their first official game against Syria on 19 April 1942; coached by Abed Traboulsi, Lebanon lost 2–1 in Beirut. In 1947 Lebanon played two more friendlies against Syria: a 4–1 defeat in Beirut on 4 May, and a 1–0 defeat in Aleppo on 18 May.

During the early-1950s, Lebanon were coached by Vinzenz Dittrich and Ljubiša Broćić. The side played four official games between 1953 and 1956, most notably hosting Hungary in 1956. Lebanon lost the match 4–1, with Hungary's Ferenc Puskás scoring two goals. The team also played unofficial games against top-level European clubs such as Dynamo Moscow, Leipzig, and Spartak Trnava in 1957. Lebanon played Energia Flacăra Ploiești the same year in the opening game of the Sports City Stadium. The match ended 1–0 for Lebanon thanks to a Joseph Abou Mrad goal.

1957–1989: Early history and first tournaments

From 19 to 27 October 1957 Lebanon hosted the second edition of the Pan Arab Games, and were drawn with Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Jordan in the group stages. After two 1–1 draws against Saudi Arabia and Syria, Lebanon defeated Jordan 6–3 in their first official international win thanks to two braces by Joseph Abou Mrad and Mardik Tchaparian, and one goal each by Robert Chehade and Levon Altounian; this placed them first in their group. In the semifinals, Lebanon lost 4–2 to Tunisia. They finished in third place, however, since Morocco withdrew from the third-place match.

Joseph Nalbandian was appointed coach of the national team in 1958. He was one of Lebanon's most successful coaches, winning nine of 26 official matches during his 11-year tenure. Under Nalbadian, Lebanon hosted the 1959 Mediterranean Games and were grouped with Italy B and Turkey B. They finished last in the group, after four losses to the two European teams.

Lebanon at the 1966 Arab Cup

Lebanon hosted the inaugural edition of the Arab Cup in 1963, and were grouped with Tunisia, Syria, Kuwait, and Jordan. They won their first match against Kuwait 6–0, thanks to a hat-trick by Tchaparian. This six-goal win tied Lebanon's biggest win to date, a 7–1 victory against Saudi Arabia in 1961. After another win (against Jordan) and two losses (to Syria and Tunisia), Lebanon finished third in the tournament. In the 1966 edition, Lebanon were drawn with Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain in Group A. After three wins and a draw, they qualified to the semi-finals against Syria, where they lost 1–0. In the third-place match, Lebanon lost 6–1 to Libya, finishing the competition in fourth place. Lebanon had also played at the 1964 Tripoli Fair Tournament; in a group with Libya, Sudan, Morocco, and Malta, they finished in first place with seven points.

Having joined the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in 1964, Lebanon's first Asian Cup qualifying campaign was in 1971, coached by Joseph Abou Mrad. In the first round they lost to hosts Kuwait 1–0, but defeated neighbours Syria 3–2 to qualify for the next round. In a decisive semi-final match against Iraq, Lebanon lost 4–1 and were eliminated. Due to the country's civil war, Lebanon only played nine games between 1975 and 1990. They appeared in the 1980 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers held in Abu Dhabi; with one win, one draw, and one defeat, Lebanon came third in their group and were eliminated. Lebanon also initially took part in the 1986 FIFA World Cup qualifiers; however, after playing four matches, Lebanon withdrew and their results were annulled. In the 1988 Arab Cup, Lebanon were drawn with Egypt, Iraq, Tunisia, and Saudi Arabia. They finished third in their group, with one win, two draws, and one defeat.

1993–2004: Post-Civil War and Asian Cup hosts

Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in 1982; it was destroyed during the Lebanese Civil War.

In 1993 Lebanon played their first qualification campaign after the civil war, in the 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, with Adnan Al Sharqi as their coach. Their gap of 57 years between the date of FIFA affiliation (1936) and their first full World Cup qualifying campaign (1993) was the highest to date; it was surpassed by the Philippines three years later with a gap of 68 years. After two wins, two losses, and four draws, Lebanon finished third in their group and were eliminated. Under Terry Yorath, the team's first foreign manager since the war, Lebanon began their first post-war campaign to qualify for the 1996 AFC Asian Cup. Despite winning twice against Turkmenistan and losing only once (at home, against Kuwait), Lebanon were eliminated from the competition with a one-point difference with Kuwait (the group leader).

Yorath helped Lebanon gain 10 places in the FIFA World Ranking thanks to a 3–3 draw against the Czech Republic and a 1–0 win against Jordan, both friendlies played in February 1997. Thanks to their performances, Lebanon were awarded the Asian Team of the Month award in February. Lebanon were drawn in a group which included Kuwait and Singapore in the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, played between April and June 1997. Led by Yorath, the Cedars were eliminated with only four points. Despite the team's elimination, the Welsh manager was one of the team's most successful managers, winning 13 of 31 official matches during his two-year tenure.

Lebanon hosted the 2000 AFC Asian Cup, despite FIFA's concerns about stadium conditions. Under Croatian coach Josip Skoblar, Lebanon, captained by Jamal Taha, drew into Group A with Iran, Iraq, and Thailand. Out of the 23 called-up players for the tournament, five were Brazilians with Lebanese ancestry.

