kids encyclopedia robot

Niger national football team facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
This page is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Niger women's national football team.
Quick facts for kids
Niger
Nickname(s) Ménas
Association Fédération Nigerienne de Football (FENIFOOT)
Confederation CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation WAFU (West Africa)
Head coach Ezzaki Badou
Captain Abdoulaye Katkoré
Most caps Kassaly Daouda (89)
Top scorer Victorien Adebayor (20)
Home stadium Stade Général Seyni Kountché
FIFA code NIG
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 109 Decrease 1 (7 February 2019)
Highest 68 (November 1994)
Lowest 196 (August 2002)
Elo ranking
Current 134 Steady (3 March 2019)
Highest 103 (July 1991)
Lowest 146 (December 1980)
First international
 Chad 2–2 Niger 
(Abidjan, Ivory Coast; 25 December 1961)
Biggest win
 Niger 7–1 Mauritania 
(Niamey, Niger; 12 October 1990)
Biggest defeat
 Congo 10–0 Niger 
(Abidjan, Ivory Coast; 27 December 1961)
Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances 2 (first in 2012)
Best result Group stage (2012, 2013)
African Nations Championship
Appearances 4 (first in 2011)
Best result Fourth place (2022)

The Niger national football team is the official football team that represents the country of Niger in international matches. They are part of the Nigerien Football Federation (FENIFOOT), which is a member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The team's colors are white, green, and orange, just like the flag of Niger.

Their nickname is Ménas, which comes from the Dama gazelle. This gazelle is a type of animal native to Niger. Its name in the Hausa language is Meyna or Ménas. You can even see the Dama gazelle on their team badge, shown in the colors of the national flag!

History of the Ménas

Niger's football team is from a strong region in West Africa, but they have had some amazing moments in qualifying tournaments.

One of their best performances was during the qualifiers for the 1982 FIFA World Cup. They managed to beat teams like Somalia and Togo. They were eventually stopped by Algeria in the third round, when only eight teams were left. Some of the important players from that time were Jacques Komlan, Hassane Adamou, and Moussa Kanfideni.

In 1990, the team made history by winning a game against Mauritania with a score of 7–1. This was their biggest win ever in a continental qualifier!

During the qualifiers for the 2004 African Nations Cup, Niger won all their home games. This included a victory over Guinea. They ended up with nine points, just missing out on qualifying for the main tournament.

The Nigerien Football Federation sometimes faces challenges with funding. This has caused the team to withdraw from international tournaments a few times. For example, if they had qualified for the 2010 African Cup of Nations, they would have needed to raise money for their trip.

On October 10, 2010, Niger achieved a surprising 1–0 win against Egypt at home. This was during the qualifiers for the 2012 African Cup of Nations.

Even though they didn't make it to the AFCON 2010, Niger hosted and won the UEMOA Tournament in November 2010. After that, they qualified for the African Nations Championship for the very first time in February 2011.

On October 8, 2011, Niger made history again! They qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time ever. This happened after home wins against South Africa and Sierra Leone, even though they lost 3–0 to Egypt in their final game. Niger, South Africa, and Sierra Leone all finished with nine points. But Niger qualified because they had a better head-to-head record against their rivals.

At the 2012 African Cup of Nations, Niger was in Group C with Gabon, Tunisia, and Morocco. They lost their first match 2–0 to Gabon. Against Tunisia, they were down 1–0 early in the game. But then, William N'Gounou scored Niger's first-ever goal at the Africa Cup of Nations! It looked like it might be a 1–1 draw, but Tunisia scored again, and Niger was out of the tournament. In their last match, they lost 1–0 to Morocco.

Later in 2012, Niger qualified for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations by beating Guinea. Guinea won the first game 1–0, but Niger won the second game 2–0. Goals from Mohamed Chikoto and Issoufou Boubacar sent Niger to another big tournament!

In their first match at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, Niger lost 1–0 to Mali. They then earned their first-ever point at the tournament by drawing 0–0 with DR Congo. In their third match, Ghana won 3–0 against Niger, and Niger finished last in their group.

On May 22, 2014, Niger played a friendly match against Ukraine. This was the first time they had ever played against a European nation. Oumarou Bale scored for Niger, but Ukraine won the game 2–1.

Recent Matches (2023-2024)

The Niger national football team has played several matches recently.

In November 2023, they played two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches. They lost 0–1 to Tanzania but then won 2–1 against Zambia.

In early 2024, they played friendly matches. They lost 1–0 to Senegal and 2–1 to Togo. They also had a 1–1 draw with Burkina Faso.

In June 2024, Niger was awarded a 3–0 victory against Congo because Congo did not travel for their match. Also, a scheduled match against Eritrea was cancelled because Eritrea withdrew from the qualifiers.

Coaching History

Many different coaches have led the Niger national football team over the years. They have come from various countries, including Niger, France, Germany, Ivory Coast, Togo, Romania, and Morocco.

