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Trinidad and Tobago national football team facts for kids

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Trinidad and Tobago
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) The Soca Warriors
Association Trinidad and Tobago Football Association
Confederation CONCACAF (North America)
Sub-confederation CFU (Caribbean)
Head coach Dwight Yorke
Captain Aubrey David
Most caps Angus Eve (117)
Top scorer Stern John (70)
Home stadium Hasely Crawford Stadium
FIFA code TRI
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 93 Decrease 1 (7 February 2019)
Highest 25 (June 2001)
Lowest 106 (October 2010)
Elo ranking
Current 98 Increase 3 (3 March 2019)
Highest 36 (1937)
Lowest 121 (October 2020)
First international
 British Guiana 1–4 Trinidad and Tobago 
(British Guiana; 21 July 1905)
Biggest win
 Trinidad and Tobago 15–0 Anguilla 
(Arima, Trinidad and Tobago; 10 November 2019)
Biggest defeat
 Mexico 7–0 Trinidad and Tobago 
(Mexico City, Mexico; 8 October 2000)
 United States 7–0 Trinidad and Tobago 
(Orlando, United States; 31 January 2021)
World Cup
Appearances 1 (first in 2006)
Best result Group stage (2006)
CONCACAF Championship / Gold Cup
Appearances 18 (first in 1967)
Best result Runners-up (1973)
Medal record
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Silver 1973 Haiti Team
Bronze 1989 North America Team
CFU Caribbean Cup
Gold 1981 Puerto Rico Team
Gold 1988 Martinique Team
Gold 1989 Barbados Team
Gold 1992 Trinidad and Tobago Team
Gold 1994 Trinidad and Tobago Team
Gold 1995 Cayman Islands and Jamaica Team
Gold 1996 Trinidad and Tobago Team
Gold 1997 Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Kitts and Nevis Team
Gold 1999 Trinidad and Tobago Team
Gold 2001 Trinidad and Tobago Team
Silver 1978 Trinidad and Tobago Team
Silver 1983 French Guiana Team
Silver 1991 Jamaica Team
Silver 1998 Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica Team
Silver 2007 Trinidad and Tobago Team
Silver 2012 Antigua and Barbuda Team
Silver 2014 Jamaica Team
Bronze 1993 Jamaica Team
Bronze 2005 Barbados Team

The Trinidad and Tobago national football team, known as the "Soca Warriors", plays for the country of Trinidad and Tobago in international soccer games. This team is managed by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association. They are part of CONCACAF, which is the soccer group for North, Central American, and Caribbean countries. They are also part of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) and FIFA, the world's main soccer organization.

The Soca Warriors play in big tournaments like the World Cup, Gold Cup, and the Nations League. Their only time playing in the FIFA World Cup was in 2006. They made it there by beating Bahrain in a special play-off game. The team has played in the CONCACAF Gold Cup 18 times. Their best result was reaching the semi-finals in 2000. They were very successful in the old Caribbean Cup, winning it ten times and coming in second seven times.

It's important to know that the separate football teams for Trinidad and Tobago are not the same as the national team. They are not directly linked to FIFA or CONCACAF.

History of the Soca Warriors

Early Years: 1970s Challenges

In 1973 CONCACAF Championship, Trinidad and Tobago almost made it to the 1974 World Cup. They needed just a few more points. In a key game against Haiti on December 4, 1973, they lost 2-1. There was some controversy because five of their goals were not counted. The referee and a linesman were later banned from soccer for life because of what happened in that match.

The Strike Squad: 1980s and 1990s

The team, known as the "Strike Squad", came very close to qualifying for the 1990 World Cup in Italy. They only needed a tie in their last home game against the United States on November 19, 1989. More than 30,000 fans filled the Hasely Crawford Stadium. But Paul Caligiuri from the United States scored the only goal, ending Trinidad and Tobago's World Cup dream. Even though they lost, the fans were given the FIFA Fair Play Award in 1989 for their good behavior.