Lebanon played their first Asian Cup game against Iran on 12 October 2000 at the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium with 52,418 spectators. Trailing by one goal at half time, Lebanon conceded three further goals in the second half to end their first group stage match in a 4–0 defeat. In the second match, against Iraq, two goals in the first 22 minutes gave the opposing team a comfortable lead. However, an Abbas Chahrour long-distance volley in the 28th minute, Lebanon's first goal in the competition, and a goal by Moussa Hojeij in the 76th minute gave Lebanon their first point of the competition. Lebanon played Thailand in the final group stage match. With the opposing team gaining the lead in the 58th minute, Luís Fernandes equalised for Lebanon to end the match 1–1. The draw was not enough as they finished last in the group, with only two points.

Managed by Theo Bücker, Lebanon drew with Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand in the first round of the 2002 World Cup qualifications. The team, with good offense from Roda Antar, Haitham Zein, Vartan Ghazarian, and Gilberto dos Santos, finished second in their group with 26 goals in six games (the most in their group).

Under Richard Tardy, Lebanon drew into Group D of the 2004 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. Before the match away to North Korea, the Lebanese team were reportedly ill-treated; hotel conditions were poor, and their training field contained goats and sheep. Lebanon finished third in their group, with four points. For the second round of the qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup, Lebanon were grouped with South Korea, Vietnam, and the Maldives. Under Mahmoud Hamoud, they finished second in their group and were eliminated.

2006–2014: Final round of World Cup qualification and match fixing

Lebanon drew into Group D for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup qualifying campaign with Australia, Bahrain, and Kuwait, played in 2006. The scheduled meeting between Australia and Lebanon made Buddy Farah, an Australian player of Lebanese descent, declare his return to the Lebanese national side. Before Lebanon's match with Bahrain on 16 August, it was announced on 1 August that the Asian Football Confederation had accepted a withdrawal request from the Lebanon Football Association due to the 2006 Lebanon War, which forced several players to leave their homes to avoid the war. In 2007 Lebanon was seeded in the first round of the qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup, where they faced India to qualify directly for the third round of the qualifiers. Lebanon won 6–3 on aggregate and advanced to the third round, with two goals by Mohammed Ghaddar in the second match. Lebanon, grouped with Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Uzbekistan, finished last with no points.

In April 2008, Lebanon and the Maldives (the two lowest-ranked teams in Asia) played home-and-away matches in the preliminary round of the 2011 Asian Cup; the winner would proceed to the next round. A 4–0 home win and a 2–1 victory in the away match advanced Lebanon to the qualifying round. Between 2009 and 2010, they drew into Group D with China, Syria, and Vietnam, finishing last. Emile Rustom, re-appointed as head coach in November 2008, led Lebanon into the second round of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers. They faced Bangladesh, winning 4–0 in Beirut on 23 July 2011, and losing 2–0 in Dhaka five days later. Lebanon advanced to the third round, where they were grouped with South Korea, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Rustom resigned less than a week later, citing internal administrative problems.

On 4 August 2011, Theo Bücker was reappointed as Lebanon's head coach. The former national team manager took the reins nine years after leaving that position. Lebanon began the third round losing 6–0 away to South Korea. In the second match, they came back from one goal down to defeat the UAE 3–1 at home. The team then drew 2–2 to Kuwait in Beirut on 11 October. For the first time since 2005, when the LFA barred fans from the stadiums due to behavioural issues, spectators (32,000) were allowed at the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium. Bad fan behaviour (mainly fireworks-related) was again a problem against Kuwait, forcing referee Masaaki Toma to stop the game several times. A month later, Lebanon defeated Kuwait 1–0 in Kuwait City; it was Kuwait's first home loss to Lebanon. On 15 November, Lebanon hosted South Korea at Beirut's Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium before over 40,000 spectators. Ali Al Saadi gave Lebanon the lead after four minutes, however South Korea tied the score with a penalty kick. Lebanon regained the lead in the 30th minute through an Abbas Ali Atwi penalty; the match finished in a 2–1 victory. Lebanon's first-ever win against South Korea qualified them for the fourth (and final) round of the World Cup qualifiers for the first time.

Lebanon against Iran at the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification

In 2012 Lebanon drew into Group A of the fourth round, with South Korea, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Qatar. In Lebanon's fourth game, on 11 September against Iran, a first-half Roda Antar goal gave Lebanon the lead through a header. They held onto the lead and won 1–0; the three points were crucial to stay in contention for a spot at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. On 26 February 2013, team members Ramez Dayoub and Mahmoud El Ali were involved in the 2013 Lebanese match-fixing scandal; they were accused of illegal betting on several matches involving Lebanese teams (including the national team), in addition to manipulating results. The players were fined $15,000 and banned from the Lebanon Football Association for life. Lebanon's 1–0 defeat to Qatar was part of the scandal, with defender Dayoub purposely passing the ball to the Qatari striker, who netted the only goal of the game. The Lebanese team then lost to Uzbekistan 1–0 on the road. In the following match they hosted South Korea in Beirut and led 1–0, until South Korea scored the equaliser in the 97th minute, eliminating Lebanon.

In 2013 the team drew into group B with Iran, Thailand and Kuwait for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualifications. After losing 5–0 to Iran, and winning 5–2 against Thailand, Giuseppe Giannini replaced Theo Bücker as head coach. During Giannini's first game, on match day three, Mohammad Ghaddar scored the equaliser against Kuwait in Beirut to earn a point for Lebanon. Lebanon ended the qualifications in third place in their group, with two wins, two draws, and two losses. Lebanon and China were tied on points in the ranking of third-places teams; China had a better goal difference, however, and went on to play in the final tournament.

