South Sudan national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
South Sudan

Nickname(s)	Bright Stars
Association	South Sudan Football Association (SSFA)
Confederation	CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation	CECAFA (East & Central Africa)
Head coach	Nicolas Dupuis
Captain	Juma Genaro
Most caps	Peter Chol (39)
Top scorer	James Moga Tito Okello (6)
Home stadium	Juba National Stadium
FIFA code	SSD
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	164 (7 February 2019)
Highest	134 (November 2015)
Lowest	205 (September 2013)
Elo ranking
Current	188 4 (3 March 2019)
Highest	171 (2016)
Lowest	188 (November 2018)
First international
South Sudan 2–2 Uganda  (Juba, South Sudan; 10 July 2012)
Biggest win
South Sudan 6–0 Djibouti  (Juba, South Sudan; 28 March 2017)
Biggest defeat
Mozambique 5–0 South Sudan  (Maputo, Mozambique; 18 May 2014)
CECAFA Cup
Appearances	4 (first in 2012)
Best result	Quarter-finals (2015)

The South Sudan national football team is also known as the "Bright Stars". This team plays for South Sudan in international football matches. The South Sudan Football Association controls the team. This group is in charge of all football activities in South Sudan.

History of the Bright Stars

The South Sudan national football team started its journey in 2011. Zoran Đorđević became the first coach on May 25, 2011. A TV show called Soccer Coach Zoran and his African Tigers even featured the team.

The team's first unofficial match was on July 10, 2011. They played against Tusker, a club from Kenya. The game was part of South Sudan's independence celebrations. It took place at the Juba Stadium. South Sudan scored early but lost 3–1.

South Sudan officially joined the CAF on February 10, 2012. CAF is the main football group in Africa. Later, on May 25, 2012, they became a member of FIFA. FIFA is the world's football governing body.

Their first official international match was on July 10, 2012. It was a friendly game against Uganda in Juba. The match ended in a 2–2 draw. James Moga and Richard Justin Lado scored for South Sudan. This draw helped South Sudan enter the FIFA rankings at 199th place.

The Bright Stars played in their first international tournament in 2012. This was the 2012 CECAFA Cup in Uganda. They were in a group with Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda. They lost all their matches in this tournament.

In 2014, South Sudan entered its first major tournament. This was the qualification for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. They were supposed to play Eritrea, but Eritrea pulled out. This meant South Sudan moved to the next round. They played Mozambique. They lost 5–0 in Mozambique. The second game was a 0–0 draw in Sudan. This match was played in Sudan because of the South Sudanese Civil War.

On September 5, 2015, South Sudan got their first official win. They beat Equatorial Guinea 1–0 at home. This was during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification. A month later, they played their first FIFA World Cup Qualification match. It was a 1–1 draw against Mauritania at home.

During the 2019 AFCON qualifying, the Bright Stars had their biggest win. They defeated Djibouti 6–0 in Juba. However, they lost their other seven matches. This kept them among the lowest-ranked teams in Africa.

In October 2019, South Sudan won an away game for the first time. They beat Seychelles 1–0 in Victoria. This win helped them move forward in the 2021 AFCON preliminary round.

South Sudan was invited to play in the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup. They were the only non-Arab League country invited. However, they had to pull out of the games. This was because several players tested positive for COVID-19.

Recent Matches and Future Games

Here are some recent match results and upcoming games for the Bright Stars.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

Matches in 2023

In 2023, South Sudan played two World Cup qualification matches. They lost 4–0 to Senegal. They then drew 0–0 with Mauritania.

Matches in 2024

So far in 2024, South Sudan has played several matches. They drew 1–1 and 0–0 against São Tomé and Príncipe in AFCON qualifiers. South Sudan won on away goals to advance. They also drew 1–1 with Togo in a World Cup qualifier. They lost 0–3 to Sudan in another World Cup qualifier. More AFCON qualification matches are scheduled for later in the year.

Coaches of the Team

Many coaches have led the South Sudan national football team. Here is a list of them:

Players of the Team

Current Squad Members

These players were chosen for the 2025 AFCON qualification matches in October 2024.

