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Togo national football team facts for kids

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This page is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Togo women's national football team.
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Togo
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) Les Éperviers
(The Sparrowhawks)
Association Fédération Togolaise de Football (FTF)
Confederation CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation WAFU (West Africa)
Head coach Paulo Duarte
Captain Djené
Most caps Abdoul-Gafar Mamah (93)
Top scorer Emmanuel Adebayor (32)
Home stadium Stade de Kégué
FIFA code TOG
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 122 Increase 1 (7 February 2019)
Highest 46 (August 2006)
Lowest 133 (April 2021)
Elo ranking
Current 114 Decrease 3 (3 March 2019)
Highest 56 (November 2005, January 2006)
Lowest 128 (4 September 1994)
First international
France French Togoland 1–1 Gold Coast and Trans-Volta Togoland 
(French Togoland; 13 October 1956)
Biggest win
 Togo 6–0 Swaziland 
(Accra, Ghana; 11 November 2008)
 Togo 6–0 Mauritius 
(Lomé, Togo; 12 November 2017)
Biggest defeat
 Morocco 7–0 Togo 
(Morocco; 28 October 1979)
 Tunisia 7–0 Togo 
(Tunis, Tunisia; 7 January 2000)
World Cup
Appearances 1 (first in 2006)
Best result Group stage (2006)
Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances 8 (first in 1972)
Best result Quarter-finals (2013)
Togo-nationalmannschaft
Members of the Togolese national football team before a warm-up match in Biberach/Riss a few days before the 2006 World Cup

The Togo national football team (French: Équipe nationale de football du Togo) represents Togo in international football and is controlled by the Togolese Football Federation. The national football team of Togo made their debut in the FIFA World Cup in 2006. Their team bus underwent a fatal attack in Angola prior to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. They withdrew and were subsequently banned from the following two tournaments by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). In 2013 for the first time in history, Togo reached the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations. The team represents both FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

History

They made their first FIFA World Cup appearance in their history in 2006, having been coached throughout the qualifying campaign by Stephen Keshi; German coach Otto Pfister managed the team at the finals, despite having resigned three days before their first match over a players' bonuses dispute, only to be persuaded by the players to return. Prior to gaining independence in 1960, the team was known as French Togoland.

2006 World Cup

Togo lost their opening game of the World Cup, despite having taken the lead against South Korea through a goal by Mohamed Kader. In the second half, Jean-Paul Abalo was sent off after 55 minutes, and goals from Lee Chun-Soo and Ahn Jung-Hwan sealed a 2–1 defeat for Togo.

Togo's next opponents in Group G were Switzerland, with the match scheduled for the afternoon of 19 June. However, the Togo squad and manager Pfister threatened to refuse to fulfill the fixture and take strike action. The squad and manager had been quoted as requesting payments from the Togolese Football Federation for participating in the tournament of around €155,000 (US$192,000) with added bonuses for victories or draws. FIFA negotiated with the squad and manager on 17 June, persuading them to travel to Dortmund in time to fulfill the fixture; goals from Alexander Frei and Tranquillo Barnetta resulted in a 2–0 defeat. FIFA subsequently imposed a CHF100,000 fine on the Togolese federation for "behaviour unworthy of a participant in the World Cup."

Togo's final group game against France ended in a 2–0 defeat.

Sierra Leone air disaster

Main article: 2007 Paramount Airlines helicopter crash

After a 2008 African Nations Cup qualifier away to Sierra Leone on 3 June 2007, 20 members of a delegation of sports officials from Togo, including Togolese Sports Minister Richard Attipoe, were killed when their helicopter exploded and crashed at Lungi International Airport. No players of the Togo national team were among the victims. The Togo players and officials of the team had been waiting to take the next helicopter flight to the island on which the airport is located.

2010 bus ambush and ban

Main article: Togo national football team attack

On 8 January 2010, the Togo team bus was attacked by gunmen as it travelled to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, killing three and injuring several others. The separatist group Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC) claimed responsibility for the attack. Goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilalé was reported dead a day after the attack, though he actually survived. Such reports were later dismissed by his club GSI Pontivy in a press announcement, stating the player was actually undergoing surgery in South Africa.