  • Germany Heinz-Peter Uberjahn (1981–1986)
  • Niger Soumaila Tiemogo (1992)
  • Niger David Nadjadoum (1992–1994)
  • Niger Soumaila Tiemogo (1998)
  • France Amadou Toure (1998)
  • France Patrice Neveu (1999–2000)
  • France Jean-Yves Chay (2000)
  • Ivory Coast Yeo Martial (2002–2003)
  • Togo Bana Tchanile (2006–2007)
  • Niger Hamey Amadou (2007–2008)
  • Romania Dan Anghelescu (2008)
  • Niger Frederic Costa (2008–2009)
  • Niger Harouna Doula Gabde (2009–2012)
  • France Rolland Courbis (2012)
  • Germany Gernot Rohr (2012–2014)
  • Niger Cheick Omar Diabate (2014–2015)
  • Ivory Coast François Zahoui (2015–2019)
  • France Jean-Guy Wallemme (2019–2020)
  • France Jean-Michel Cavalli (2020–2023)
  • Niger Zakaria Yaou Ibrahim (Interim) (2023)
  • Morocco Ezzaki Badou (2023–present)

Players

This section lists the players who are currently part of the Niger national football team.

Current Squad

The players listed below were chosen for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Congo in June 2024.

The number of games played (caps) and goals scored are correct as of March 26, 2024, after the match against  Burkina Faso.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
16 1GK Younoussa Abiboulaye (2004-09-03) 3 September 2004 (age 20) 2 0 Niger US GN
22 1GK Mahamadou Tanja (1996-07-05) 5 July 1996 (age 28) 17 0 Niger AS FAN
1 1GK Yahaya Babari (1993-09-22) 22 September 1993 (age 31) 2 0 Niger SONIDEP
2 2DF Rahim Alhassane (2002-01-01) 1 January 2002 (age 23) 13 0 Spain Real Oviedo
5 2DF Abdoul Garba (2000-07-18) 18 July 2000 (age 24) 37 1 Niger Douanes
7 2DF Najeeb Yakubu (2000-05-01) 1 May 2000 (age 25) 10 0 Ukraine Vorskla Poltava
13 2DF Abraham Adamou (2002-09-14) 14 September 2002 (age 22) 1 0 Niger US GN
15 2DF Abdoulaye Boureima Katkoré (1993-03-26) 26 March 1993 (age 32) 61 0 Iraq Al-Minaa
19 2DF Boubacar Hama Hainikoye (2002-05-17) 17 May 2002 (age 23) 0 0 Niger US GN
21 2DF Alhabib Hassane Abdou (2003-08-24) 24 August 2003 (age 21) 3 0 Egypt Al Ittihad
2DF Abdoulaye Karim Doudou (1998-09-25) 25 September 1998 (age 26) 13 0 Iraq Al-Minaa
2DF Mohamed Idrissa Karimou (1993-04-06) 6 April 1993 (age 32) 4 0 Niger US GN
2DF Oumar Sako (1996-05-04) 4 May 1996 (age 29) 0 0 Russia Rostov
6 3MF Youssouf Oumarou (1993-02-16) 16 February 1993 (age 32) 58 4 Tunisia Stade Tunisien
8 3MF Yussif Moussa (1998-09-04) 4 September 1998 (age 26) 19 1 Iraq Al-Talaba
12 3MF Moumouni Darankoum (2002-08-07) 7 August 2002 (age 22) 18 0 Qatar Al-Mesaimeer
18 3MF Ousmane Diabaté (1994-07-09) 9 July 1994 (age 30) 40 0 Saudi Arabia Najran
3MF Ali Mohamed (1995-10-07) 7 October 1995 (age 29) 43 0 Israel Maccabi Haifa
3MF Abdoul Madjid Moumouni (1994-05-10) 10 May 1994 (age 31) 31 0 Iraq Al-Shorta
3 4FW Daniel Sosah (1998-09-21) 21 September 1998 (age 26) 18 6 Ukraine Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih
10 4FW Victorien Adebayor (1996-11-12) 12 November 1996 (age 28) 54 20 Niger GNN
11 4FW Boubacar Hainikoye (1998-10-07) 7 October 1998 (age 26) 26 3 Democratic Republic of the Congo TP Mazembe
17 4FW Boubacar Djibril Goumey (2000-07-14) 14 July 2000 (age 24) 12 2 Iraq Zakho
4FW Issa Djibrilla (1996-01-01) 1 January 1996 (age 29) 26 4 Azerbaijan Zira

