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Syria national football team facts for kids

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Syria
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) Nosour Qasioun
(Arabic: نسور قاسيون, lit.'Qasioun eagles')
Association Syrian Football Association (SFA)
Confederation AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation WAFF (West Asia)
UAFA (Arab world)
Head coach Hussam Al Sayed
Captain Omar Al Somah
Most caps Maher Al-Sayed (109)
Top scorer Firas Al-Khatib (36)
Home stadium Abbasiyyin Stadium
Aleppo International Stadium
FIFA code SYR
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 83 Decrease 9 (7 February 2019)
Highest 68 (1 July 2018)
Lowest 152 (September 2014, March 2015)
Elo ranking
Current 76 Decrease 17 (3 March 2019)
Highest 53 (October 1974)
Lowest 125 (September 1984)
First international
 Lebanon 1–2 Syria 
(Beirut, Lebanon; 19 April 1942)
Biggest win
 Syria 13–0 Muscat and Oman
(Cairo, Egypt; 6 September 1965)
Biggest defeat
 Greece 8–0 Syria 
(Athens, Greece; 25 November 1949)
 Egypt 8–0 Syria 
(Alexandria, Egypt; 16 October 1951)
Asian Cup
Appearances 6 (first in 1980)
Best result Group stage (1980, 1984, 1988, 1996, 2011, 2019)
Arab Cup
Appearances 7 (first in 1963)
Best result Runners-up (1963, 1966, 1988)
WAFF Championship
Appearances 8 (first in 2000)
Best result Champions (2012)
Medal record
WAFF Championship
Gold 2012 Kuwait Team
Silver 2000 Jordan Team
Silver 2004 Iran Team
Bronze 2007 Jordan Team
Bronze 2008 Iran Team
FIFA Arab Cup
Silver 1963 Lebanon Team
Silver 1966 Iraq Team
Silver 1988 Jordan Team
Palestine Cup of Nations
Silver 1973 Libya Team
Mediterranean Games
Gold 1987 Latakia Team
Bronze 1951 Alexandria Team
West Asian Games
Silver 1997 Tehran Team
Silver 2005 Doha Team
Bronze 2002 Kuwait Team
Pan Arab Games
Gold 1957 Beirut Team
Silver 1953 Alexandria Team
Silver 1997 Beirut Team
Bronze 1976 Damascus Team

The Syria national football team (Arabic: منتخب سوريا لكرة القدم) represents Syria in association football and is controlled by the Syrian Arab Federation for Football, the governing body for football in Syria. Syria has never qualified for the World Cup finals but did reach the fourth qualification round in 2018. The team is currently banned by FIFA from playing at home, as they have not hosted a game since December 2010. Internationally, Syria won the 2012 WAFF Championship, 1957 Pan Arab Games and the 1987 Mediterranean Games.

History

From 1936 to 1969: The beginnings

The Syrian Football Federation was founded in 1936, 10 years before independence from the French in 1946. It has been affiliated with FIFA since 1937 and has been a member of AFC since 1969. Syria played its first unofficial matches under the name of Damascus XI with Lebanon (5–4) in 1939 and with Iraq (1–2) in 1944.

Syria played their first official game against Lebanon on 19 April 1942; Qasioun Eagles won 2–1. Syria's first official qualifying match was played in Ankara against Turkey, which ended in a Syrian defeat 7:0 on 20 November 1949. Thanks to that, the Syrian team participated in the 1950 World Cup European qualifiers as one of the first teams in the region to do so. One of the biggest defeats was played in Athens against the Greece, on 25 November 1949, 5 days after its first official match which ended in a score of 8:0 for the Greeks.

At the 1951 Mediterranean Games in Alexandria, on 12 October 1951, one of Syria's biggest defeats was recorded against the Egypt which ended with a score of 8:0 for the Pharaohs.

Ferenc Meszaros
Francisc Mészáros, who became the second coach of the Syrian national team in 1954.

The first great success of the national team was silver at the 1953 Pan Arab Games, when they were defeated in the final by Egypt (4:0). At the 1957 Pan Arab Games in Beirut, they advanced to the finals after the semi-final defeat of Morocco, in which they defeated Tunisia with goals scored by Shamas and Awadis Kaoulakian 3:1.

In the FIFA World Cup 1958 qualifiers, the Syrian football team was defeated by the Sudan in the 1st round of the playoffs. Between 1958 and 1961, the team combined with Egypt to form the United Arab Republic national football team, although the team's records are attributed only to Egypt by FIFA.

They were twice a finalists in the Arab Cup: in 1963 (beaten by the Tunisia) and 1966 (beaten by Iraq).

In the 1966 World Cup qualifiers they were one of two teams from the Asian zone (the other being Israel) to be allocated to the European qualifying zone and were originally placed with Spain and the Republic of Ireland. However, they joined the Asian and African boycott of the 1966 qualifiers, due to the decision of FIFA to allocate just one place between Asia and Africa.

1970s: Successes in Arab competitions

In the 1970s, they regularly participated in the Palestine Cup, which served as a substitute for the Arab Cup. At the 1972 Palestine Cup, they placed fourth when they lost 1:3 to Algeria. At the 1973 Palestine Cup, they advanced from the group stage to the semifinals, where they eliminated Algeria after penalties (0:0, pen. 3:2). In the final of the cup, they clearly lost to Tunisia 0:4.

In the 1974 Kuneitra Cup, the Qasioun Eagles entered the knockout phase after the group defeat of Sudan, Libya, Palestine and North Yemen. In the semifinals of the cup, they defeated Tunisia (3:1), but in the final they unfortunately lost to Morocco after a penalty shootout.

For the 1974 World Cup, they finished second in the group in the 1st round of the qualification, behind the Iran, insufficient to advance to the next round. The players who made Syrian football famous were the players of Barada SC, with the best elite of football players, such as Faris Sultji, Marwan Dardari, Ahmad Talib Tamim, Mohammad Khair Dhaher, Ahmad Alian, Joseph Chahrestan, Farouq Bozo, Ahmad al-Akad, Jamal al-Sharif.

