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Mongolia national football team facts for kids

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This page is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Mongolia women's national football team.
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Mongolia
Nickname(s) Хөх Чононууд (Khökh Chonnuud; Blue Wolves)
Чингис Хаан (Tchingis Khaan; Genghis Khan)
Association Mongolian Football Federation (Монголын Хөлбөмбөгийн Холбоо)
Confederation AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation EAFF
Head coach Bayasgalangiin Garidmagnai
Most caps Tsend-Ayuush Khürelbaatar (44)
Top scorer Nyam-Osor Naranbold (9)
Home stadium MFF Football Centre
FIFA code MNG
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 188 Steady (7 February 2019)
Highest 160 (August 2011)
Lowest 205 (July 2015)
Elo ranking
Current 216 Increase 8 (3 March 2019)
Highest 205 (22 November 2011, 2 March 2013)
Lowest 225 (17 March 2015)
First international
 North Vietnam 3–1 Mongolia 
(Hanoi, North Vietnam; 3 October 1960)
Biggest win
 Mongolia 9–0 Northern Mariana Islands 
(Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia; 4 September 2018)
Biggest defeat
 Uzbekistan 15–0 Mongolia 
(Chiang Mai, Thailand; 5 December 1998)
AFC Solidarity Cup
Appearances 1 (first in 2016)
Best result Group stage (2016)
EAFF E-1 Football Championship
Appearances 7 (first in 2003)
Best result 7th (2019)
Asian Games
Appearances 1 (first in 1998)
Best result Group stage (1998)

The Mongolia national football team represents Mongolia in international football games. The team is controlled by the Mongolian Football Federation. Their official name in Mongolian is Mongolian: Монголын хөлбөмбөгийн үндэсний шигшээ баг.

The Mongolian Football Federation was started in 1959. However, the team did not play any international matches between 1960 and 1998. In 1998, Mongolia became a member of FIFA, the world football organization. They are also part of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF). The team has never played in the FIFA World Cup. They have only taken part in a few major tournaments, like the 1998 Asian Games and the 2016 AFC Solidarity Cup. In both of these, they did not get past the first round.

Mongolia's Football Journey

Early Days and Challenges

Mongolia's first international football game was a big loss to Japan in 1942. After that, the team did not play any official international matches for a long time, from 1960 to 1998.

When they joined FIFA in 1998, Mongolia started playing competitive games. Their first matches were in the qualifiers for the 1998 Asian Games. They lost heavily to Kuwait (11–0) and Uzbekistan (15–0).

World Cup Dreams

Mongolia tried to qualify for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. They lost their first five games but then managed a 2–2 draw against Bangladesh, earning their first point.

In the qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup, they played against the Maldives. They lost the first game at home 1–0. But in the second game in Malé, they lost 12–0 and were knocked out.

For the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, North Korea beat Mongolia 9–2 over two games. Four years later, in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, Mongolia lost to Myanmar 2–1.

In the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, Mongolia lost to Timor-Leste. However, Timor-Leste had used players who were not allowed to play. So, Mongolia was later given two 3–0 wins. Even with these wins, Mongolia did not move forward in the competition.

Recent Successes and Milestones

In 2016, Mongolia played in the 2016 AFC Solidarity Cup. This tournament was for lower-ranked teams to get more chances to play. Mongolia finished third in their group after losing to Laos. This meant they did not reach the semi-finals.

Mongolia then hosted the first round of qualification for the East Asian Football Championship. They won their first two matches easily. In their final game against Guam, they needed just one point to move to the next round for the first time. Guam scored late in the game, but Norjmoo Tsedenbal scored a goal in extra time. This draw was enough for Mongolia to win their group and advance! Their 9–0 win over the Northern Mariana Islands in this tournament was their biggest win ever.

Mongolia made history in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. They beat Brunei 3–2 over two games to get past the first round for the first time. After a big loss to Japan (14–0) in March 2021, they got a new coach, Shuichi Mase. In their next game, Mongolia surprised everyone by beating Kyrgyzstan 1–0. This was their first win ever against a Central Asian team and a team ranked in the top 100 by FIFA in a World Cup qualifier! This win also helped them qualify for the third round of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. In March 2023, Mongolia reached its highest-ever FIFA ranking, at 183rd.