After the country's failed attempt to qualify for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup in Australia, the Lebanese Football Association decided to reform the national team in 2014 by modeling it on the Belgium national team (particularly Belgium's performance in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil). Inviting new players from nations with a large Lebanese community (such as the United States, Germany, Denmark, and Norway) would, it was hoped, bring about a rebirth of Lebanese football. On 8 September 2014, Lebanon played an unofficial FIFA match against the Brazilian Olympic team in Doha for the first time; the match ended in a 2–2 draw. Hassan Maatouk scored a goal which would have given Lebanon a 3–1 lead, but the goal was incorrectly ruled offside; Brazil's equalising goal was erroneously ruled onside. The match excited the Lebanese people, despite poor refereeing. After Lebanon's 5–0 away loss to Qatar a month later, Giuseppe Giannini was fired.

2015–2019: First Asian Cup qualification

Radulović coached Lebanon between 2015 and 2019.

Miodrag Radulović was appointed the team's new coach in 2015, and led Lebanon in the 2018 World Cup qualifications, played between June 2015 and March 2016. The team were drawn in a group that included Asia's runners-up South Korea, Kuwait, Myanmar, and Laos, the second time Lebanon faced South Korea and Kuwait in World Cup qualifiers. Lebanon finished second in the group and, although they were eliminated from the World Cup, they qualified to the 2019 Asian Cup qualification third round, played between March 2017 and March 2018.

The Asian Cup draw put Lebanon in Group B, with North Korea, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. With five wins and a draw, Lebanon topped the group and qualified for the cup for the first time (after qualifying as host in 2000, the country's only previous participation). Hassan Maatouk (who succeeded Roda Antar as captain in 2016) was key to Lebanon's success, scoring five goals in six games. Although Radulović failed to qualify the team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, he helped Lebanon reach their first-ever AFC Asian Cup through qualification in 2019; he was the first Montenegrin manager to help a team qualify for a major tournament. Radulović managed a 16-game unbeaten streak (from 24 March 2016 to 11 October 2018), winning eight and drawing eight, making Lebanon the second-most unbeaten national team by number of games at that point (16) after Spain (26). In September 2018, Lebanon achieved their best-ever FIFA ranking (77th).

Lebanon during the 2019 AFC Asian Cup group stage match against Saudi Arabia

Lebanon relied on their diaspora abroad for the 2019 Asian Cup, with nine of their 23 called-up players being born outside of Lebanon. They started the campaign on 9 January 2019, with a 2–0 loss against Qatar. In the 37th minute, Ali Hamam scored a goal for Lebanon from a corner, only for it to be controversially disallowed for a foul. Two goals by Qatar in the second half secured all three points for the opposing team. Three days later, Lebanon played their second match of the tournament against Saudi Arabia. Two goals without reply brought Lebanon their second defeat of the tournament.

In the final group stage game against North Korea, played on 17 January, Lebanon needed to win by four goals to pass to the knock-out stages. The encounter ended in a 4–1 win, thanks to a brace by Hilal El-Helwe, which gave Lebanon their first ever Asian Cup win. However, they lost out to Vietnam in the third-place ranking on the fair play rule. Because they had received seven yellow cards against five by Vietnam, they were knocked out of the competition.

Liviu Ciobotariu was appointed for the joint qualifications for the 2022 World Cup and the 2023 Asian Cup. His first games took place at the 2019 WAFF Championship, where Lebanon were drawn with hosts Iraq, Syria, Palestine, and Yemen. Lebanon finished fourth in their group with four points, after a win, a draw, and two defeats.

For the second round of qualification for the 2022 World Cup, Lebanon were drawn with South Korea, for the third time in a row, North Korea, who Lebanon had faced in both the qualifications and final stage of the 2019 Asian Cup, Turkmenistan and Sri Lanka. Lebanon played five matches (two wins, two draws, and one defeat) between September and November 2019, before the remaining games were postponed on 9 March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia.

2020–present: Recent history

Lebanon against Iran at the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification

Former national team captain Jamal Taha was appointed head coach in summer 2020. North Korea withdrew from the World Cup qualifiers in May 2021, and their previous results were voided; this highly benefited Lebanon, as they had only gained one point in two games against them. Despite only winning only one of their following three games, other results went in Lebanon's favour and they finished among the best runners-up, qualifying to the 2023 Asian Cup for the third time, and the final round of 2022 World Cup qualification for the second time.

Between September 2021 and March 2022, Lebanon played in Group A of the final round of qualification under coach Ivan Hašek; they were drawn with Iran, South Korea, the UAE, Iraq and Syria. Lebanon's performance was inconsistent, gaining five points away from home, but only one at home. Having earned five points from the opening four games, most notably via a 3–2 win against Syria, the team was noted as an "early surprise", sitting in the play-off qualifying third place as the lowest-ranked team in the round. Lebanon only gained one point from the remaining six games, and finished in last place with six points. The qualification campaign was partially covered by Captains, a docuseries released by FIFA and Netflix following six national teams and their respective captains in their 2022 World Cup qualification runs.

Team image

Nickname

Lebanon is known as "the Cedars" (Arabic: رجال الأرز) by fans and the media, since the cedar tree is the country's national symbol.