Caps (games played) and goals are correct as of October 11, 2024.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
	1GK	Juma Genaro	(1986-02-28) 28 February 1986 (age 39)	32	0	Al-Merrikh
	1GK	Majak Mawith	(1999-09-18) 18 September 1999 (age 25)	20	0	Port Melbourne
	1GK	Nicolas Madeng	(1998-01-07) 7 January 1998 (age 27)	0	0
	2DF	Athir Thomas	(1987-02-14) 14 February 1987 (age 38)	23	1	Al Merreikh
	2DF	Rashid Toha	(1997-10-09) 9 October 1997 (age 27)	21	1	Arua Hill
	2DF	Wani Ivan Adebo	(1998-12-12) 12 December 1998 (age 26)	20	0	Bul
	2DF	Loki Emmanuel	(2001-11-14) 14 November 2001 (age 23)	19	1	Bright Stars
	2DF	Atendele Geriga	(1995-05-05) 5 May 1995 (age 30)	16	0	Arua Hill
	2DF	Samuel Taban	(2002-10-29) 29 October 2002 (age 22)	13	0	Kator
	2DF	Paul Puk Kun Pal	(2000-02-12) 12 February 2000 (age 25)	3	0	Al Merreikh
	2DF	Rashid Okocha	(1993-12-10) 10 December 1993 (age 31)	2	0	NEC
	2DF	Benjamin Laku	(2006-06-27) 27 June 2006 (age 18)	1	0	Jamus
	3MF	Peter Chol	(1994-10-23) 23 October 1994 (age 30)	38	4	Kator
	3MF	Joseph Malish	(2002-07-27) 27 July 2002 (age 22)	16	0	Kator
	3MF	William Gama	(2002-12-14) 14 December 2002 (age 22)	12	1	Onduparaka
	3MF	Gaddafi Wahab	(1995-12-11) 11 December 1995 (age 29)	6	0	NEC
	3MF	Charles Ouma	(1999-06-02) 2 June 1999 (age 26)	3	0	Kenya Police
	3MF	Malish Mandela	(1999-10-10) 10 October 1999 (age 25)	0	0	Atlabara
	3MF	Nelson Victor		0	0
	4FW	Tito Okello	(1996-01-07) 7 January 1996 (age 29)	25	6	PSM Makassar
	4FW	Valentino Yuel	(1994-10-12) 12 October 1994 (age 30)	20	3	Nasaf
	4FW	David Majak	(2000-10-10) 10 October 2000 (age 24)	10	0	Tusker
	4FW	Paul Jawa	(2004-07-15) 15 July 2004 (age 20)	7	0	Rainbow
	4FW	Alfred Leku	(1997-09-16) 16 September 1997 (age 27)	2	0	Kenya Police
	4FW	Madit Mayor		1	0	Atlabara
	4FW	Francis Onekalit	(1996-08-18) 18 August 1996 (age 28)	0	0	Villa

Players Recently Called Up

These players were recently called to play for the team.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Godwill Yugusuk	(1999-11-28) 28 November 1999 (age 25)	0	0	Kator	v.  Sudan; 11 June 2024
GK	Ramadan John	(2000-03-17) 17 March 2000 (age 25)	14	0	Al-Malakia	v.  São Tomé and Príncipe; 26 March 2024
DF	Peter Maker	(1994-01-01) 1 January 1994 (age 31)	33	0	Radnički S. Mitrovica	v.  South Africa; 10 September 2024
DF	Omot Sebit	(1998-10-09) 9 October 1998 (age 26)	12	0	Alamal Atbara	v.  São Tomé and Príncipe; 26 March 2024
DF	Rehan Angier	(2002-01-01) 1 January 2002 (age 23)	8	0	Munuki	v.  Mauritania; 21 November 2023
MF	Joseph Dhata	(2002-09-05) 5 September 2002 (age 22)	12	1	Express	v.  South Africa; 10 September 2024
MF	Nevello Yoseke	(1996-03-17) 17 March 1996 (age 29)	5	0	Monterey Bay	v.  South Africa; 10 September 2024
MF	Jackson Morgan	(1998-08-18) 18 August 1998 (age 26)	18	0	Bentleigh Greens	v.  Sudan; 11 June 2024
MF	Manyumow Achol	(2000-12-10) 10 December 2000 (age 24)	12	0	Auda	v.  Togo; 5 June 2024PRE
MF	Asad Musa	(1995-08-06) 6 August 1995 (age 29)	11	0	Leopards	v.  São Tomé and Príncipe; 26 March 2024
MF	Kenyi Wani	(2004-03-26) 26 March 2004 (age 21)	6	0	Al-Malakia	v.  São Tomé and Príncipe; 26 March 2024
FW	Machop Chol	(1998-11-14) 14 November 1998 (age 26)	6	0	San Antonio FC	v.  Sudan; 11 June 2024
FW	Lazarus Peter Laku	(2008-05-29) 29 May 2008 (age 17)	0	0	Future Stars	v.  Sudan; 11 June 2024
FW	Ajak Riak	(2000-12-12) 12 December 2000 (age 24)	10	0	Sheriff Tiraspol	v.  São Tomé and Príncipe; 26 March 2024
FW	Martin Sawi	(1999-09-16) 16 September 1999 (age 25)	3	0	Pyeongchang United	v.  São Tomé and Príncipe; 26 March 2024