At the 1975 Palestine Cup, they eliminated Libya in the group stage, but lost to Iraq in the semifinals 0: 4 and in the bronze medal match with Sudan 0:1.

In 1976, Damascus hosted the Pan Arab Games, whose football tournament was played at the Abbasiyyin Stadium, where the home Syrian team won bronze medals.

In the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification, the Qasioun Eagles did not go through the first round, as despite losing one victory over Saudi Arabia (2:0) they lost both matches to Iran, finishing in third place in the group.

The years 1980-1996: an improvement in Syrian football

Kurdagli
Abdul Kader Kardaghli, scorer of the winning penalty against France in the 1987 Mediterranean Games finals

The Syrian team made it to 1980 Olympics thanks to Iran, as the team withdrew due to the American-led boycott of the Olympics. Despite losing 0:3 to the Algeria and 0:5 to the GDR, they gained experience from big matches. However, the most valuable result in the tournament was a draw with a strong Spain 0:0.

The Syrian team took part in the three editions of the Asian Nations Cup in the 1980s. In 1980 Asian Cup, they finished 3rd out of 5 in the group stage, behind the North Korea and the Iran, ahead of the China and the Bangladesh.

In 1984 Asian Nations Cup, they finished 4th out of 5 in the 1st round, ahead of the South Korea, behind Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. In the 1988 Asian Nations Cup, they finished 3rd out of 5 still in the 1st round, behind the China and Saudi Arabia, ahead of Kuwait and Bahrain. The two Syrian scorers were with one goal each: Walid Nasser and Walid Al-Hel. They were a finalists in the Arab Nations Cup in 1988 (beaten by Iraq). During this period, Syria shows that it is very present on the Asian scene.

For the qualifiers of the 1982 World Cup, they finished last in the group stage behind the Qatar, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. As for the qualification round of the 1986 World Cup, Syria came very close to a qualification which would have been historic, since it passed the 1st round ahead of the Kuwait and the North Yemen, beat Bahrain and lost in the final qualifying round to Iraq 1:3 on aggregate, with the only Syrian goal scored by Walid Abu Al-Sel.

Valeriy Yaremchenko
Valeriy Yaremchenko, the coach who led Syria to victory at the 1987 Mediterranean Games

One of the greatest successes of the Qasioun Eagles in the 1980s was the participation in the finals of the 1987 Mediterranean Games, which took place in Latakia, and the defeat of the France team 2:1.

In the 1990 World Cup qualifiers, the national team placed second in the first round after losing to Saudi Arabia 4:5 (goal scorers: Mahrous, Jakalan, Al-Nasser and Helou).

In 1992, the Pan Arab Games were held in Syria, which included the Arab Cup In this tournament, the Syrian national team led by Virgil Dridea placed 4th after advancing to the semifinals (losing to Egypt 4:3 on penalties) and losing in the bronze medal match with Kuwait 1:2.

During the 1994 World Cup qualifiers, they led the qualifying group after winning over Taiwan and Oman, but due to draws with Iran (0:0 and 1:1, goal scored by Abdul Latif Helou), they did not advance to the second round.

In the 1st round of the 1996 Asian Cup, the Syrian team beat Uzbekistan (2:1), thanks to goals from Nader Joukhadar and Ali Dib, but they were beaten by Japan (1:2 , goal by Nader Joukhadar) and by China (0:3). By finishing 3rd in the group, they had a chance to qualify for the quarterfinals but having a low score compared to the other two countries (Iraq and South Korea), the team finished as the worst 3rd, again missed the knockout phase by a close margin.

From 1996 to 2007: Years of hope and disappointment

Chadi02
Chadi Cheikh Merai in 1997

At the 1997 Pan Arab Games in Beirut, they reached the final, in which Jordan defeated them 0–1.

One of Syria's biggest victories was recorded in Tehran on 4 June 1997, against the Maldives, a match that ended by a final score of 12–0 for the Syrians. 5 days later it faces again the Maldives, still in Tehran, which ends with the same score of 12–0. These two matches were played as a part of the qualification of the 1998 World Cup, where it was eliminated in the first preliminary round, ahead of the Iran.

The Syrian team was twice finalist in 2000 and in 2004 of a regional competition, the West Asian Football Championship, beaten each time by the Iran; as they reached the semi-finals of the West Asian Championship 2002 held at home but lost to the Jordan on a golden goal scored in the last minutes of extra time (1–2), before losing to Iran on penalties during the match for the 3rd place (2–2, 2–4).

Azadi Tehran
Syria v Iran, friendly match (2006)

As for the qualification of the World Cup 2002, they were overtaken by the Oman at 1st, while being ahead of the Philippines and the Laos.

In the qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup, they did not advance to the third stage after uncertain match performances and losses with Bahrain (1–2) and Kyrgyzstan (0–1).

A view of ONGC Nehru Football Cup between India- Syria, in New Delhi on August 29, 2007
Syria v India, 2007 Nehru Cup

During this period, the national team participated in the 2007 Nehru Cup, where after the first victory over Bangladesh (2–0) they defeated Kyrgyzstan (4–1), India (3–2) and Cambodia (5–1) and advanced to the finals. The top scorers were famous Syrian stars Zyad Chaabo (5 goals) and Maher Al-Sayed (4 goals). But the cup final for the team did not turn out well, because they lost to India 0–1.

From 2007 to 2012: Great achievements

Fajr Ibrahim
Fajr Ibrahim led Syria twice to the semifinals of the West Asian Cup

In 2007, Syria advanced to the WAAF Cup under the leadership of coach Fajr Ibrahim, where they after victories over Lebanon and Jordan (both 1–0), lost in the semifinals to Iraq 0–3.

A year later, the Qasioun Eagles took part in the 2008 WAAF Cup, where after a 2–1 victory over Oman and a draw with Jordan, they advanced to the semifinals, where they lost to Iran (0–2).

At the 2009 Nehru Cup, Syria sovereignly won the group stage, defeating Sri Lanka, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon and, in a close match, India (1–0). In the final of the cup, they encountered India, with which they lost 1–2 on penalties (the only Syrian scorer was Ali Diab).