Kits

Lebanon's kit over the years

1940

1966

2019

The national team traditionally wear red as their primary colour and white as their secondary colour. The choices originate from the national flag of Lebanon (red, white, and green); green is typically reserved for the goalkeeper. At home, Lebanon usually wear a red shirt, shorts, and socks, with white details; the away kit is a white outfit with red details.

During their first unofficial match in 1935, Lebanon wore white shirts with the Lebanese cedar and the association's name on the chest, black shorts, and white socks; the goalkeeper wore a black shirt and white trousers. In 1940, on the occasion of their first FIFA-sanctioned game against Mandatory Palestine, Lebanon wore a white kit with a black collar, along with black shorts and striped socks. During the 1960s, Lebanon wore a red shirt with a white horizontal band in the center, which included a green cedar tree in the middle; the shorts were white, and the socks were red-and-white-striped.

In the 2000 AFC Asian Cup, Lebanon wore a red Adidas shirt with white details on the sides and a white collar, white shorts, and red socks. In the 2019 campaign, Lebanon wore a red kit (manufactured by Capelli Sport) with white details and a white collar. The Lebanese cedar, the country's national symbol, was present under the team logo in a darker shade of red. Since 2015 the team kit has been manufactured by Capelli Sport, a sports brand founded by Lebanese-born entrepreneur George Altirs. Previous manufacturers include Diadora and Adidas.

Home stadium

The Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in 2018

The Lebanese national team play their home games in various stadiums throughout the country. The team's main venue is the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium. Built in 1957 during the presidency of Camille Chamoun, it is the country's largest stadium with 49,500 seats. Its inaugural game was in 1957, when the national team played Energia Flacara Ploiesti and won 1–0 thanks to a Joseph Abou Mrad goal. It was the main stadium used to host the 2000 Asian Cup held in Lebanon; six matches were played in the stadium including the opening match and the final. In 2011 the stadium hosted the famed 2–1 victory against South Korea in the 2014 World Cup qualification, sending Lebanon to the final round of qualification for the first time. Over 40,000 spectators were present to watch the match.

The national team, however, also play in other stadiums such as the Saida Municipal Stadium located in Sidon. Built over the sea, the stadium holds 22,600 people, and was one of the venues to host the 2000 Asian Cup. Other stadiums in which the national team play include the Tripoli Municipal Stadium and the Beirut Municipal Stadium.

Media

Produced by Fulwell 73, FIFA released Captains in 2022, an eight-part sports docuseries following six national team captains in their respective 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification campaigns. Hassan Maatouk, representing Lebanon, starred in the first season alongside Thiago Silva (Brazil), Luka Modrić (Croatia), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon), Andre Blake (Jamaica) and Brian Kaltak (Vanuatu). It was released by Netflix, and also shown on FIFA's own streaming platform, FIFA+.

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2022

2022 World Cup qualification R3 27 January 2022	Lebanon	0–1	Korea Republic	Sidon, Lebanon
14:00 UTC+2		https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022/qualifiers/afc/match-center/400181493	Cho Gue-sung  45+1'	Stadium: Saida Municipal Stadium Attendance: 5,400 Referee: Ahmed Al-Kaf (Oman)

2022 World Cup qualification R3 1 February 2022	Lebanon	1–1	Iraq	Sidon, Lebanon
14:00 UTC+2	Sabra  45+2'	https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022/qualifiers/afc/match-center/400181511	Hussein  39'	Stadium: Saida Municipal Stadium Attendance: 6,341 Referee: Adham Makhadmeh (Jordan)

2022 World Cup qualification R3 24 March 2022	Lebanon	0–3	Syria	Sidon, Lebanon
14:00 UTC+2		https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022/qualifiers/afc/match-center/400181513	Al Dali  14' Mardikian  38' (pen.) Al Marmour  44'	Stadium: Saida Municipal Stadium Attendance: 5,422 Referee: Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (Qatar)

2022 World Cup qualification R3 29 March 2022	Iran	2–0	Lebanon	Mashhad, Iran
16:00 UTC+4:30	Azmoun  35' Jahanbakhsh  62'	https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022/qualifiers/afc/match-center/400181517		Stadium: Imam Reza Stadium Attendance: 22,453 Referee: Fu Ming (China)

Friendly 19 November 2022	Kuwait	2–0	Lebanon	Dubai, United Arab Emirates
19:00 UTC+4	Zayid  71' (pen.) Bajeyah  83'	https://globalsportsarchive.com/match/soccer/2022-11-19/kuwait-vs-lebanon/2849073/		Stadium: Police Officers' Club Stadium Referee: Ahmed Eisa Mohamed (United Arab Emirates)

Friendly 30 December 2022	United Arab Emirates	1–0	Lebanon	Dubai, United Arab Emirates
19:30 UTC+4	Tagliabúe  79'	https://globalsportsarchive.com/match/soccer/2022-12-30/united-arab-emirates-vs-lebanon/2884257/		Stadium: Al Maktoum Stadium Referee: Qasim Matar Al Hatmi (Oman)

Players

Current squad

The following players were called up for the friendly match against the United Arab Emirates on 30 December 2022.