2000s: World Cup Debut

Making it to the 2006 FIFA World Cup

Trinidad and Tobago qualified for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. This was their first time ever reaching the tournament! They were struggling at first in the qualifying games. But then, Leo Beenhakker became the coach, and experienced players like Dwight Yorke and Russell Latapy returned. This helped the team turn things around. They finished fourth in their group. They then won a play-off game against Bahrain, winning 1-0 away after a 1-1 draw at home. This win secured their spot in the World Cup. Trinidad and Tobago became the smallest country to qualify for the World Cup at that time. This record was later broken by Iceland in 2018.

In Germany, Trinidad and Tobago was in a group with England, Sweden, and Paraguay. Their first game was a 0-0 draw against Sweden, even though they played with only ten players for part of the game. They lost their next two matches to England and Paraguay, both by a score of 2-0.

2010s: World Cup Qualification Attempts

2010 World Cup Journey

Trinidad and Tobago started their journey for the 2010 World Cup against Bermuda. They lost the first game at home but won the second game away to move forward. They then played in a group with the United States, Guatemala, and Cuba. They did well enough to reach the final round of qualifying. In this round, they faced tough teams like Costa Rica and Mexico. They started with two draws but then lost several games. This meant they did not qualify for the 2010 World Cup.

2014 World Cup Journey

For the 2014 World Cup, Trinidad and Tobago started in the second round. They were in a group with Guyana, Bermuda, and Barbados. They won their first two matches against Bermuda and Barbados. However, they later lost to Bermuda away. They needed to get points from their games against Guyana to move on. They lost a crucial game to Guyana 2-1, which ended their hopes of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. After this, their coach, Otto Pfister, was replaced.

2018 World Cup Journey

Trinidad and Tobago began their 2018 World Cup qualifying in the fourth round. They were in a group with Guatemala, Saint Vincent and the Grenades, and the United States. They finished second in their group and moved on to the final round. However, in the final round, they finished last. But they did win their last match 2-1 against the United States, which stopped the U.S. from qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 1986.

2022 World Cup Journey

For the 2022 World Cup, Trinidad and Tobago started in the first round. They were in a group with Saint Kitts and Nevis, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, and Guyana. They finished second in their group with 8 points. This meant they did not qualify for the 2022 World Cup.

2026 World Cup Journey

Trinidad and Tobago has started their qualification journey for the 2026 World Cup. They are in Group B with Saint Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, Bahamas, and Costa Rica.

Team Image

Home Stadium

HCStadium2013
Hasely Crawford Stadium became the home of the national team in 1980

For many years, Trinidad and Tobago played their home games at different places. The Queen's Park Oval, a beautiful cricket ground, was often used. Then, the new National Stadium was built in Port of Spain. This stadium was made for both track and field and international soccer matches.

The stadium was later updated and renamed after Hasely Crawford. He was the first person from Trinidad and Tobago to win an Olympic gold medal. This happened before Trinidad and Tobago hosted the 2001 FIFA U-17 World Championship. The stadium can hold 23,000 people. The government of Trinidad and Tobago owns it.

Recently, the TTFA has also used the smaller 10,000-seat Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva. They sometimes use it because of lighting issues at Hasely Crawford Stadium. It also costs less to play there, and fans can sit closer to the field. Ato Boldon Stadium hosted two important World Cup qualifying games in 2017. Trinidad and Tobago lost to Honduras there. But they famously beat the United States 2-1, which stopped the U.S. from going to the 2018 World Cup.

Supporters

Wm 2006 dortmund stadium trinidad tobago vs sweden 2006 06 10
Trinidad and Tobago supporters before the team's opening 2006 World Cup match against Sweden

The main group of fans for the national team is called the Soca Warriors Supporters Club, or the "Warrior Nation". This group is not part of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association. It was started after Trinidad and Tobago qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

The group helps promote the team both at home and around the world. They also talk to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association on behalf of fans. They work to make sure ticket prices are fair and help fans travel to games. The Warrior Nation also tries to get young people in Trinidad and Tobago excited about soccer.