In the qualifications for the World Cup 2010, the team of Syria beat the Afghanistan in the 1st round, then the Indonesia in the 2nd round, but narrowly failed in the 3rd round to qualify for the 4th round, due to a unfavorable goal average, behind UAE and Iran, but ahead of Kuwait.

SYR-JPN 2011-01-13
Syrian line-up against Japan at the 2011 Asian Cup

The Syrian team qualified for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar after a long absence from it since 1996, where it ascended to the championship without any loss in the qualifiers. They were eliminated from the group stage again after losing to Jordan and Japan and defeating Saudi Arabia. Shortly afterwards, they were disqualified from the 2014 World Cup due to the use of an ineligible player.

In December 2012, Syria beat Iraq in the final of West Asia Cup to collect its first major trophy and Ahmad Al Saleh became the scorer of the historic winning goal (1–0). Official Syrian television interrupted its broadcasts to announce the victory and show the presentation of the cup live.

From 2013 to 2016: Withdrawal from positions

In 2013, the Syrian team withdrew from the WAAF Cup due to the war in the country. In the following years, the situation in the national team was not good because they could not play at home stadiums.

Syria national football team in Tehran - 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification
Syria national football team in Tehran: 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification

The Syrian national team missed the 2015 AFC Asian Cup after failing to qualify and occupying third place in the Group A that included Jordan, Singapore and Oman. In 2016, Syria took part in the King's Cup under national team captain Mosab Balhous and head coach Ayman Hakeem, where they lost in the semifinals after a penalty shootout with Thailand and defeated the United Arab Emirates 1–0 in third place match.

2018 World Cup qualifiers: Syria close to great success

Ever since war broke out in the country, Syria have been banned from playing home games in their own country and in fact were one day away from being thrown out of the 2018 World Cup only for Malaysia to swoop in at the last minute and offer to host all of Syria's home games.

After finishing on second place in Group E during the 2018 World Cup 2nd qualifying round, behind Japan, but ahead of Singapore, Afghanistan and Cambodia. Syria was among the top 4 (2nd) and obtained the right to play in the 3rd round , in addition to being qualified for the next Asian Cup.

Syria Draw with Iran in 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualification Match-8
2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, Syria v Iran

They were transferred to the group A, along with the Iran, South Korea, Uzbekistan, China and the Qatar. On 5 September 2017, Syria qualified for the first time in their history for the play-offs of a World Cup by finishing 3rd in their group with 13 points, level on points with Uzbekistan, but ahead in the standings thanks to better goal difference, following of their draw gleaned in stoppage time on the lawn of the Iran (2–2) in the last match.

This the best of Qasioun Eagles performance to date in a qualifying phase of a World Cup. The prospect of a historic qualification for a final phase of the World Cup has given rise to a momentary halt to the conflict which has ravaged the country for six years, as well as the installation of giant screens by the authorities in the main public squares of major cities to follow the decisive match against the Iran.

Syria v Australia

On 5 October 2017 in Malacca, Syria managed to draw (1–1) against Australia thanks to a converted penalty in the 85 minute by Syrian best striker Omar Al Somah, who had already equalized in stoppage time in the last pool match against Iran, responding to the opening goal in the first half of Robbie Kruse.

Omar soma17
Omar Al Somah, captain and best Syrian scorer in qualifiers

In the return match played five days later in Sydney, the Syrians opened the scoring in the 6th minute of play, once again thanks to Al Somah, but Tim Cahill tied the two teams seven minutes after the opening goal.

The two teams continued to neutralize each other and it was in extra time that the Australia took a decisive advantage in the 109th minute of play thanks to a new goal from Cahill, dashing Syria's last hopes of participating in a World Cup. Reduced to 10 at the start of extra time, Syria nevertheless bravely tried their luck, narrowly missing the equalizer and qualification for the intercontinental play-off during stoppage time in the 2nd half of extra time on a free kick from the essential Al Somah who found the post.

2019 Asian Cup: missed opportunity

At the 2019 AFC Asian Cup (Group B) in the United Arab Emirates, Syria under the leadership of then-head coach Bernd Strange, the national team drew 0–0 with Palestine in the first match of the tournament. Syria failed to advance from the group stage after losing to Australia (2–3) and Jordan (0–2).

SYR-PLE 20190106 Asian Cup 3
2019 Asia Cup, Syria v Palestine

The Syrian coach Bernd Stange was sacked after this tournament, and replaced with former manager Fajr Ibrahim. The team's game didn't improve much after this intervention, and a new head coach Nabil Maâloul, had to come to improve the situation around the national team.

From 2019 to the present

In qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, which began in the fall of 2019, they were placed second in Group A of 2nd round after the draw. In the first matches of the group, the Qasioun Eagles comfortably won first over the Philippines (5–2), Maldives (2–1) and Guam (4–0). Subsequently, in an important match, they defeated China 2–1 after Osama Omari's goal and Zhang Linpeng's own goal. In the next match, the national team defeated the Philippines 1–0 with a decisive goal by midfielder Ward Al Salama. On 11 March 2020, Tunisian Nabil Maâloul was appointed head coach of Syria.

Nabil Maâloul 2018
Nabil Maâloul, Syria's head coach from 2020 to 2021

The last matches in the group were played in 2021 due to COVID-19 in Asia, when they first defeated the Maldives (4–0) and Guam (3–0), and then lost to China 1–3. In Group A, they took a perfect 1st place, and advanced to the 2023 AFC Asian Cup and also to the third stage of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.

Omar Kharbin
Omar Khribin, Asian footballer of the year 2017, and one of the key players of the national team

Nabil Maâloul resigned on June 15, 2021 due to disagreements with the leadership of the football federation. Nizar Mahrous replaced him for the next qualification phase. The team started this part of the qualification with unconvincing results with Iran (0–1), UAE (1–1) and South Korea (1–2), with both Syrian goals scored by Omar Khribin and Mahmoud Al Baher. After a humiliating defeat in the Levantine derby with Lebanon (2–3, the scorers were Khrbin and Somah), a draw with Iraq (1–1 only goal was scored by Somah) and a high defeat with Iran (0–3), the head coach Mahrous was fired.