Team Image and Spirit

2019 National Sports Stadium (Mongolia) 01
The National Sports Stadium was Mongolia's home stadium until the MFF Football Centre was built.

Team Nicknames

The Mongolian national team is often called the Blue Wolves. The blue wolf is a special symbol for Mongolian people, coming from an old legend. The team is also known as "Shegshee," which simply means "national team" in Mongolian.

Team Kits and Crest

The Mongolian team usually wears an all-white uniform as their main color. Their second uniform is blue. In 2021, a Mongolian sports company called TG Sport started making their kits. Since 2023, Kelme has been the official jersey sponsor.

Home Stadium

Mongolia plays its home games at the MFF Football Centre in Ulaanbaatar. This stadium can hold 5,000 people and has an artificial playing surface.

Recent Games and Schedule

Main article: Mongolia national football team results

Here are the results from the last year and upcoming matches.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2024 Matches

Team Coaches and Staff

Current Coaching Staff

Here are the people who help manage and coach the Mongolian national football team:

Position Name
Team Manager Mongolia Pürevdorjyn Erdenebat
Head Coach Mongolia Bayasgalangiin Garidmagnai
Assistant coach Mongolia Sükhnaagiin Otgonbayar
Mongolia Zorigtyn Battulga
Mongolia Tserenjavyn Enkhjargal
Goalkeeper coach Mongolia Dorjmoogiin Ganbold
Team Doctor Mongolia Samatyn Bakhtiyar
Physiotherapist Mongolia Khürelbaataryn Tsakhia
Media Officer Mongolia Mönkh-Erdeniin Khaltmaa

Players

Current Squad

These are the players who were called up for the friendly matches against Cambodia in June 2024. The numbers for games played (caps) and goals are correct as of March 25, 2024.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Ariunbold Batsaikhan (1990-04-03) 3 April 1990 (age 35) 19 0 Mongolia Khangarid
1GK Arvinbat Mendbayar (2001-01-02) 2 January 2001 (age 24) 0 0 Mongolia Deren
2DF Mönkh-Orgil Orkhon (1999-01-30) 30 January 1999 (age 26) 22 1 Mongolia Ulaanbaatar
2DF Dölgöön Amaraa (2001-02-20) 20 February 2001 (age 24) 16 1 Mongolia Deren
2DF Bat-Orgil Gerelt-Od (2002-01-23) 23 January 2002 (age 23) 11 0 Mongolia Ulaanbaatar
2DF Bayartsengel Purevdorj (1997-01-26) 26 January 1997 (age 28) 11 0 Mongolia Khovd
2DF Batbaatar Amgalanbat (2001-01-21) 21 January 2001 (age 24) 6 0 Mongolia Ulaanbaatar
2DF Uuganbat Bat-Erdene (1997-02-09) 9 February 1997 (age 28) 6 0 Mongolia Deren
2DF Tuvshinjargal Dölgöön (2003-01-17) 17 January 2003 (age 22) 4 0 Mongolia Deren
2DF Filip Chinzorig (2003-02-13) 13 February 2003 (age 22) 3 0 Philippines Loyola
2DF Khashchuluun Naranbaatar (2004-08-05) 5 August 2004 (age 20) 3 0 Mongolia Deren
3MF Tsend-Ayuush Khürelbaatar (1990-02-22) 22 February 1990 (age 35) 42 1 Mongolia Tuv Azarganuud
3MF Baljinnyam Batmönkh (1999-12-10) 10 December 1999 (age 25) 7 0 Mongolia Deren
3MF Gantogtokh Gantuya (1995-11-30) 30 November 1995 (age 29) 7 0 Mongolia Ulaanbaatar
3MF Mönkhbaatar Togoo (1999-11-20) 20 November 1999 (age 25) 4 0 Mongolia Khoromkhon
3MF Gan-Erdene Erdenebat (2005-08-24) 24 August 2005 (age 19) 1 0 Mongolia Deren
3MF Tsetsegmaa Bilgüün (1995-02-25) 25 February 1995 (age 30) 0 0 Mongolia Khangarid
3MF Tumen-Ulzii Sodbilguun (2005-07-19) 19 July 2005 (age 19) 0 0 Mongolia BCH Lions
4FW Naranbold Nyam-Osor (1992-02-22) 22 February 1992 (age 33) 29 8 Mongolia Deren
4FW Oyunbaataryn Mijiddorj (1996-08-22) 22 August 1996 (age 28) 15 1 Mongolia Ulaanbaatar
4FW Ganbayar Ganbold (2000-09-03) 3 September 2000 (age 24) 12 2 Slovakia KFC Komárno
4FW Temulen Uuganbat (2005-05-07) 7 May 2005 (age 20) 5 0 Mongolia Deren
4FW Ankhbayar Sodmönkh (2004-10-07) 7 October 2004 (age 20) 3 0 Mongolia Brera Ilch