Coaching Staff

Here are some of the people who help coach and manage the team:

Position Staff
Technical Director Trinidad and Tobago Anton Corneal
Head Coach Trinidad and Tobago Derek King
Assistant Coach Trinidad and Tobago Elijah Wilby
Goalkeeper Coach Trinidad and Tobago Rogerius Kimble
Academy Manager Trinidad and Tobago Borlin Kumar Jr.
Equipment Manager Trinidad and Tobago Mack Cummings
Fitness Coach Trinidad and Tobago Renatus Prince
Doctor Trinidad and Tobago Georginus Southwood
Logistics Manager Trinidad and Tobago Anil Chowdhury
Physiotherapist Trinidad and Tobago Denzal Carr
Massage Therapist/Trainer Trinidad and Tobago Hakeem Edwards
Team Manager Trinidad and Tobago Elanus Turing
Media Officer Trinidad and Tobago Cletus Monroe

Managers

Many different managers have led the Trinidad and Tobago national football team over the years. Some have been from Trinidad and Tobago, while others have come from different countries like Germany, Brazil, and the Netherlands. These managers help train the players and decide the team's strategy for games.

Players

Current Squad

These are the 23 players recently chosen for the team's matches in October 2024. The numbers below show how many games they've played (caps) and goals they've scored, up to September 10, 2024.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Adrian Foncette (1988-10-10) 10 October 1988 (age 36) 24 0 Trinidad and Tobago Police FC
1GK Denzil Smith (1999-10-12) 12 October 1999 (age 25) 15 0 Trinidad and Tobago Port of Spain
1GK Christopher Biggette (1996-02-17) 17 February 1996 (age 29) 4 0 Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force

2DF Joevin Jones (1991-08-03) 3 August 1991 (age 33) 90 13 Trinidad and Tobago Police FC
2DF Aubrey David (1990-10-11) 11 October 1990 (age 34) 86 1 Guatemala C.S.D. Municipal
2DF Alvin Jones (1994-07-09) 9 July 1994 (age 30) 57 6 Trinidad and Tobago Police FC
2DF Sheldon Bateau (1991-01-29) 29 January 1991 (age 34) 55 4 Belgium Beveren
2DF Triston Hodge (1994-10-09) 9 October 1994 (age 30) 32 0 United States Hartford Athletic
2DF Justin Garcia (1995-10-26) 26 October 1995 (age 29) 23 1 Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force
2DF Ross Russell Jr. (1992-01-09) 9 January 1992 (age 33) 18 0 Trinidad and Tobago La Horquetta Rangers
2DF Shannon Gomez (1996-10-05) 5 October 1996 (age 28) 16 0 United States San Antonio FC

3MF Kevin Molino (1990-06-17) 17 June 1990 (age 35) 60 23 Unattached
3MF Noah Powder (1998-10-27) 27 October 1998 (age 26) 23 2 United States Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC
3MF Michel Poon-Angeron (2001-04-19) 19 April 2001 (age 24) 16 1 Trinidad and Tobago Port of Spain
3MF Andre Rampersad (1995-02-02) 2 February 1995 (age 30) 16 1 Canada HFX Wanderers
3MF John-Paul Rochford (2000-01-05) 5 January 2000 (age 25) 14 2 Trinidad and Tobago Port of Spain
3MF Isaiah Lee (1999-09-21) 21 September 1999 (age 25) 6 0 Trinidad and Tobago La Horquetta Rangers
3MF Dantaye Gilbert (2004-12-03) 3 December 2004 (age 20) 3 0 Netherlands Jong PSV

4FW Ryan Telfer (1994-05-04) 4 May 1994 (age 31) 31 10 Canada HFX Wanderers
4FW Real Gill (2003-01-23) 23 January 2003 (age 22) 10 1 United States Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC
4FW Nathaniel James (2004-06-17) 17 June 2004 (age 21) 9 3 Jamaica Mount Pleasant
4FW Kevon Woodley (1986-07-06) 6 July 1986 (age 38) 5 1 Trinidad and Tobago Police FC
4FW Tyrese Spicer (2000-12-04) 4 December 2000 (age 24) 0 0 Canada Toronto FC

Most Games Played

These players have played the most games for Trinidad and Tobago. Players in bold are still playing for the national team.