Information correct as of 30 December 2022, after the match against the United Arab Emirates

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Mehdi Khalil	(1991-09-19) 19 September 1991 (age 32)	49	0	Ahed
21	1GK	Ali Sabeh	(1994-06-24) 24 June 1994 (age 29)	2	0	Nejmeh
23	1GK	Antoine Al Douaihy	(1999-03-18) 18 March 1999 (age 24)	0	0	Salam Zgharta
2	2DF	Andrew Sawaya	(2000-04-30) 30 April 2000 (age 23)	1	0	Ahed
3	2DF	Maxime Aoun	(2001-03-04) 4 March 2001 (age 22)	0	0	Ansar
4	2DF	Mohammad El Hayek	(2000-02-19) 19 February 2000 (age 23)	1	0	Tadamon Sour
5	2DF	Mohamad Baker El Housseini	(2002-12-08) 8 December 2002 (age 20)	1	0	Safa
15	2DF	Said Awada	(1992-11-07) 7 November 1992 (age 30)	1	0	Nejmeh
6	3MF	Mahdi Zein	(2000-05-23) 23 May 2000 (age 23)	5	0	Nejmeh
8	3MF	Mouhammed-Ali Dhaini	(1994-03-01) 1 March 1994 (age 29)	18	0	Trelleborg
12	3MF	Hasan Srour	(2001-12-18) 18 December 2001 (age 21)	1	0	Ahed
14	3MF	Nader Matar	(1992-05-12) 12 May 1992 (age 31)	55	2	Ansar
16	3MF	Walid Shour	(1996-06-10) 10 June 1996 (age 27)	6	0	Ahed
22	3MF	Ali Tneich	(1992-07-16) 16 July 1992 (age 31)	1	0	Ansar
7	4FW	Zein Farran	(1999-07-21) 21 July 1999 (age 24)	2	0	Shabab Sahel
9	4FW	Karim Darwich	(1998-11-02) 2 November 1998 (age 24)	7	0	Ansar
10	4FW	Ali Al Haj	(2001-02-02) 2 February 2001 (age 22)	1	0	Ahed
11	4FW	Mohamad Kdouh	(1997-07-10) 10 July 1997 (age 26)	24	6	Ahed
17	4FW	Khalil Bader	(1999-07-27) 27 July 1999 (age 24)	2	0	Nejmeh
18	4FW	Mohammad Nasser	(2001-10-16) 16 October 2001 (age 21)	0	0	Ahed
19	4FW	Gabriel Bitar	(1998-08-23) 23 August 1998 (age 25)	1	0	Free agent
20	4FW	Daniel Lajud	(1999-01-22) 22 January 1999 (age 24)	2	0	Atlante

Recent call-ups

The following footballers were part of a national selection in the past 12 months, but are not part of the current squad.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Mostafa Matar	(1995-09-10) 10 September 1995 (age 28)	16	0	Al-Orobah	2022-11-19 v.  Kuwait, 19 November 2022
GK	Hadi Mortada	(1999-08-01) 1 August 1999 (age 24)	0	0	Tadamon Sour	2022-03-29 v.  Iran, 29 March 2022
DF	Robert Alexander Melki	(1992-11-14) 14 November 1992 (age 30)	24	0	AFC Eskilstuna	2022-12-30 v.  UAE, 30 December 2022
DF	Nour Mansour	(1989-10-22) 22 October 1989 (age 33)	63	2	Ahed	2022-11-19 v.  Kuwait, 19 November 2022
DF	Kassem El Zein	(1990-12-02) 2 December 1990 (age 32)	32	0	Nejmeh	2022-11-19 v.  Kuwait, 19 November 2022
DF	Maher Sabra	(1992-01-14) 14 January 1992 (age 31)	17	1	Nejmeh	2022-11-19 v.  Kuwait, 19 November 2022
DF	Hussein Zein	(1995-01-27) 27 January 1995 (age 28)	17	0	Ahed	2022-11-19 v.  Kuwait, 19 November 2022
DF	Nassar Nassar	(1992-01-01) 1 January 1992 (age 31)	13	0	Ansar	2022-11-01 Training camp, November 2022
DF	Mohamad Zein Tahan	(1988-04-20) 20 April 1988 (age 35)	38	1	Safa	2022-03-29 v.  Iran, 29 March 2022
DF	Joan Oumari	(1988-08-19) 19 August 1988 (age 35)	36	4	Free agent	2022-03-29 v.  Iran, 29 March 2022
DF	Hassan Chaitou	(1991-06-16) 16 June 1991 (age 32)	17	0	Ansar	2022-03-29 v.  Iran, 29 March 2022
DF	Hussein El Dor	(1994-01-18) 18 January 1994 (age 29)	5	0	Ansar	2022-03-29 v.  Iran, 29 March 2022
DF	Abbas Assi	(1995-07-09) 9 July 1995 (age 28)	13	0	Shabab Sahel	2022-03-20 v.  Syria, 20 March 2022
MF	George Felix Melki	(1994-07-23) 23 July 1994 (age 29)	27	1	AFC Eskilstuna	2022-12-30 v.  UAE, 30 December 2022
MF	Bassel Jradi	(1993-07-06) 6 July 1993 (age 30)	17	1	Apollon Limassol	2022-11-19 v.  Kuwait, 19 November 2022
MF	Hassan Kourani	(1995-01-22) 22 January 1995 (age 28)	1	0	Nejmeh	2022-11-19 v.  Kuwait, 19 November 2022
MF	Mohamad Haidar	(1989-11-08) 8 November 1989 (age 33)	81	4	Ahed	2022-11-01 Training camp, November 2022
MF	Majed Osman	(1994-06-09) 9 June 1994 (age 29)	3	0	Dewa United	2022-09-27 Training camp, September 2022
MF	Jihad Ayoub	(1995-03-30) 30 March 1995 (age 28)	4	0	PSS Sleman	2022-03-29 v.  Iran, 29 March 2022
FW	Hassan Maatouk (captain)	(1987-08-10) 10 August 1987 (age 36)	100	21	Ansar	2022-11-19 v.  Kuwait, 19 November 2022
FW	Soony Saad	(1992-08-17) 17 August 1992 (age 31)	26	7	Penang	2022-11-19 v.  Kuwait, 19 November 2022
FW	Hilal El-Helwe	(1994-11-24) 24 November 1994 (age 28)	44	9	Free agent	2022-09-27 Training camp, September 2022
FW	Fadel Antar	(1995-11-13) 13 November 1995 (age 27)	4	0	Shabab Sahel	2022-09-27 Training camp, September 2022
FW	Rabih Ataya	(1989-07-16) 16 July 1989 (age 34)	49	5	Ahed	2022-03-29 v.  Iran, 29 March 2022
FW	Hassan Mehanna	(1997-01-29) 29 January 1997 (age 26)	1	0	Nejmeh	2022-03-29 v.  Iran, 29 March 2022