Recent Call-ups

These players have been called to the team in the last year and could still be chosen to play.


Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Mönkh-Erdene Enkhtaivan (1995-10-17) 17 October 1995 (age 29) 19 0 Mongolia Ulaanbaatar v.  Tanzania, 25 March 2024
GK Tsenguun Khandaa (2002-11-25) 25 November 2002 (age 22) 0 0 Mongolia SP Falcons v.  Tanzania, 25 March 2024
GK Sereekhua Batmagni (2002-07-24) 24 July 2002 (age 22) 0 0 Mongolia Deren v.  Afghanistan, 17 October 2023
DF Bilgüün Ganbold (1991-04-12) 12 April 1991 (age 34) 26 0 Mongolia Khaan Khuns-Erchim v.  Tanzania, 25 March 2024
MF Purevsuren Uuganbayar (2001-10-08) 8 October 2001 (age 23) 5 0 Mongolia Ulaanbaatar v.  Tanzania, 25 March 2024
MF Tserenbat Baasanjav (1999-12-31) 31 December 1999 (age 25) 5 0 Mongolia Deren v.  Afghanistan, 17 October 2023
FW Namsrai Baatartsogt (1998-11-21) 21 November 1998 (age 26) 8 0 Mongolia SP Falcons v.  Tanzania, 25 March 2024
FW Munkh-Erdene Batkhyag (1991-02-09) 9 February 1991 (age 34) 6 0 Mongolia Khovd v.  Tanzania, 25 March 2024
Notes
  • INJ = Player is injured.
  • PRE = Player is in the preliminary squad or on standby.
  • RET = Player has retired from the national team.
  • SUS = Player is suspended from playing.
  • WD = Player left the squad for a non-injury reason.

Team Records

Here are some interesting records for the Mongolian national football team. Players whose names are in bold are still playing for Mongolia.

Most Games Played

Rank Player Caps Goals Career
1 Tsend-Ayuush Khürelbaatar 44 1 2007–present
2 Garidmagnai Bayasgalan 35 2 2003–2019
Lümbengarav Donorovyn 35 8 2000–2014
Tsedenbal Norjmoogiin 35 7 2009–2021
5 Naranbold Nyam-Osor 33 9 2014–present
6 Enkhjargal Tserenjavyn 28 0 2000–2016
7 Baljinnyam Batbold 26 4 2018–present
Davaajav Battör 26 0 2016–present
Bilgüün Ganbold 26 0 2013–present
Tögsbayar Ganbaataryn 26 6 2003–2015

Top Goal Scorers

Rank Name Goals Caps Ratio Career
1 Naranbold Nyam-Osor 9 31 0.29 2014–present
2 Lümbengarav Donorov 8 35 0.23 2003–2014
3 Tögöldör Mönkh-Erdengiin 7 24 0.29 2013–present
Tsedenbal Norjmoogiin 7 35 0.2 2009–2021
5 Tögsbayar Ganbaataryn 6 26 0.23 2003–2011
6 Bayarjargal Oyunbat 4 10 0.4 2013–2018
Bayarzorig Davaa 4 19 0.15 2000–2007
Gankhuyag Serodyanjiv 4 22 0.18 2016–present
Baljinnyam Batbold 4 26 0.15 2018–present
10 Buman-Uchral Bold 3 11 0.27 2000–2005
Narmandakh Artag 3 19 0.16 2018–present

Tournament History

Here's how the Mongolian national football team has performed in major football tournaments.