At 2021 FIFA Arab Cup, under the leadership of new coach Valeriu Tița, they showed up in good form. They played the first match in Group B against the UAE, which they lost 1–2. In the next match, Syria played well despite the previous results, as Oliver Kass Kawo and Mouhamad Anez scored 2–0 over the big favorite from Tunisia. In their last group match, the Qasioun Eagles lost very badly to Mauritania 1–2 when the equalizing goal was scored by Mahmoud Al Baher in the 52nd minute. They took 3rd place in the group and 9th place in overall.

In the last qualifying matches, they lost first to the UAE 0–2 then to South Korea with the same score, and due to these results Tița was dismissed. Ghassan Maatouk was appointed as the new national head coach on February 9, 2022, leading the team to victory in the derby with Lebanon (3–0) and a draw with Iraq (1–1) in the last two matches. As a result, the Syrian team finished 5th in Group A.

Stadiums

Home stadiums list
Image Stadium Capacity Location Last match
Aleppo International Stadium, day view, 2009 (1).jpg Aleppo International Stadium 53,200 Aleppo v   Vietnam
(18 November 2009; (2011 Asian Cup Q)
Abbasiyyin stadium from a distance.jpg Abbasiyyin Stadium 30,000 Damascus v   Iraq
(22 December 2010; Friendly)
Al-Hamadaniya stad Aleppo1.jpg Al-Hamadaniah Stadium 15,000 Aleppo v   South Korea
(22 February 2006; (2007 Asian Cup Q)
Jalaa stad.jpg Al-Jalaa Stadium 10,000 Damascus v   [[Palestinian National Authority {{{altlink}}}|Palestinian National Authority]]
(26 March 2004; Friendly)

Team image

Rivalries

SYR-PLE 20190106 Asian Cup 1
Syrian fans before the match with Palestine

Syria's common rivals are mostly from the Levant and the Gulf, notably are Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Iraq and Iran.

Syria vs. Lebanon

Statistics vs.  Lebanon
Played1 Wins2 Draws Losses GF GA
25 15 5 5 50 28

1. Only matches recognized by FIFA.
2. Wins for Syria.

Due to historical reasons, matches against Lebanon have been frequently followed and seen by Syrians as the most important rival. Syria played until today 25 games against Lebanon. The first match took place on 19 April 1942 in a friendly match against the Cedars in Beirut, when Lebanon and Syria were a French colonies. In 1947 Syria played two more friendlies against Lebanon: 4–1 victory in Beirut on 4 May, and 1–0 victory in Aleppo on 18 May. It was at this time that the matches were the most regular. Syria is trailing behind the series with 15 wins, 5 draws and 5 losses.

Syria vs. Jordan

Statistics vs.  Jordan
Played1 Wins2 Draws Losses GF GA
40 15 9 16 37 39

1. Only matches recognized by FIFA.
2. Wins for Syria.

Syria played their first official match against Jordan on 1 August 1953 in Alexandria, Egypt as part of the 1953 Pan Arab Games, winning 3–1. In later years, the derby gained mutual popularity mainly due to historical and political reasons, as Syrians consider Jordan as part of the original territory of Bilad al-Sham.

Nickname

The Syria is known by supporters and the media as Nosour Qasioun, meaning The Eagles of Qasioun in reference to the Mount Qasioun, which stretch over Damascus.

Kits

The Syria national football team's home color is red and away is white. In 2021, new versions of the jerseys were designed, which changed the white color borders and edges to gold. The national flag of Syria was replaced by the new emblem of the SFA, which symbolizes the eagle of Qasioun.

Kit supplier Period Notes
Italy Diadora 2007–2010
Germany Adidas 2011–2014
Italy Lotto 2015–2017
Germany Jako 2018–2020
Germany Uhlsport 2021–2022
Germany Jako 2022–

Schedule and recent results

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

Coaching history

Name Nat Period Matches Wins Draws Losses Honours
Vinzenz Dittrich Austria 1951
Francisc Mészáros Hungary 1954
József Albert Hungary 1956–1959 1957 Pan Arab Games winners
Miklós Vadas Hungary 1960–1965
Cornel Drăgușin Romania 1965–1966
Ezzat Abdel-Wahab United Arab Republic 1969
Mehana Jabour Syria 1971
Khalil Nadaf Syria 1971–1972
Mohamed Azzam Syria 1972
Khalil Nadaf Syria 1972–1973
Mousa Shamas Syria 1973–1974
Lofti Kerkuli Syria 1974
Petre Rădulescu Romania 1974–1975
Vladimir Bolotov Soviet Union 1975
Mohamed Azzam Syria 1976–1977
Lofti Kerkuli Syria 1977
Zaki Natour Syria 1978
Horst Zokoll East Germany 1978–1979
Mustafa Huseinagić Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1979
Mousa Shamas Syria 1980
Joseph Chadli Syria 1980
Bill Asprey England 1980–1982
Karl Trautmann East Germany 1983–1984
Viktor Vasilyev Soviet Union 1984
Avedis Kavlakian Syria 1984–1985
Valeriy Yaremchenko Soviet Union 1985–1987 1987 Mediterranean Games winners
Anatoliy Azarenkov Soviet Union
Ukraine
1987–1992
Virgil Dridea Romania 1992–1993
Marwan Khouri Syria 1994–1995
Yuri Kurnenin Belarus 1995–1997
Anwar Abdul-Kader Syria 1997
Kevork Mardikian Syria 1997
Angel Stankov Bulgaria 1997
Mircea Rădulescu Romania 1997–1998 Joel Camargo
Joel Camargo Brazil 1998–1999
Mousa Shamas Syria March 1999 – September 1999
Dragoslav Popović Federal Republic of Yugoslavia September 1999 – February 2000
Dragoslav Sridović Federal Republic of Yugoslavia March 2000 – April 2000
Božidar Vukotić Federal Republic of Yugoslavia March 2001 – October 2001
Jalal Talebi Iran November 2001 – September 2002 10 9 0 1
Janusz Wójcik Poland March 2003 – August 2003
Božidar Vukotić Serbia and Montenegro September 2003 – November 2003
Ahmed Rifaat Egypt December 2003 – November 2004
Nizar Mahrous Syria November 2004 – 2005
Miloslav Radenović

