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Syria national football team facts for kids

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The Syria national football team is the official football team that represents Syria in international matches. They are controlled by the Syrian Football Association. The team is often called The Qasioun Eagles (Nusur Qasiun), named after Mount Qasioun near Damascus.

Syria has never played in the FIFA World Cup finals, but they came very close in 2018, reaching the fourth round of qualifications. The team has won several important regional tournaments, including the 2012 WAFF Championship, the 1957 Arab Games, the 1987 Mediterranean Games, and the 2024 Intercontinental Cup. Since December 2010, the team has not been able to play their home games in Syria.

Quick facts for kids
Syria
Nickname(s) نُسُور قَاسِيُون, Nusur Qasiun
(The Qasioun Eagles)
Association Syrian Football Association (SFA)
Confederation AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation WAFF (West Asia)
UAFA (Arab world)
Head coach José Lana
Captain Omar Al Somah
Most caps Maher Al-Sayed (109)
Top scorer Firas Al-Khatib (36)
Home stadium Various
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; 26 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 7 (first in 1980)
Best result Round of 16 (2023)
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
Arab Games
Gold 1957 Beirut Team
Silver 1953 Alexandria Team
Silver 1997 Beirut Team
Bronze 1976 Damascus Team

Team History: From Beginnings to Today

Early Days: 1936–1969

The Syrian Football Federation started in 1936. This was 10 years before Syria became an independent country in 1946. The team joined FIFA in 1937 and the AFC in 1969.

Syria played its first official football match on April 26, 1942. They played against Lebanon and won 2–1. This game was part of a competition called the Coupe Hauteclocque.

In 1949, Syria played its first official World Cup qualifying match against Turkey. They lost 7–0. One of their biggest losses happened five days later against Greece, where they lost 8–0.

At the 1951 Mediterranean Games, Syria lost 8–0 to Egypt. However, they achieved their first big success in 1953, winning a silver medal at the Arab Games. They lost to Egypt in the final.

In 1957, Syria won their first gold medal at the Arab Games in Beirut. They beat Tunisia 3–1 in the final.

Ferenc Meszaros
Francisc Mészáros became Syria's second coach in 1954.

Between 1958 and 1961, the Syrian team joined with Egypt to form the United Arab Republic national football team. Syria also reached the finals of the Arab Cup twice in the 1960s, but lost both times.

Success in Arab Competitions: 1970s

In the 1970s, Syria often played in the Palestine Cup, which was similar to the Arab Cup. In 1973, they reached the final of the Palestine Cup but lost to Tunisia 4–0.

The team also did well in the 1974 Kuneitra Cup. They reached the final but lost to Morocco after a penalty shootout.

In 1976, Damascus hosted the Arab Games. The Syrian team won bronze medals in the football tournament.

Important Moments and Missed Chances: 1980–1996

Syria's team played in the 1980 Olympics because Iran withdrew. Even though they lost most of their games, they gained valuable experience. They even managed a 0–0 draw against a strong Spain.

The Syrian team played in three Asian Nations Cup tournaments in the 1980s (1980, 1984, 1988). They reached the finals of the Arab Nations Cup in 1988 but lost to Iraq.

In the 1986 World Cup qualifiers, Syria came very close to making history. They won their first two rounds but lost to Iraq in the final qualifying round.

Valeriy Yaremchenko
Valeriy Yaremchenko coached Syria to victory at the 1987 Mediterranean Games.

One of their biggest achievements in the 1980s was winning the gold medal at the 1987 Mediterranean Games held in Latakia, Syria. They even beat the French team 2–1.

In 1992, Syria hosted the 1992 Arab Games. The national team finished fourth in the football tournament.

Hopes and Disappointments: 1996–2007

At the 1997 Arab Games, Syria reached the final but lost 1–0 to Jordan.

Syria achieved one of its biggest wins on June 4, 1997, beating the Maldives 12–0. They repeated this score five days later. These matches were part of the 1998 World Cup qualifiers.

The Syrian team reached the finals of the West Asian Football Championship twice, in 2000 and 2004, but lost to Iran both times.

Azadi Tehran
Syria played a friendly match against Iran in 2006.

In the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, Syria did not make it to the next stage after losing to Bahrain and Kyrgyzstan.

A view of ONGC Nehru Football Cup between India- Syria, in New Delhi on August 29, 2007
Syria played against India in the 2007 Nehru Cup.

In 2007, the team played in the 2007 Nehru Cup. They won all their group matches but lost 1–0 to India in the final.