Following the bus ambush attack, the Togolese Football Federation stated that they would withdraw from the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations; despite claims that the team had since reversed the decision and would compete "to show our national colours, our values and that we are men" (as announced by Thomas Dossevi), the government later ordered that the team return home.

Following the team's withdrawal, The Confederation of African Football (CAF) banned Togo from participating in the next two editions of the Cup of Nations and fined them US$50,000 because of the "decision taken by the political authorities". The CAF executive Committee considered that the Togolese team was in "forfeit notified less than twenty days before the start or during the final competition" (Art. 78 of the Regulations for the Africa Cup of Nations), rather than having withdrawn (Art. 80), and refused to consider the circumstances as force majeure (Art. 87). Togo's government immediately said they would sue as CAF "have no consideration for the lives of other human beings" and this is further "insulting to the family of those who lost their lives and those traumatized because of the attack". FIFA has yet to comment on the issue. Togo footballer Thomas Dossevi said, "We are a group of footballers who came under fire and now we can't play football anymore. They are crushing us". Togolese captain Emmanuel Adebayor described the decision as "outrageous" and said that CAF President Issa Hayatou had "completely betrayed" the Togo squad.

As a result of the events, Emmanuel Adebayor announced his retirement from international football on 12 April 2010. But on 22 March 2011, Adebayor announced that he was again available for the national team.

Fake Togo Team

On 7 September 2010, Togo allegedly played Bahrain in a friendly losing the match 3–0. However, on 14 September, the Togo FA claimed that a fake team had played against Bahrain. Togo's Sports Minister Christophe Tchao said to the Jeune Afrique magazine that nobody in Togo had "ever been informed of such a game". On 20 September 2010, it was revealed that former Togo manager Bana Tchanilé was the culprit and the Togo FA have given him a three-year ban in addition to the two-year ban he got in July 2010 for taking Togo players to play a tournament in Egypt. The match fixing has been linked to Wilson Raj Perumal and the Singaporean match-fixing syndicate allegedly run by Tan Seet Eng.

2014 World Cup Qualification

Togo began qualification for the 2014 World Cup on 11 November 2011, against Guinea-Bissau. They drew in the first leg 1–1. On 15 November 2011, they won the return leg 1–0. On 3 June 2012, they played Libya in Lome and drew 1–1. Shortly after on 10 June they played Congo DR at Kinshasa and lost 2–0. They resumed on 3 March 2013, and played Cameroon in Yaounde and lost 2–1. They met again on 9 June in Lome and Togo won 2–0. In the end, Togo failed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Results and fixtures

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

2023

2024

Coaches

Caretaker managers are listed in italics.
  • France Jean Robin (1965)
  • Germany Gottlieb Göller (1970–1974, 1984, 1996–1997, 1998–2000)
  • Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Boško Antić (1987–1989)
  • Togo Julien Dovi Aguiar (1992)
  • Togo Baboima Ergot (1993)
  • Togo Paul Messan Zougbédé (1997)
  • Germany Eberhard Vogel (1997–1998)
  • Togo Kodjovi Mawuéna (2000)
  • Togo Bana Tchanile (2000–2002)
  • France Italy Diego Garzitto (2002)
  • Brazil Antônio Dumas (2002–2004)
  • Nigeria Stephen Keshi (2004–2006, 2007–2008, 2011)
  • Germany Otto Pfister (2006)
  • France Henri Stambouli (2008)
  • Togo Kodjovi Mawuéna (2008–2009)
  • Belgium Jean Thissen (2009)
  • France Hubert Velud (2009–2010)
  • France Thierry Froger (2010–2011)
  • France Didier Six (2011–2014)
  • Togo Tchakala Tchanilé (2014)
  • Belgium Tom Saintfiet (2015–2016)
  • France Claude Le Roy (2016–2021)
  • Togo Jonas Komla (2021)
  • Portugal Paulo Duarte (2021–present)

Players

Current squad

The following players were selected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Sudan and Senegal on 16 and 21 November 2023.