Serbia

2005 – August 2006
Fajr Ibrahim Syria 5 August 2006 – February 2008 24 13 5 6
Mohammad Kwid Syria 10 May 2008 – 20 August 2008 8 4 0 4
Fajr Ibrahim Syria 13 November 2008 – 13 September 2010 28 13 9 6
Ayman Hakeem (Interim) Syria 14 September 2010 – 20 December 2010 5 2 1 2
Ratomir Dujković Serbia 28 October 2010 – 8 December 2010 1 1 0 0
Valeriu Tiţa Romania 21 December 2010 – 9 February 2011 6 1 0 5
Claude Le Roy France 16 April 2011 – 4 May 2011 0 0 0 0
Nizar Mahrous Syria 22 May 2011 – 18 August 2011 7 5 2 0
Marwan Khoury Syria 7 July 2012 – 30 August 2012 4 1 1 2
Hussam Al Sayed Syria 21 October 2012 – 10 April 2013 8 2 3 3 2012 WAFF Championship winners
Anas Makhlouf Syria 13 April 2013 – 23 October 2013 3 0 1 2
Hussam Al Sayed (Interim) Syria 9 November 2013 – 20 November 2013 3 1 0 2
Ahmad Al Shaar Syria 13 February 2014 – 5 March 2014 1 0 0 1
Muhannad Al Fakeer Syria 18 September 2014 – 5 January 2015 2 2 0 0
Fajr Ibrahim Syria 6 January 2015 – 29 March 2016 14 10 1 3
Ayman Hakeem Syria 9 May 2016 – 20 November 2017 21 6 11 4
Bernd Stange Germany 31 January 2018 – 10 January 2019 11 3 5 3
Fajr Ibrahim Syria 10 January 2019 – 31 December 2019 17 7 3 7
Nabil Maâloul Tunisia 11 March 2020 – 15 June 2021 7 3 0 4
Nizar Mahrous Syria 7 July 2021 – 16 November 2021 6 0 2 4
Valeriu Tiţa Romania 18 November 2021 – 1 February 2022 5 1 0 4
Ghassan Maatouk Syria 9 February 2022 – 1 June 2022 3 2 1 0
Hussam Al Sayed Syria 23 August 2022 – 6 0 0 6

Players

Current squad

The following players were called up for the friendly matches against Oman on 23 and 30 December 2022.

Information correct as of 30 December 2022, after the match against Oman.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Ahmad Madania (1990-01-01) 1 January 1990 (age 34) 17 0 Syria Tishreen
1GK Shaher Al Shaker (1993-04-01) 1 April 1993 (age 30) 2 0 Syria Al-Ittihad
1GK Abdullatif Al Nassan (1993-01-30) 30 January 1993 (age 31) 0 0 Syria Al-Jaish

2DF Ahmad Al Saleh (1989-05-20) 20 May 1989 (age 34) 56 2 Syria Al-Jaish
2DF Amro Jenyat (1993-01-15) 15 January 1993 (age 31) 40 1 Syria Al-Karamah
2DF Hussein Jwayed (1993-01-01) 1 January 1993 (age 31) 36 0 Syria Al-Ittihad
2DF Youssef Al Hamwi (1997-02-01) 1 February 1997 (age 27) 13 0 Syria Al-Ittihad
2DF Abdulrazzak Al Mohammad (1995-01-16) 16 January 1995 (age 29) 8 0 Syria Tishreen
2DF Karam Omran (1996-11-11) 11 November 1996 (age 27) 4 0 Syria Al-Fotuwa
2DF Ahmad Al Shemali (1994-08-15) 15 August 1994 (age 29) 3 0 Syria Al-Ittihad
2DF Hamza Al Kurdi (1995-02-26) 26 February 1995 (age 29) 1 0 Syria Jableh
2DF Al-Laith Ali (2000-05-18) 18 May 2000 (age 23) 0 0 Syria Al-Fotuwa
2DF Abdullah Jenyat (1996-01-18) 18 January 1996 (age 28) 0 0 Syria Al-Karamah

3MF Ahmed Ashkar (1996-12-12) 12 December 1996 (age 27) 26 1 Syria Al-Ittihad
3MF Mohamad Rihanieh (2001-01-01) 1 January 2001 (age 23) 19 1 Syria Al-Ittihad
3MF Mustafa Jneid (2000-01-11) 11 January 2000 (age 24) 5 0 Syria Hutteen
3MF Ahmad Al Dali (2002-03-21) 21 March 2002 (age 22) 4 0 Syria Tishreen
3MF Sobhi Shofan (1998-02-25) 25 February 1998 (age 26) 4 0 Syria Al-Fotuwa
3MF Ayman Akil (1999-02-09) 9 February 1999 (age 25) 3 0 Syria Hutteen
3MF Mohamad Krouma (1996-09-01) 1 September 1996 (age 27) 1 0 Syria Al-Wathba
3MF Khalil Ibrahim (1997-01-21) 21 January 1997 (age 27) 0 0 Syria Al-Fotuwa

4FW Alaa Al Dali (1997-01-03) 3 January 1997 (age 27) 15 2 Syria Al-Fotuwa
4FW Ali Beshmani (2000-01-14) 14 January 2000 (age 24) 7 0 Syria Tishreen
4FW Yassin Samia (1998-02-22) 22 February 1998 (age 26) 4 0 Iraq Naft Missan

Recent call-ups

The following players have also been called up to the Syria squad within the last 12 months.


Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Taha Mosa (1987-05-24) 24 May 1987 (age 36) 5 0 Syria Al-Fotuwa v.  Iraq, 26 September 2022
GK Ibrahim Alma (1991-10-18) 18 October 1991 (age 32) 72 0 Syria Jableh v.  Tajikistan, 1 June 2022
GK Hussain Rahal (1988-01-01) 1 January 1988 (age 36) 0 0 Syria Al-Wathba v.  Tajikistan, 1 June 2022
GK Khaled Haj Othman (1987-05-01) 1 May 1987 (age 36) 7 0 Saudi Arabia Qilwah v.  Iraq, 29 March 2022

DF Khaled Kurdaghli (1997-01-31) 31 January 1997 (age 27) 19 0 Iraq Naft Al-Wasat v.  Venezuela, 20 November 2022
DF Zakaria Hanan (1997-08-21) 21 August 1997 (age 26) 1 0 Syria Al-Ittihad v.  Venezuela, 20 November 2022
DF Omar Midani (1994-01-26) 26 January 1994 (age 30) 54 1 Kuwait Al-Nasr v.  Iraq, 26 September 2022
DF Saad Ahmad (1989-08-10) 10 August 1989 (age 34) 11 0 Syria Al-Fotuwa v.  Iraq, 26 September 2022
DF Abdul Rahman Weiss (1998-06-14) 14 June 1998 (age 25) 7 0 Greece Volos v.  Iraq, 26 September 2022
DF Belal Halbouni (1999-12-29) 29 December 1999 (age 24) 1 0 Germany 1. FC Magdeburg v.  Iraq, 26 September 2022
DF Abdullah Al Shami (1994-03-02) 2 March 1994 (age 30) 13 0 Kuwait Al-Fahaheel v.  Tajikistan, 1 June 2022
DF Youssef Mohammad (1999-06-26) 26 June 1999 (age 24) 10 0 Bangladesh Dhaka Abahani v.  Tajikistan, 1 June 2022 WD
DF Moayad Ajan (1993-02-16) 16 February 1993 (age 31) 62 1 Bahrain Al-Riffa v.  Iraq, 29 March 2022
DF Muayad Al Khouli (1993-10-16) 16 October 1993 (age 30) 10 0 Syria Tishreen v.  Iraq, 29 March 2022
DF Mohammad Sahyouni (1992-08-08) 8 August 1992 (age 31) 5 0 Syria Al-Jaish v.  South Korea, 1 February 2022

MF Thaer Krouma (1990-02-02) 2 February 1990 (age 34) 26 0 Saudi Arabia Al-Ain v.  Venezuela, 20 November 2022
MF Kamel Hmeisheh (1998-07-23) 23 July 1998 (age 25) 25 0 Iraq Al-Karkh v.  Venezuela, 20 November 2022
MF Kamel Kawaya (1998-06-06) 6 June 1998 (age 25) 1 0 Syria Al-Ittihad v.  Venezuela, 20 November 2022
MF Hozan Osman (2003-05-16) 16 May 2003 (age 20) 1 0 Netherlands De Graafschap v.  Venezuela, 20 November 2022
MF Mahmoud Al Aswad (2003-09-14) 14 September 2003 (age 20) 0 0 Syria Al-Karamah v.  Venezuela, 20 November 2022
MF Mustafa Sheikh Youssef (1993-09-29) 29 September 1993 (age 30) 0 0 Syria Al-Ittihad v.  Venezuela, 20 November 2022
MF Mohammad Marmour (1995-09-17) 17 September 1995 (age 28) 31 4 Bahrain Al-Manama v.  Belarus, 17 November 2022
MF Mohammad Al Hallak (1999-01-01) 1 January 1999 (age 25) 12 0 Bahrain Al-Manama v.  Belarus, 17 November 2022
MF Mahmoud Al-Mawas (1993-01-01) 1 January 1993 (age 31) 85 15 Iraq Al-Shorta v.  Iraq, 26 September 2022
MF Maher Daaboul (1993-12-04) 4 December 1993 (age 30) 3 0 Syria Al-Fotuwa v.  Iraq, 26 September 2022
MF Hosam Aiesh (1995-04-14) 14 April 1995 (age 28) 2 0 Sweden IFK Göteborg v.  Iraq, 26 September 2022
MF Ammar Ramadan (2001-01-05) 5 January 2001 (age 23) 2 0 Slovakia DAC Dunajská Streda v.  Iraq, 26 September 2022
MF Fahd Youssef (1987-05-15) 15 May 1987 (age 36) 34 0 Iraq Al-Shorta v.  Tajikistan, 1 June 2022
MF Mohammad Anz (1995-05-14) 14 May 1995 (age 28) 23 1 Iraq Al-Zawraa v.  Tajikistan, 1 June 2022
MF Oliver Kass Kawo (2001-12-03) 3 December 2001 (age 22) 6 1 Denmark Helsingør v.  Iraq, 29 March 2022
MF Tamer Haj Mohamad (1990-04-03) 3 April 1990 (age 33) 37 1 Syria Al-Karamah v.  South Korea, 1 February 2022 RET
MF Ward Al Salama (1994-07-15) 15 July 1994 (age 29) 21 2 Saudi Arabia Al-Qaisumah v.  South Korea, 1 February 2022
MF Aias Aosman (1994-10-21) 21 October 1994 (age 29) 15 2 Greece Ionikos v.  South Korea, 1 February 2022

FW Mahmoud Al Baher (1994-01-03) 3 January 1994 (age 30) 11 2 Syria Jableh v.  Venezuela, 20 November 2022
FW Omar Al Somah (1989-03-28) 28 March 1989 (age 35) 34 18 Qatar Al-Arabi v.  Iraq, 26 September 2022
FW Mardik Mardikian (1992-03-14) 14 March 1992 (age 32) 39 7 Iraq Al-Shorta v.  Tajikistan, 1 June 2022
FW Nasouh Al Nakdali (1993-06-15) 15 June 1993 (age 30) 15 0 Syria Tishreen v.  Tajikistan, 1 June 2022
FW Molham Babouli (1993-01-02) 2 January 1993 (age 31) 2 0 Canada York United v.  Iraq, 29 March 2022
FW Omar Khribin (1994-01-15) 15 January 1994 (age 30) 51 20 United Arab Emirates Shabab Al Ahli v.  South Korea, 1 February 2022

SUS Player suspended.
INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury.
RET Retired from the national team.
WD Player withdrew from the squad for non-injury related reasons.