Recent Call-ups

These players have been called to play for Niger in the last 12 months.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Naim Van Attenhoven (2003-01-31) 31 January 2003 (age 22) 9 0 France Valenciennes v.  Burkina Faso, 26 March 2024
GK Oumarou Issaka (1990-12-02) 2 December 1990 (age 34) 0 0 Niger Douanes v.  Senegal, 8 January 2024
GK Oumarou Soumaila (1987-10-24) 24 October 1987 (age 37) 3 0 Niger US GN v.  Tanzania, 18 June 2023
DF Massoudi Salifou (2004-07-11) 11 July 2004 (age 20) 7 0 Niger Douanes v.  Senegal, 8 January 2024
DF Ousmane Oumarou Mansour 1 0 v.  Senegal, 8 January 2024
DF Yacouba Diori Hamani Magagi (1997-09-08) 8 September 1997 (age 27) 12 0 Spain Castellón v.  Zambia, 21 November 2023
DF Laurent Chamssidine (2001-03-04) 4 March 2001 (age 24) 0 0 Niger Sahel v.  Zambia, 21 November 2023
DF Adamou Djibo (1998-08-13) 13 August 1998 (age 26) 14 0 Moldova Sheriff Tiraspol v.  Libya, 17 October 2023
MF Amadou Moutari (1994-01-19) 19 January 1994 (age 31) 54 3 Jordan Al-Faisaly v.  Burkina Faso, 26 March 2024
MF Salim Abubakar (2003-04-06) 6 April 2003 (age 22) 6 0 Italy Sassuolo v.  Senegal, 8 January 2024
MF Issah Salou (1999-02-04) 4 February 1999 (age 26) 4 0 Denmark Skive IK v.  Senegal, 8 January 2024
MF Amadou Sabo (2000-05-30) 30 May 2000 (age 25) 20 3 Tunisia Club Africain v.  Zambia, 21 November 2023
MF Ousseini Badamassi (1997-04-21) 21 April 1997 (age 28) 11 1 Democratic Republic of the Congo Mazembe v.  Libya, 17 October 2023
FW Kairou Amoustapha (2001-01-01) 1 January 2001 (age 24) 8 1 Mexico Cancún v.  Burkina Faso, 26 March 2024
FW Zakari Junior Lambo (1999-01-19) 19 January 1999 (age 26) 11 1 Belgium La Louvière v.  Senegal, 8 January 2024
FW Mohamed Wonkoye (1994-05-19) 19 May 1994 (age 31) 48 6 Guinea Horoya v.  Senegal, 8 January 2024
FW Seybou Koita (1994-04-15) 15 April 1994 (age 31) 10 0 Oman Oman Club v.  Libya, 17 October 2023

DEC Player refused to join the team after the call-up.
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 interesting records for the Niger national football team, showing players with the most games and those who have scored the most goals.

Players whose names are in bold are still playing for Niger.

Most Appearances

These players have played the most games for the Niger national team.

Rank Player Caps Goals Career
1 Kassaly Daouda 89 0 2002–2022
2 Koffi Dan Kowa 67 4 2008–2018
3 Abdoulaye Katkoré 64 0 2014–present
4 Youssouf Oumarou 63 5 2013–present
5 Victorien Adebayor 55 20 2015–present
6 Moussa Maâzou 54 13 2008–2021
Amadou Moutari 54 3 2012–present
8 Lassina Konaté 53 1 2006–2016
Souleymane Sacko 53 3 2007–2019
10 Mohamed Chikoto 48 2 2008–2016
Mohamed Wonkoye 48 6 2012–present

Top Goalscorers

These players have scored the most goals for the Niger national team.

Rank Player Goals Caps Ratio Career
1 Victorien Adebayor 20 55 0.36 2015–present
2 Moussa Maâzou 13 54 0.24 2008–2021
3 Kamilou Daouda 10 37 0.27 2007–2019
4 Daniel Sosah 8 23 0.35 2021–present
5 Mounkaila Ide Barkire 7 13 0.54 1992–1998
6 Zakari Lambo 6 10 0.6 1990–1995
Mohamed Wonkoye 6 48 0.13 2012–present
8 Mahamane Cissé 5 38 0.13 2013–2022
Youssouf Oumarou 5 63 0.08 2013–present
10 Moussa Yahaya 4 16 0.25 1992–1998
Mossi Issa Moussa 4 17 0.24 2012–present
Issa Djibrilla 4 26 0.15 2020–present
Modibo Sidibé 4 27 0.15 2010–2019
Koffi Dan Kowa 4 67 0.06 2008–2018

Tournament History

Niger has competed in several major football tournaments.

FIFA World Cup

Niger has not yet qualified for the FIFA World Cup. However, they have participated in the qualification rounds many times. They had some strong performances in the qualifiers, like in 1982 when they reached the third round.

Africa Cup of Nations

The Niger national team has qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations twice: in 2012 and 2013. In both tournaments, they played in the group stage but did not advance further. In 2012, William N'Gounou scored Niger's first-ever goal in the tournament.

Morocco vs Niger, February 09 2011-2
Niger national team against Morocco, 9 February 2011

African Nations Championship

Niger has participated in the African Nations Championship four times. Their best performance was in 2022, where they reached the Fourth place. They also made it to the Quarter-finals in 2011.

Honours

The Niger national football team has won some regional tournaments.

Regional Titles

  • West African Nations Cup
    • Third place (1): 1986
  • UEMOA Tournament
    • Champions (1): 2010
    • Runners-up (2): 2007, 2009

Images for kids

  • Morocco vs Niger, February 09 2011-2

    Niger national team against Morocco, 9 February 2011

See also

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

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Niger national football team Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.