Caps and goals correct as of 21 November 2023, after the match against Senegal.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Steven Mensah (2003-05-22) 22 May 2003 (age 21) 4 0 Germany Hamburger SV II
1GK Fabrice Kagbatawouli (2002-12-28) 28 December 2002 (age 21) 1 0 Togo ASC Kara
1GK Idrissa Ogodjo (1996-03-08) 8 March 1996 (age 28) 1 0 Togo Entente II Lomé
2DF Djené (1991-12-31) 31 December 1991 (age 32) 75 0 Spain Getafe
2DF Loïc Bessilé (1999-02-19) 19 February 1999 (age 25) 13 0 Belgium Charleroi
2DF Mawouna Amevor (1991-12-16) 16 December 1991 (age 32) 10 0 Netherlands Eindhoven
2DF Roland Amouzou (1994-12-18) 18 December 1994 (age 29) 6 0 Ghana Ashanti Gold
2DF Philip Awuku (2000-04-27) 27 April 2000 (age 24) 0 0 Turkey Tuzlaspor
3MF Alaixys Romao (1984-01-18) 18 January 1984 (age 40) 85 0 Greece Athens Kallithea
3MF Marouf Tchakei (1995-12-15) 15 December 1995 (age 28) 29 2 Tanzania Singida Fountain Gate F.C.
3MF Karim Dermane (2003-12-26) 26 December 2003 (age 20) 11 1 Belgium Lommel
3MF Roger Aholou (1993-12-30) 30 December 1993 (age 30) 10 0 Tunisia Espérance Sportive de Tunis
3MF Khaled Narey (1994-07-23) 23 July 1994 (age 30) 2 0 Saudi Arabia Al-Khaleej
3MF Soulemane Ouro-Gafo (1997-12-31) 31 December 1997 (age 26) 1 0 Togo Gomido
4FW Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba (1992-01-27) 27 January 1992 (age 32) 47 19 United Arab Emirates Al Ain
4FW Ihlas Bebou (1994-04-23) 23 April 1994 (age 30) 35 1 Germany 1899 Hoffenheim
4FW Euloge Placca Fessou (1994-12-31) 31 December 1994 (age 29) 33 9 Belarus Shakhtyor Soligorsk
4FW Kévin Denkey (2000-11-30) 30 November 2000 (age 23) 28 7 Belgium Cercle Brugge
4FW David Henen (1996-04-19) 19 April 1996 (age 28) 18 1 Belgium Kortrijk
4FW Thibault Klidjé (2001-07-10) 10 July 2001 (age 23) 8 0 Switzerland Luzern
4FW Abdou Ouattara (1995-04-06) 6 April 1995 (age 29) 7 1 Saudi Arabia Al-Nairyah Club
4FW Kodjo Aziangbe (2003-12-14) 14 December 2003 (age 20) 5 0 Ukraine Zorya Luhansk
4FW Yaw Annor (1997-12-03) 3 December 1997 (age 26) 2 0 Egypt Ismaily

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up for Togo in the last twelve months.


Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Malcolm Barcola (1999-05-14) 14 May 1999 (age 25) 21 0 Bosnia and Herzegovina Tuzla City v.  Eswatini, 18 June 2023
GK Wassiou Ouro-Gneni (1997-02-14) 14 February 1997 (age 27) 8 0 Togo ASC Kara v.  Eswatini, 18 June 2023
GK Patrice Adzinyo (2003-03-22) 22 March 2003 (age 21) 0 0 Germany Hamburger SV v.  Eswatini, 18 June 2023
DF Frédéric Ananou (1997-09-20) 20 September 1997 (age 27) 5 0 Belgium Sint-Truidense V.V. v.  Cape Verde, 10 September 2023
DF Klousseh Agbozo (1994-06-26) 26 June 1994 (age 30) 15 0 Tunisia Olympique Béja v.  Eswatini, 18 June 2023
DF Emmanuel Hackman (1995-05-14) 14 May 1995 (age 29) 8 0 Serbia Mladost Novi Sad v.  Eswatini, 18 June 2023
DF Kennedy Boateng (1996-11-19) 19 November 1996 (age 28) 7 0 Portugal Santa Clara v.  Eswatini, 18 June 2023
DF Cédric Agbobli (1994-12-18) 18 December 1994 (age 29) 0 0 Togo ASKO Kara v.  Eswatini, 18 June 2023
DF Steven Nador (2002-06-23) 23 June 2002 (age 22) 2 0 Italy Montevarchi Aquila v.  Burkina Faso, 28 March 2023
MF Yendoutié Nane (1995-06-23) 23 June 1995 (age 29) 16 4 Guinea Hafia v.  Eswatini, 18 June 2023
MF Gnama Akaté (1991-11-25) 25 November 1991 (age 32) 15 1 Iraq Al-Naft v.  Eswatini, 18 June 2023
MF Samuel Asamoah (1994-03-23) 23 March 1994 (age 30) 6 0 Romania FC U Craiova v.  Eswatini, 18 June 2023
MF Samsondin Ouro (2000-03-02) 2 March 2000 (age 24) 6 0 Slovenia Radomlje v.  Eswatini, 18 June 2023
MF Baptiste Atakora (2003-12-14) 14 December 2003 (age 20) 0 0 Ukraine Zorya Luhansk v.  Eswatini, 18 June 2023
FW Ismaïl Ouro-Agoro (1996-02-20) 20 February 1996 (age 28) 14 0 Morocco AS FAR v.  Eswatini, 18 June 2023
FW Emmanuel Kpatenon (1995-04-06) 6 April 1995 (age 29) 1 0 Togo ASKO Kara v.  Eswatini, 18 June 2023
FW Bernard Akpabli (1996-02-07) 7 February 1996 (age 28) 0 0 Togo ASKO Kara v.  Eswatini, 18 June 2023
FW Henri Gbadamassi (2000-05-25) 25 May 2000 (age 24) 0 0 Togo AS OTR v.  Eswatini, 18 June 2023
FW Tawfik Moukaïla (1998-07-30) 30 July 1998 (age 26) 2 0 Togo ASC Kara v.  Burkina Faso, 28 March 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.

Records

Players in bold are still active with Togo.

Most appearances

Abdoul Mamah Gafar 4156
Abdoul-Gafar Mamah is Togo's most capped player with 93 appearances.
Rank Player Caps Goals Career
1 Abdoul-Gafar Mamah 93 0 2000–2016
2 Emmanuel Adebayor 88 32 2000–2019
3 Alaixys Romao 85 0 2005–present
4 Kossi Agassa 84 0 1998–2017
5 Moustapha Salifou 77 8 2000–2013
6 Djené Dakonam 75 0 2012–present
7 Jean-Paul Abalo 74 1 1992–2008
8 Komlan Améwou 69 5 2000–2015
9 Tadjou Salou 62 12 1992–2004
10 Serge Akakpo 61 2 2008–2017
Mohamed Kader 61 13 1995–2009

Top goalscorers

Adebayor
Emmanuel Adebayor is Togo's top scorer with 32 goals.
Rank Player Goals Caps Ratio Career
1 Emmanuel Adebayor (list) 32 88 0.36 2000–2019
2 Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba 19 47 0.4 2016–present
3 Kossi Noutsoudje 13 40 0.33 1994–2002
Mohamed Kader 13 61 0.21 1995–2009
5 Tadjou Salou 12 62 0.19 1992–2004
6 Floyd Ayité 11 48 0.23 2007–present
7 Euloge Placca Fessou 9 33 0.27 2012–present
Adékambi Olufadé 9 41 0.22 1998–2010
9 Moustapha Salifou 8 77 0.1 2000–2013
10 Kévin Denkey 7 28 0.25 2018–present
Djima Oyawole 7 31 0.23 1996–2006
Bachirou Salou 7 37 0.19 1987–1998
Dové Womé 7 40 0.18 2009–present
Chérif Touré Mamam 7 47 0.15 1998–2009