Player Records and Achievements

Most Games Played

These players have played the most matches for South Sudan. Players in bold are still playing for the team.

Top Goal Scorers

These players have scored the most goals for the South Sudan team.

James Moga is one of South Sudan's top scorers with 6 goals.

Team Performance in Tournaments

FIFA World Cup Record

South Sudan has not yet qualified for the FIFA World Cup. Before 2011, the country was part of Sudan.

FIFA World Cup record										Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1930 to 1938	Part of  United Kingdom									Part of  United Kingdom
1950 to 2010	Part of  Sudan									Part of  Sudan
2014	Not a FIFA member									Not a FIFA member
2018	Did not qualify									2	0	1	1	1	5
2022										2	0	1	1	1	2
2026	To be determined									4	0	2	2	1	8
2030										To be determined
2034
Total		0/2								8	0	4	4	3	15

Africa Cup of Nations Record

South Sudan has not yet qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Africa Cup of Nations record										Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1957	Part of  Sudan									Part of  Sudan
1959
1962
1963
1965
1968
1970
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012	Did not enter									Did not enter
2013
2015	Did not qualify									2	0	1	1	0	5
2017										6	1	0	5	3	15
2019										8	1	0	7	8	20
2021										8	3	0	5	5	7
2023										8	3	0	5	10	15
2025
2027	To be determined									To be determined
2029
Total		0/34	0	0	0	0	0	0		32	8	1	23	26	62

African Nations Championship Record

South Sudan has not yet qualified for the African Nations Championship.

African Nations Championship record
Appearances: 0
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
2009	Part of  Sudan
2011
2014	Did not qualify
2016
2018
2020
2022
Total	–	0/7	–	–	–	–	–	–

CECAFA Cup Record

South Sudan has played in the CECAFA Cup four times. Their best result was reaching the Quarter-finals in 2015.

CECAFA Cup record
Appearances: 4
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1973 to 2010	Part of  Sudan
2011	Did not enter
2012	Group stage	11th	3	0	0	3	0	7
2013	Group stage	10th	3	0	0	3	2	7
2015	Quarter-finals	6th	4	2	2	0	4	0
2017	Group stage	9th	3	0	1	2	1	8
2019	Did not enter
Total	Quarter-finals	4/40	13	2	3	8	7	22

FIFA Arab Cup Record

South Sudan did not qualify for the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup.

FIFA Arab Cup record										Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1963 to 2009	Part of  Sudan									Part of  Sudan
2012	Not invited									Not invited
2021	Did not qualify									0	0	0	1	0	3
Total		0/9	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	1	0	3

The 2009 edition was cancelled during qualification.

Players Who Played for Two Nations

Some South Sudanese players also played for the Sudan national football team before South Sudan became an independent country.

• James Moga – He was a forward for Sudan. He played in World Cup qualifiers in 2002 and 2006. He played 14 matches and scored six goals for Sudan.
• Richard Justin Lado – He was a defender for Sudan from 2008 to 2012.
• Athir Thomas – He was a defender for Sudan before South Sudan became its own country.
• Roy Gulwak – He was a goalkeeper for Sudan in two World Cup qualifiers in 2009.
• Khamis Martin – He played one international game for Sudan in 2010.

Team Uniforms Through the Years

Here are some of the football kits (uniforms) the South Sudan team has worn over the years.

2011 Home

2011 Home

2012 Home

2012 Home

2012 Away

2013 Home

2014 Home

2014 Away

2014 Third

2015 Home

2015 Away

2015 Third

2017 Home

2017 Away

2017 Third

2020 Home

2020 Away

2021 Home

2021 Away

2021 Home

2021 Away

2022 Home

2022 Away

2023 Home

2023 Away

Sources:

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Sudán del Sur para niños