Previous squads

Asian Cup
  • 1980 Asian Cup squad
  • 1984 Asian Cup squad
  • 1988 Asian Cup squad
  • 1996 Asian Cup squad
  • 2011 Asian Cup squad
  • 2019 Asian Cup squad

Player records

Players in bold are still active with Syria.

Most capped players

A. Diab
Ali Diab is Syria's second most-capped player with 97 caps.
Rank Player Caps Goals Career
1 Maher Al-Sayed 109 29 1999–2013
2 Ali Diab 97 4 2004–2013
3 Mosab Balhous 86 0 2006–2016
4 Mahmoud Al-Mawas 85 15 2012–
5 Raja Rafe 84 32 2002–2015
6 Tarek Jabban 83 5 1996–2007
7 Nizar Mahrous 75 12 1985–1993
8 George Khouri 73 8 1982–1989
9 Ibrahim Alma 72 0 2012–
Firas Al-Khatib 72 36 2001–2019

Top goalscorers

Firas Khatib
Firas Al-Khatib is Syria's all-time record goalscorer with 36 goals.
Rank Player Goals Caps Ratio Career
1 Firas Al-Khatib 36 72 0.5 2001–2019
2 Raja Rafe 32 84 0.38 2006–2016
3 Maher Al-Sayed 29 109 0.27 1999–2013
4 Said Bayazid 24 24 1 1997–2001
5 Zyad Chaabo 22 49 0.45 2001–2010
6 Omar Khribin 21 51 0.41 2012–present
7 Omar Al Somah 17 34 0.55 2012–present
8 Mohamed Al-Zeno 15 44 0.34 2004–2011
Mahmoud Al-Mawas 15 85 0.18 2012–present
10 Avedis Kavlakian 14 1953–1966

Competition records

AUS-SYR 20190116 Asian Cup 8
Syrian national team before 2019 AFC Asian Cup match against Australia

FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup record FIFA World Cup qualification record
Year Round Pld W D* L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA
Uruguay 1930 Did not enter Did not enter
Italy 1934
France 1938
Brazil 1950 Withdrew 1 0 0 1 0 7
Switzerland 1954 Did not enter Did not enter
Sweden 1958 Did not qualify 2 0 1 1 1 2
Chile 1962 Withdrew Withdrew
England 1966
Mexico 1970 Did not enter Did not enter
West Germany 1974 Did not qualify 6 3 1 2 6 6
Argentina 1978 Withdrew 4 1 0 3 2 6
Spain 1982 Did not qualify 4 0 0 4 2 7
Mexico 1986 8 4 3 1 8 4
Italy 1990 4 2 1 1 7 5
United States 1994 6 3 3 0 14 4
France 1998 5 2 1 2 27 5
South Korea Japan 2002 6 4 1 1 40 6
Germany 2006 6 2 2 2 7 7
South Africa 2010 10 6 2 2 23 10
Brazil 2014 Disqualified 2 0 0 2 0 6
Russia 2018 Did not qualify 20 9 5 6 36 22
Qatar 2022 18 8 3 7 31 23
Canada Mexico United States 2026 TBD TBD
Total 0/22 102 44 23 35 205 120
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

AFC Asian Cup

AFC Asian Cup record AFC Asian Cup qualification
Year Round Pld W D* L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA
Hong Kong 1956 Not a AFC member Not a AFC member
South Korea 1960
Israel 1964
Iran 1968
Thailand 1972 Did not qualify 3 0 2 1 4 5
Iran 1976 Withdrew Withdrew
Kuwait 1980 Group stage 4 2 1 1 3 2 3 2 1 0 2 0
Singapore 1984 4 1 1 2 3 5 6 3 0 3 9 9
Qatar 1988 4 2 0 2 2 5 4 3 1 0 8 2
Japan 1992 Did not qualify 2 1 0 1 3 4
United Arab Emirates 1996 Group stage 3 1 0 2 3 6 4 3 0 1 6 2
Lebanon 2000 Did not qualify 6 4 1 1 11 3
China 2004 6 2 1 3 16 10
Indonesia Malaysia Thailand Vietnam 2007 6 2 2 2 10 6
Qatar 2011 Group stage 3 1 0 2 4 5 6 4 2 0 10 2
Australia 2015 Did not qualify 6 1 1 4 7 7
United Arab Emirates 2019 Group stage 3 0 1 2 2 5 8 6 0 2 26 11
Qatar 2023 Qualified 8 7 0 1 22 7
Saudi Arabia 2027 To be determined To be determined
Total Group stage 21 7 3 11 17 28 68 38 12 19 134 68
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.
AFC Asian Cup history
Year Round Score Result
1980
Round 1  Syria 0–0  Iran Draw
Round 1  Syria 1–0  Bangladesh Win
Round 1  Syria 1–2  North Korea Loss
Round 1  Syria 1–0  China Win
1984
Round 1  Syria 1–1  Qatar Draw
Round 1  Syria 0–1  Saudi Arabia Loss
Round 1  Syria 1–0  South Korea Win
Round 1  Syria 1–3  Kuwait Loss
1988
Round 1  Syria 0–2  Saudi Arabia Loss
Round 1  Syria 0–3  China Loss
Round 1  Syria 1–0  Kuwait Win
Round 1  Syria 1–0  Bahrain Win
1996
Round 1  Syria 1–2  Japan Loss
Round 1  Syria 0–3  China Loss
Round 1  Syria 2–1  Uzbekistan Win
2011
Round 1  Syria 2–1  Saudi Arabia Win
Round 1  Syria 1–2  Japan Loss
Round 1  Syria 1–2  Jordan Loss
2019
Round 1  Syria 0–0  [[Palestinian National Authority {{{altlink}}}|Palestinian National Authority]] Draw
Round 1  Syria 0–2  Jordan Loss
Round 1  Syria 2–3  Australia Loss

Olympic Games

Olympic Games record Olympic Games qualification record
Year Result Pld W D* L GF GA Pld W D* L GF GA
France 1900 to 1968 Mexico Did not enter
West Germany 1972 Did not qualify 2 0 1 1 0 1
Canada 1976 Did not enter
Soviet Union 1980 Round 1 3 0 1 2 0 8 4 2 0 2 3 1
United States 1984 Did not qualify 6 2 1 3 6 10
South Korea 1988 2 0 0 2 0 5
Spain 1992 to present See Syria national under-23 team See Syria national under-23 team
Total 0 Titles 3 0 1 2 0 8 14 4 2 8 9 17
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