Individual records

Most-capped players

Hassan Maatouk is Lebanon's all-time record goalscorer and most-capped player.

As of 19 November  2022 (2022 -11-19)^[update]. Highlighted names denote a player still playing or available for selection.

Top scorers

With 21 goals, Vardan Ghazaryan is Lebanon's joint-top scorer alongside Hassan Maatouk.

As of 19 November  2022 (2022 -11-19)^[update]. Highlighted names denote a player still playing or available for selection.

Competitive record

FIFA World Cup

Lebanon's match against South Korea at the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers

Although the Lebanese Football Association was formed in 1933, Lebanon's first qualification campaign for the FIFA World Cup took place in the 1986 edition. However, after playing four matches, Lebanon withdrew due to the ongoing civil war, and their results were subsequently annulled. The country's first full qualification campaign came two editions later, in 1994, where they finished third in their group with two wins, four draws, and two losses. Ever since, Lebanon have participated in every iteration of the World Cup qualifiers.

Lebanon first reached the final round of World Cup qualification during the 2014 campaign. After beating Bangladesh 4–2 on aggregate in the second round, Lebanon qualified to the third round, where they were drawn with South Korea, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. The team beat South Korea in a historic 2–1 win at home, coming second in their group and qualifying to the fourth (and final) round for the first time. Grouped with Iran, South Korea, Uzbekistan, and Qatar, Lebanon finished last in Group A and were eliminated with only one win and two draws in eight games.

     Champions       Runners-up       Third place  

FIFA World Cup											Qualification
Year	Host	Round	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pos.	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Ref.
1930 to 1982		Did not enter									Did not enter							—
1986	Mexico	Withdrew									Withdrew
1990	Italy	Did not enter									Did not enter							—
1994	United States	Did not qualify									3rd of 5	8	2	4	2	8	9
1998	France										2nd of 3	4	1	1	2	4	7
2002	South Korea  Japan										2nd of 4	6	4	1	1	26	5
2006	Germany										2nd of 4	6	3	2	1	11	5
2010	South Africa										First round win, 4th of 4	8	1	1	6	9	17
2014	Brazil										Second round win, 2nd of 4, 5th of 5	13	5	2	6	16	22
2018	Russia										2nd of 5	8	3	2	3	12	6
2022	Qatar										2nd of 5, 6th of 6	16	4	4	8	16	21
2026	Canada  Mexico  United States	To be determined									To be determined
Total		N/A	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0/22	69	23	17	29	102	92

AFC Asian Cup

Lebanon's match against Qatar at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup

Lebanon's first qualification campaign for the AFC Asian Cup came at the 1972 edition; drawn in Group B of the Western Zone, Lebanon came second thanks to a 3–2 victory over neighbors Syria and advanced to the next stage. In the decisive semi-final match against Iraq, Lebanon lost 4–1 and were knocked-out. Lebanon won a consolatory third-place match against Jordan.

The 2000 edition was Lebanon's first participation in the finals, when the country hosted the event. Following a 4–0 defeat to Iran in the competition's opening match, Lebanon came from behind to draw 2–2 against Iraq; Abbas Chahrour became Lebanon's first goalscorer in the competition. Lebanon drew once again, 1–1 against Thailand, and were eliminated, finishing last in the group.

After finishing the 2019 third round of qualification unbeaten, Lebanon qualified to the Asian Cup for the first time in their history. In the finals, Lebanon lost the first group stage match 2–0 to eventual champions Qatar, before losing once again by the same score to Saudi Arabia. In the final match of the group, Lebanon needed a win by four goals or more against North Korea to qualify to the knock-out stage. Despite conceding an early free-kick goal, Lebanon went on to win the match 4–1 thanks to a brace by Hilal El-Helwe. However, they lost out to Vietnam in the third-place ranking due to having received more yellow cards, and were knocked out of the competition.