Competition records

FIFA World Cup

See also: Togo at the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup Qualification
Year Round Position Pld W D* L F A Squad Pld W D L F A
1930 to 1958 Part of  France Part of  France
Chile 1962 Not a FIFA member Not a FIFA member
England 1966 Did not enter Did not enter
Mexico 1970
West Germany 1974 Did not qualify 2 0 0 2 0 4
Argentina 1978 4 1 1 2 3 5
Spain 1982 2 1 0 1 2 2
Mexico 1986 Withdrew Withdrew
Italy 1990
United States 1994 Did not qualify 5 0 0 5 2 11
France 1998 8 2 2 4 9 16
South Korea Japan 2002 10 3 4 3 13 13
Germany 2006 Group stage 30th 3 0 0 3 1 6 Squad 12 8 2 2 22 9
South Africa 2010 Did not qualify 10 4 2 4 11 10
Brazil 2014 8 2 2 4 6 12
Russia 2018 2 0 0 2 0 4
Qatar 2022 8 3 3 2 8 7
Canada Mexico United States 2026 To be determined 2 0 2 0 1 1
Morocco Portugal Spain 2030 To be determined
Saudi Arabia 2034
Total Group stage 1/15 3 0 0 3 1 6 — 72 24 17 31 77 94

Soccer Field Transparant.svg

Agassa
Abalo (c)
Nibombé
Tchangai
Amevou
Romao
Sènaya
Salifou
Kader
Touré
2006 FIFA World Cup starting lineup

Africa Cup of Nations

Africa Cup of Nations record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA Squad
Sudan 1957 Part of  France
United Arab Republic 1959
Ethiopia 1962 Not affiliated to CAF
Ghana 1963
Tunisia 1965 Did not enter
Ethiopia 1968 Did not qualify
Sudan 1970
Cameroon 1972 Group stage 7th 3 0 2 1 4 6 Squad
Egypt 1974 Withdrew
Ethiopia 1976 Did not qualify
Ghana 1978
Nigeria 1980
Libya 1982
Ivory Coast 1984 Group stage 8th 3 0 1 2 1 7 Squad
Egypt 1986 Did not qualify
Morocco 1988
Algeria 1990 Withdrew
Senegal 1992 Did not qualify
Tunisia 1994 Withdrew during qualifying
South Africa 1996 Did not qualify
Burkina Faso 1998 Group stage 12th 3 1 0 2 3 3 Squad
Ghana Nigeria 2000 10th 3 1 1 1 2 3 Squad
Mali 2002 12th 3 0 2 1 0 3 Squad
Tunisia 2004 Did not qualify
Egypt 2006 Group stage 16th 3 0 0 3 2 7 Squad
Ghana 2008 Did not qualify
Angola 2010 Withdrew due to rebel attack
Equatorial Guinea Gabon 2012 Did not qualify
South Africa 2013 Quarter-finals 8th 4 1 1 2 4 4 Squad
Equatorial Guinea 2015 Did not qualify
Gabon 2017 Group stage 16th 3 0 1 2 2 6 Squad
Egypt 2019 Did not qualify
Cameroon 2021
Ivory Coast 2023
Morocco 2025 To be determined
Kenya Tanzania Uganda 2027
Total Quarter-finals 8/36 25 3 8 14 18 39 —

African Nations Championship

African Nations Championship record
Appearances: 1
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA
Ivory Coast 2009 Did not qualify
Sudan 2011
South Africa 2014
Rwanda 2016
Morocco 2018
Cameroon 2020 Group stage 11th 3 1 0 2 4 5
Algeria 2022 Did not qualify
Total Group stage 1/7 3 1 0 2 4 5

African Games

African Games record
Year Round Pld W D L GF GA
Republic of the Congo 1965 Group stage 3 1 1 1 5 9
Kenya 1987 Did not qualify
Total 1/4 3 1 1 1 5 9

Honours

  • West African Nations Cup
    • Runners-up (4): 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986
    • Fourth place (1): 1987

See also

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

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