Steady Progress and First Major Title: 2007–2012

In 2007, Syria reached the semifinals of the WAFF Cup. A year later, in the 2008 WAFF Cup, they also reached the semifinals.

In the 2009 Nehru Cup, Syria again reached the final but lost to India in a penalty shootout.

SYR-JPN 2011-01-13
Syria's team lineup against Japan at the 2011 Asian Cup.

The Syrian team qualified for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar, which was their first time in the tournament since 1996. They were eliminated in the group stage. Soon after, they were removed from the 2014 World Cup qualifiers because they used a player who was not allowed to play.

In December 2012, Syria won its first major trophy! They beat Iraq in the final of the West Asia Cup with a score of 1–0. This was a historic moment for Syrian football.

Playing Away from Home: 2013–2016

Due to challenges in their country, the Syrian team had to withdraw from the WAFF Cup in 2013. For several years, they could not play matches in their home stadiums.

Syria national football team in Tehran - 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification
The Syrian national football team in Tehran during the 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification.

Syria did not qualify for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup. In 2016, they participated in the 2016 King's Cup, losing in the semifinals but winning the third-place match against the United Arab Emirates.

World Cup Qualifiers: Almost There in 2018

Because of ongoing issues in Syria, the team was not allowed to play home games in their own country. Malaysia stepped in to host all of Syria's home matches for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Syria finished second in their group during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers. This meant they moved on to the third round and also qualified for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

Syria Draw with Iran in 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualification Match-8
2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Syria played against Iran.

On September 5, 2017, Syria made history by qualifying for the play-offs of a FIFA World Cup for the first time ever! They finished third in their group, thanks to a dramatic 2–2 draw against Iran in their last match. This was their best performance in World Cup qualifiers.

Syria vs. Australia

In the play-offs, Syria faced Australia. On October 5, 2017, in Malacca, Syria drew 1–1 with Australia. Omar Al Somah scored a penalty in the 85th minute to tie the game.

Five days later, in the return match in Sydney, Omar Al Somah scored again early in the game. However, Australia's Tim Cahill scored twice, including a goal in extra time. Australia won, ending Syria's dream of reaching the World Cup. Even with only 10 players for part of extra time, Syria fought hard, with Al Somah hitting the post from a free kick in the final moments.

Asian Cup: A Missed Chance in 2019

At the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates, Syria drew 0–0 with Palestine in their first match. However, they did not make it out of the group stage after losing to Australia and Jordan.

SYR-PLE 20190106 Asian Cup 3
2019 Asia Cup: Syria played against Palestine.

Qualification Setbacks: 2019–2024

In the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, Syria started strong, winning their first few matches. They defeated the Philippines, Maldives, and Guam. They also had an important 2–1 win against China.

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

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the last matches were played in 2021. Syria secured first place in their group, which meant they qualified for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup and the third stage of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

Omar Kharbin
Omar Khribin, named Asian Footballer of the Year in 2017, is a key player for Syria.

In the third stage of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, Syria had a tough time. They lost to Iran and South Korea, and drew with the UAE and Iraq. After a loss to Lebanon, their coach was replaced.

At the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup, Syria showed good form, beating Tunisia 2–0. However, they lost their other group matches and did not advance.

In the final 2022 World Cup qualifying matches, Syria lost to the UAE and South Korea, leading to another coaching change. The team finished fifth in their group.

First Knockout Stage: 2023 AFC Asian Cup

Syria qualified for their seventh AFC Asian Cup in 2023. For the first time in their history, they made it to the knockout stage! They were one of the best third-place teams in the group stage. In the Round of 16, Syria played against Iran. The game ended in a 1–1 draw after extra time, but Syria lost in a penalty shootout.

Recent Challenges: 2024

After two losses to North Korea and Japan in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Syria finished third in their group. This meant they missed out on another World Cup chance and will now compete in the Asian Cup qualifying third round.

New Beginnings: 2024–Present

In December 2024, following big changes in Syria, the Syrian Football Federation announced new home kit and logo colors for the national team. They changed from red to green. This decision was made to show a new start for Syrian football, aiming for fairness and honesty. The team now wears an all-green home kit.

Home Stadiums

Syria's national team plays its home matches at different stadiums across the country.

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 and Rivalries

Main Rivals

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

Syria's biggest football rivals are usually teams from nearby countries in the Levant region, like Lebanon and Jordan.