     Champions       Runners-up       Third place  

AFC Asian Cup											Qualification
Year	Host	Round	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pos.	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Ref.
1956 to 1968		Did not enter									Did not enter							—
1972	Thailand	Did not qualify									2nd of 3, semi-final loss	3	1	0	2	4	7
1976	Iran	Withdrew									Withdrew
1980	Kuwait	Did not qualify									3rd of 4	3	1	1	1	2	1
1984	Singapore	Withdrew									Withdrew
1988	Qatar	Did not enter									Did not enter							—
1992	Japan																	—
1996	United Arab Emirates	Did not qualify									2nd of 3	4	2	1	1	7	6
2000	Lebanon	Group stage	3	0	2	1	3	7	Squad		Qualified as hosts
2004	China	Did not qualify									3rd of 4	6	1	1	4	2	8
2007	Indonesia  Malaysia  Thailand  Vietnam	Withdrew									Withdrew
2011	Qatar	Did not qualify									Preliminary round win, 4th of 4	8	2	1	5	8	14
2015	Australia										3rd of 4	6	2	2	2	12	14
2019	United Arab Emirates	Group stage	3	1	0	2	4	5	Squad		2nd of 5, 1st of 4	14	8	3	3	26	10
2023	Qatar	Qualified									2nd of 5	6	3	1	2	11	8
Total		Group stage	6	1	2	3	7	12	—		3/18	50	20	10	20	72	68	—

Summer Olympic Games

Lebanon's senior team have never qualified to the Summer Olympics final tournament; their first qualification campaign was for Rome 1960. After losing the first two group stage games against Iraq, Lebanon withdrew and the two remaining matches were awarded to their opponent Turkey. Lebanon participated in two more qualifications, in 1968 and 1972, failing to qualify to the final tournament on both occasions. Starting from the 1992 edition, the Olympic Football Tournament has been reserved for national under-23 teams.

Lebanon's Summer Olympic Games record											Qualification record
Host nation, city and year	Round	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Outcome	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Ref
Paris 1900	Did not participate										Did not participate							—
St. Louis 1904																		—
London 1908																		—
Stockholm 1912																		—
Antwerp 1920																		—
Paris 1924																		—
Amsterdam 1928																		—
Berlin 1936																		—
London 1948																		—
Helsinki 1952																		—
Melbourne 1956																		—
Rome 1960	Withdrew										3rd of 3	4	0	0	4	0	15
Tokyo 1964											Withdrew
Mexico City 1968	Did not qualify										3rd of 6	5	2	1	2	18	9
Munich 1972											First round loss	3	1	0	2	2	3
Montreal 1976	Withdrew										Withdrew
Moscow 1980	Did not participate										Did not participate							—
Los Angeles 1984	Withdrew										Withdrew
Seoul 1988	Did not participate										Did not participate							—
1992–present	See Lebanon national under-23 football team										See Lebanon national under-23 football team
Total	Best: N/A	0/19	–	–	–	–	–	–	—		Total	12	3	1	8	20	27	—
Gold       Silver       Bronze   Home venue

FIFA Arab Cup

Lebanon at the 1963 Arab Cup

Lebanon have taken part in all iterations of the Arab Cup, except the 1985 and 1992 editions. They hosted the inaugural edition in 1963, in a group containing Tunisia, Syria, Kuwait, and Jordan. After beating Kuwait 6–0 through a hat-trick by Mardik Tchaparian, Lebanon lost 3–2 to Syria, before winning 5–0 against Jordan. In a decisive match against Tunisia, Muhieddine Itani scored an own goal, and Lebanon lost 1–0, finishing third.

Lebanon finished in fourth place in the subsequent two editions (1964 and 1966); ever since, they have failed to pass the group stage.

Lebanon's FIFA Arab Cup record											Qualification record
Host nation(s) and year	Round	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Outcome	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Ref
1963	Third place	3rd of 5	4	2	0	2	13	4	Squad		Qualified as invitees
1964	Fourth place	4th of 5	4	1	1	2	4	5	Squad		Qualified as invitees
1966		4th of 9	6	3	1	2	11	10	Squad		Qualified as invitees
1985	Did not participate										Withdrew							—
1988	Group stage	6th of 10	4	1	2	1	2	4	Squad		2nd of 3	2	0	1	1	1	2
1992	Did not participate										No qualifying tournament							—
1998	Group stage	9th of 12	2	0	1	1	1	4	Squad		3rd of 4	3	1	0	2	3	4
2002		8th of 10	4	1	1	2	5	7	Squad		Qualified as invitees
2009	Cancelled										2nd of 4	3	1	2	0	4	0
2012	Group stage	10th of 10	3	0	1	2	1	4	Squad		Qualified as invitees
2021	Group stage	10th of 16	3	1	0	2	1	3	Squad		Win	1	1	0	0	1	0
Total	Best: third place	8/10	27	8	7	12	37	38	—		Total	9	3	3	3	9	6	—
Champions       Runners-up       Third place Home venue

WAFF Championship

Bar the 2008 and 2010 editions, Lebanon have participated in every WAFF Championship; however, they have failed to qualify past the group stage on all occasions. Their first participation in the WAFF Championship was in 2000, at the inaugural edition. Drawn with Iraq, hosts Jordan, and Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon finished third in their group with one win, one draw, and one loss.