FIFA World Cup

Mongolia has tried to qualify for the FIFA World Cup several times but has not yet made it to the main tournament.

FIFA World Cup Qualification
Year Result Position Pld W D* L F A Pld W D L F A
Uruguay 1930 to Sweden 1958 Team did not exist Team did not exist
Chile 1962 to France 1998 Not a member of FIFA Not a member of FIFA
South Korea Japan 2002 Did not qualify 6 0 1 5 2 22
Germany 2006 2 0 0 2 0 13
South Africa 2010 2 0 0 2 2 9
Brazil 2014 2 1 0 1 1 2
Russia 2018 2 0 0 2 1 5
Qatar 2022 10 3 0 7 6 29
Canada Mexico United States 2026 2 0 0 2 0 2
Morocco Portugal Spain Argentina Paraguay Uruguay 2030 To be determined To be determined
Saudi Arabia 2034
United Nations 2038
Total 0/7 0 0 0 0 0 0 26 4 1 21 12 82

AFC Asian Cup

Mongolia has also tried to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup, which is the main football tournament for Asian countries.

AFC Asian Cup record Qualification record
Year Result Position Pld W D* L GF GA Pld W D* L GF GA
Hong Kong 1956 to United Arab Emirates 1996 Not an AFC member Not an AFC member
Lebanon 2000 Did not qualify 3 0 0 3 1 10
China 2004 2 1 1 0 5 0
Indonesia Malaysia Thailand Vietnam 2007 Did not enter Did not enter
Qatar 2011 Did not qualify AFC Challenge Cup
Australia 2015
United Arab Emirates 2019 2 0 0 2 1 5
Qatar 2023 10 3 0 7 6 29
Saudi Arabia 2027 4 1 0 3 3 6
Total 0 Titles 0/17 0 0 0 0 0 0 21 5 1 15 16 50

AFC Solidarity Cup

This tournament was created for teams that don't get many chances to play international matches.

AFC Solidarity Cup record
Year Round Pld W D* L GF GA
Malaysia 2016 Group stage 3 1 0 2 3 5
2020 Cancelled
Total Best: Group stage 3 1 0 2 3 5

AFC Challenge Cup

This was another tournament for developing football nations in Asia.

AFC Challenge Cup record Qualification record
Year Result Position Pld W D* L GF GA Pld W D* L GF GA
Bangladesh 2006 Did not participate Did not participate
India 2008
Sri Lanka 2010 Did not qualify 2 1 0 1 3 3
Nepal 2012 2 1 0 1 2 3
Maldives 2014 3 0 1 2 1 5
Total 0 Titles 0/5 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 2 1 4 6 11

Asian Games

Mongolia has also competed in the football tournament at the Asian Games.

Asian Games record
Year Result M W D L GF GA
India Japan 1951-1994 Did not participate
Thailand 1998 Group stage 2 0 0 2 0 26
South Korea2002–present See Mongolia national under-23 football team
Total 1/13 2 0 0 2 0 26

EAFF E-1 Football Championship

This is a football championship for teams in East Asia.

EAFF E-1 Football Championship record Qualification record
Year Result Position Pld W D* L GF GA Pld W D* L GF GA
Japan 2003 Did not qualify 4 1 0 3 2 16
South Korea 2005 4 1 1 2 4 13
China 2008 2 0 1 1 0 7
Japan 2010 3 2 0 1 6 3
South Korea 2013 Suspended by EAFF Suspended by EAFF
China 2015 Did not qualify 3 1 0 2 6 5
Japan 2017 3 1 1 1 10 4
South Korea 2019 6 2 1 3 17 13
Japan 2022 Did not participate Not held
South Korea 2025 To be determined
China 2028 To be determined
Japan 2030 To be determined
Total 0 Titles 0/8 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 6 3 10 28 48

See also

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

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