WAFF Championship

Soccer Field Transparant.svg

Balhous (C)
Al Salih
Al Masri
Jwayed
Ajan
Mobayed
Midani
Jafal
Al Douni
2012 WAFF Championship Final starting lineup on 20 December 2012, in Kuwait City (Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium).
WAFF Championship record
Year Round Pld W D* L GF GA
Jordan 2000 Runners-up 5 2 1 2 5 2
Syria 2002 Fourth place 4 1 1 2 5 6
Iran 2004 Runners-up 4 1 1 2 6 13
Jordan 2007 Semi-finals 3 2 0 1 2 3
Iran 2008 Semi-finals 3 1 1 1 2 3
Jordan 2010 Group stage 2 0 1 1 2 3
Kuwait 2012 Champions 4 2 2 0 5 3
Qatar 2014 Withdrew
Iraq 2019 Group stage 4 0 2 2 5 7
United Arab Emirates 2023 Qualified
Total 1 Title 29 9 9 11 32 40
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

FIFA Arab Cup

FIFA Arab Cup record
Year Round Pld W D* L GF GA
Lebanon 1963 Runners-up 4 3 0 1 9 4
Kuwait 1964 Did not enter
Iraq 1966 Runners-up 5 3 1 1 9 4
Saudi Arabia 1985 Did not enter
Jordan 1988 Runners-up 6 2 2 2 5 5
Syria 1992 Fourth place 4 0 3 1 2 3
Qatar 1998 Group stage 2 0 0 2 1 6
Kuwait 2002 Group stage 4 2 0 2 8 6
Saudi Arabia 2012 Did not enter
Qatar 2021 Group stage 3 1 0 2 4 4
Total 0 Titles 28 11 6 11 38 32
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

Palestine Cup of Nations

Palestine Cup of Nations record
Year Round Pld W D L GF GA
Iraq 1972 Fourth place 6 4 0 2 11 10
Libya 1973 Runners-up 6 3 1 2 16 11
Tunisia 1975 Fourth place 4 1 0 3 3 8
Total 0 Titles 16 8 1 7 30 29

Pan Arab Games

Pan Arab Games record
Year Round Pld W D* L GF GA
Egypt 1953 Runners-up 3 1 1 1 3 5
Lebanon 1957 Champions 5 2 2 1 12 6
Morocco 1961 Did not enter
Egypt 1965 Group stage 4 2 0 2 20 8
Syria 1976 Third place 6 3 1 2 6 4
Morocco 1985 Group stage 2 0 0 2 0 4
Syria 1992 Fourth place 4 0 3 1 2 3
Lebanon 1997 Runners-up 5 4 0 1 9 5
Jordan 1999 Group stage 4 0 4 0 5 5
Egypt 2007 Did not enter
Qatar 2011 Withdrew
Iraq 2023 To be determined
Lebanon 2027
Total 1 Title 33 12 11 10 57 40
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

Mediterranean Games

Mediterranean Games record
Year Round Pld W D L GF GA
Egypt 1951 Third place 2 0 0 2 0 12
Spain 1955 Fourth place 3 0 0 3 0 10
Lebanon 1959 Did not enter
Italy 1963 Group stage 3 0 0 3 1 10
Tunisia 1967 Did not enter
Turkey 1971 Group stage 3 0 0 3 1 4
Algeria1975 Did not enter
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1979
Morocco 1983 Group stage 2 0 0 2 0 2
Syria 1987 Champions 5 4 1 0 13 3
Italy 1991 to present See Syria national under-20 team
Total 1 Title 18 4 1 13 15 41

Asian Games

Asian Games record
Year Round Pld W D* L GF GA
India 1951 Did not enter
Philippines 1954
Japan 1958
Indonesia 1962
Thailand 1966
Thailand 1970
Iran1974
Thailand 1978
India 1982 Group stage 3 0 2 1 3 5
South Korea 1986 Did not enter
China 1990
Japan 1994
Thailand 1998
South Korea 2002 to present See Syria national under-23 team
Total 0 Titles 3 0 1 2 3 5
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

West Asian Games

West Asian Games record
Year Round Pld W D* L GF GA
Iran 1997 Runners-up
Kuwait 2002 Third place 4 1 3 0 5 4
Qatar 2005 Runners-up 4 1 3 0 7 5
Total 0 Titles 8 2 6 0 12 9
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

Head-to-head record

Honours

  • West Asian Football Federation Championship
    • Winners (1): 2012
    • Runners-up (2): 2000, 2004
    • Fourth place (1): 2002
    • Semi-finals (2): 2007, 2008
  • Arab Cup
    • Runners-up (3): 1963, 1966, 1988
    • Fourth place (1): 1992
  • Palestine Cup of Nations
    • Runners-up (1): 1973
    • Fourth place (2): 1972, 1975
  • Pan Arab Games
    • Winners (1): 1957
    • Runners-up (2): 1953, 1997
    • Third place (1): 1976
    • Fourth place (1): 1992*
  • Mediterranean Games
    • Winners (1): 1987
    • Third place (1): 1951
    • Fourth place (1): 1955
  • West Asian Games
    • Runners-up (2): 1997, 2005
    • Third place (1): 2002
  • Kuneitra Cup
    • Runners-up (1): 1974
  • Friendship Tournament
    • Runners-up (1): 1998
  • International Friendship Championship
    • Runners-up (2): 2018, 2019
  • King's Cup
    • Third place (1): 2016
  • Nehru Cup
    • Runners-up (2): 2007, 2009
  • Intercontinental Cup
    • Third place (1): 2019

Note: * The 1992 edition organised as part of the Pan Arab Games, and also counted as Arab Cup.

See also

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

  • Syria national under-23 football team
  • Syria national under-20 football team
  • Syria national under-17 football team
  • Syria national futsal team
  • Syria women's national football team
  • Syrian Football Association
  • Football in Syria
  • Sport in Syria
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