Syria vs. Lebanon

Matches against Lebanon are very important to Syrian fans because of their shared history. Syria has played 25 official games against Lebanon. The first match was in 1942. Syria has won 15 of these matches, drawn 5, and lost 5.

Syria vs. Jordan

Syria's first official match against Jordan was on August 1, 1953, which Syria won 3–1. Over the years, games between Syria and Jordan have become very popular due to their close history and location.

Team Nickname

The Syrian national team is known as Nosour Qasioun, which means The Eagles of Qasioun. This name refers to Mount Qasioun, a mountain that overlooks the capital city of Damascus.

Team Kits

The team's colors are based on the colors of the Flag of Syria. The home kit used to be red. After the changes in December 2024, the team's home color became green. The away kit is always white.

Kit supplier Period Notes
Diadora 2005–2010
Adidas 2011–2014
Lotto 2015–2017
Jako 2018–2020
Uhlsport 2021–2022
Jako 2022–

Player Records

2007 AFC Asian Cup qualification, Iran 1-1 Syria - Maher Al-Sayed
Maher Al-Sayed has played the most matches for Syria, with 109 appearances.

Most Appearances

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

Rank Player Caps Goals Career
1 Maher Al-Sayed 109 29 1999–2013
2 Mahmoud Al-Mawas 101 16 2012–present
3 Ali Diab 97 4 2004–2013
4 Mosab Balhous 86 0 2006–2016
5 Raja Rafe 84 32 2002–2015

Top Goalscorers

Firas Khatib
Firas Al-Khatib is Syria's all-time top goalscorer with 36 goals.

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

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 Omar Khribin 27 62 2012–present
5 Said Bayazid 24 24 1 1997–2001

Tournament Records

AUS-SYR 20190116 Asian Cup 8
The Syrian national team before their match against Australia at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

FIFA World Cup

Syria has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals.

FIFA World Cup record Qualification record
Year Round Pld W D* L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA
1930 to 1938 Not a FIFA member Not a FIFA member
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 6 3 1 2 30 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 37 22
Qatar 2022 18 8 3 7 31 23
Canada Mexico United States 2026 6 2 1 3 9 12
Total 0/20 109 47 24 38 217 132

AFC Asian Cup

Syria has played in the AFC Asian Cup seven times, reaching the Round of 16 for the first time in 2023.

4822274 AE7I6730
Syria during the 2023 Asian Cup match against Australia.
AFC Asian Cup record Qualification record
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 5 3 0 2 9 8
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 Round of 16 4 1 2 1 2 2 8 7 0 1 22 7
Saudi Arabia 2027 To be determined 8 4 1 3 12 12
Total Round of 16 25 8 5 12 19 30 75 42 12 21 146 79

WAFF Championship

Syria won the WAFF Championship once, in 2012.

Soccer Field Transparant.svg

Balhous (C)
Al Salih
Al Masri
Jwayed
Ajan
Mobayed
Midani
Al Mawas
Jafal
Al Douni
Al Soma
The starting lineup for the 2012 WAFF Championship Final on December 20, 2012.
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
Kuwait 2026 Qualified
Total 1 Title 29 9 9 11 32 40

FIFA Arab Cup

Syria has been a runner-up in the Arab Cup three times.

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
Qatar 2025 To be determined
Total 0 Titles 28 11 6 11 38 32

Arab Games

Syria has won one gold medal at the Arab Games.

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 See 1992 Arab Cup
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
Algeria 2023 to present See Syria national under-23 team
Total 1 Title 33 12 11 10 57 40

Mediterranean Games

Syria has won one gold medal at the 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

Honours

Regional Titles

  • WAFF Championship
    • 1 Champions (1): 2012
    • 2 Runners-up (2): 2000, 2004
    • 3 Third place (2): 2007, 2008
  • Arab Cup
    • 2 Runners-up (3): 1963, 1966, 1988
  • Palestine Cup of Nations
    • 2 Runners-up (1): 1973
  • Arab Games
    • 1 Gold medal (1): 1957
    • 2 Silver medal (2): 1953, 1997
    • Bronze medal (1): 1976
  • Mediterranean Games
    • 1 Gold medal (1): 1987
    • 3 Bronze medal (1): 1951
  • West Asian Games
    • 2 Silver medal (2): 1997, 2005
    • 3 Bronze medal (1): 2002

Friendly Tournament Titles

  • AIFF Intercontinental Cup (1): 2024

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 women's national football team
  • Syrian Football Association
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