Lebanon's WAFF Championship record
Host nation(s) and year	Round	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad	Ref
2000	Group stage	5th of 8	3	1	1	1	3	2	Squad
2002		5th of 6	2	0	0	2	0	3	Squad
2004		6th of 6	2	0	0	2	1	7	Squad
2007		6th of 6	2	0	0	2	0	4	Squad
2008	Did not participate									—
2010										—
2012	Group stage	9th of 12	3	1	0	2	2	3	Squad
2013		8th of 9	2	0	1	1	0	2	Squad
2019		7th of 9	4	1	1	2	3	4	Squad
2023	To be determined								Squad
Total	Best: group stage	8/10	18	3	3	12	9	25	—	—
Champions       Runners-up       Third place/semi-finalists   Home venue

Pan Arab Games

After participating in the inaugural edition of the Pan Arab Games, at Alexandria 1953, Lebanon hosted the 1957 edition. Topping a group containing Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, Lebanon reached the semi-finals where they lost 4–2 to Tunisia. Due to Morocco withdrawing from the third-place match, Lebanon finished the tournament in third place. Lebanon also came third in 1997, once again as hosts. With two draws and a win, Lebanon came second in their group and qualified to the semi-finals, which they lost after extra time to Syria. Lebanon finished in third place after beating Kuwait 3–1.

Lebanon's Pan Arab Games record
Host nation, city and year	Round	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad	Ref
Alexandria 1953	Group stage	5th of 6	3	1	1	1	1	4	Squad
Beirut 1957	Third place	3rd of 8	5	2	2	1	10	6	Squad
Casablanca 1961	Fourth place	4th of 6	5	2	0	3	13	9	Squad
Cairo 1965	Group stage	7th of 10	4	1	1	2	4	7	Squad
Damascus 1976	Did not participate									—
Rabat 1985										—
Aleppo 1992										—
Beirut 1997	Third place	3rd of 8	5	2	2	1	9	7	Squad
Amman 1999	Second stage	5th of 11	5	2	1	2	6	9	Squad
Cairo 2007	Did not participate									—
Doha 2011										—
Baghdad 2023	To be determined									—
Beirut 2025										—
Total	Best: third place	6/11	27	10	7	10	43	42	—	—
Champions       Runners-up       Third place Home venue

Asian Games

The Lebanon national senior team only participated once at the Asian Games, at Bangkok 1998. Thanks to a 5–1 win against Cambodia, Lebanon qualified past the preliminary round and were drawn with Qatar, Thailand, and Kazakhstan in the second round. Following two 1–0 defeats, respectively to Qatar and Thailand, Lebanon won 3–0 against Kazakhstan in their final encounter of the group stage. However, the three points weren't enough to qualify Lebanon to the knockout round.

Lebanon's Asian Games record
Host nation, city and year	Round	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad	Ref
New Delhi 1951	Did not participate									—
Manila 1954										—
Tokyo 1958										—
Jakarta 1962										—
Bangkok 1966										—
Bangkok 1970										—
Tehran 1974										—
Bangkok 1978										—
New Delhi 1982										—
Seoul 1986										—
Beijing 1990										—
Hiroshima 1994										—
Bangkok 1998	Group stage	12th of 23	5	2	0	3	9	7	Squad
2002–present	See Lebanon national under-23 football team									—
Total	Best: group stage	1/13	5	2	0	3	9	7	—	—
Gold       Silver       Bronze Home venue

Mediterranean Games

Lebanon's first participation at the Mediterranean Games was in 1959, when they hosted the event. They lost both legs against Italy B and Turkey B, finishing last with no points. Lebanon's senior team participated two more times, in 1963 and 1987, failing to qualify past the group stage on both occasions.

Lebanon's Mediterranean Games record
Host nation, city and year	Round	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad	Ref
Alexandria 1951	Did not participate									—
Barcelona 1955										—
Beirut 1959	Third place	3rd of 3	4	0	0	4	1	2	Squad
Naples 1963	Group stage	7th of 9	4	1	0	3	2	7	Squad
Tunis 1967	Did not participate									—
İzmir 1971										—
Algiers 1975										—
Split 1979										—
Casablanca 1983										—
Latakia 1987	Group stage	6th of 8	3	0	1	2	1	7	Squad
1991–present	See Lebanon national under-20 football team									—
Total	Best: third place	3/10	11	1	1	9	4	16	—	—
Gold       Silver       Bronze Home venue

Other tournaments

Lebanon won their first tournament—albeit unofficial—at the 1964 Tripoli Fair Tournament; with three wins and one draw, Lebanon finished first in a group containing Libya, Morocco, Sudan, and Malta. In 1998, Lebanon participated at the Friendship Tournament in the United Arab Emirates where, with two draws and a defeat, they finished in third place out of four. Lebanon also finished in third place at the 2009 King's Cup in Thailand; after losing to the hosts in the semi-finals, they won against North Korea in the third-place match.

Tournament	Round	Ref
1964 Tripoli Fair Tournament	Champions
1974 Kuneitra Cup	Group stage
1975 President's Cup	Group stage
1978 President's Cup	Group stage
1989 Peace and Friendship Cup	Group stage
1998 Friendship Tournament	Third place
2009 King's Cup	Third place
2009 Nehru Cup	Group stage
Champions       Runners-up       Third place

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol del Líbano para niños

• List of men's national association football teams
• Lebanese Premier League
• Lebanese football league system
• Football in Lebanon
• Sport in Lebanon