Rank Name Caps Goals Career
1 Angus Eve 118 36 1994–2005
2 Stern John 115 70 1995–2011
3 Marvin Andrews 104 10 1996–2009
4 Densill Theobald 99 2 2002–2013
5 Carlos Edwards 97 4 1999–2017
6 Khaleem Hyland 94 5 2008–2021
Marvin Phillip 94 0 2007–2023
8 Joevin Jones 92 14 2010–present
9 Daneil Cyrus 91 0 2010–2019
Kenwyne Jones 91 23 2003–2017

Top Goal Scorers

These players have scored the most goals for Trinidad and Tobago.

SternJohn cropped
Stern John is Trinidad and Tobago's all time top scorer with 70 goals.

Players in bold are still playing for the national team.

Rank Name Goals Caps Ratio Career
1 Stern John 70 115 0.61 1995–2011
2 Angus Eve 36 118 0.31 1994–2005
3 Russell Latapy 29 87 0.33 1987–2009
4 Arnold Dwarika 28 74 0.38 1993–2008
5 Cornell Glen 24 71 0.34 2002–2017
6 Kevin Molino 23 61 0.38 2010–present
Kenwyne Jones 23 91 0.25 2003–2017
8 Nigel Pierre 22 57 0.39 1999–2005
9 Leonson Lewis 21 31 0.68 1988–1996
10 Dwight Yorke 19 72 0.26 1989–2009

Team Achievements

FIFA World Cup History

Trinidad and Tobago first played in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. They finished last in their group with one point. However, they earned their first World Cup point by drawing 0-0 with Sweden in their first game. The team did not qualify for the World Cup between 1966 and 2002, and again from 2010 to 2022.

FIFA World Cup Qualification
Year Result Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
1930 to 1962 Not a FIFA member Not a FIFA member
England 1966 Did not qualify 4 1 0 3 5 12
Mexico 1970 4 1 1 2 4 10
West Germany 1974 9 6 1 2 27 8
Argentina 1978 6 2 2 2 10 9
Spain 1982 4 1 2 1 1 2
Mexico 1986 4 0 1 3 2 7
Italy 1990 12 5 5 2 13 6
United States 1994 4 2 1 1 7 4
France 1998 8 2 1 5 15 10
South Korea Japan 2002 22 10 4 8 33 28
Germany 2006 Group stage 27th 3 0 1 2 0 4 Squad 20 11 2 7 30 25
South Africa 2010 Did not qualify 18 5 5 8 22 30
Brazil 2014 6 4 0 2 12 4
Russia 2018 16 5 2 9 20 28
Qatar 2022 4 2 2 0 6 1
Canada Mexico United States 2026 To be determined 2 1 1 0 9 3
Morocco Portugal Spain 2030 To be determined
Saudi Arabia 2034
Total Group stage 1/15 3 0 1 2 0 4 143 58 30 55 216 187

CONCACAF Gold Cup History

The CONCACAF Gold Cup is a big tournament for teams in North, Central America, and the Caribbean. Trinidad and Tobago has played in it many times. Their best result was finishing as runners-up in 1973 and third place in 1989 and 2000.

CONCACAF Championship & Gold Cup record Qualification record
Year Result Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
El Salvador 1963 Did not enter Did not enter
Guatemala 1965 Withdrew Withdrew
Honduras 1967 Round-robin 4th 5 2 0 3 6 10 Squad 4 2 1 1 7 7
Costa Rica 1969 Round-robin 5th 5 1 1 3 4 12 Squad Qualified automatically
Trinidad and Tobago 1971 Round-robin 5th 5 1 2 2 6 12 Squad Qualified as hosts
Haiti 1973 Round-robin 2nd 5 3 0 2 11 4 Squad 4 3 1 0 16 4
Mexico 1977 Did not qualify 6 2 2 2 10 9
Honduras 1981 4 1 2 1 1 2
1985 Group stage 7th 4 0 1 3 2 7 Squad Qualified automatically
1989 Round-robin 3rd 8 3 3 2 7 5 Squad 4 2 2 0 6 1
United States 1991 Group stage 5th 3 1 0 2 3 4 Squad 5 3 0 2 12 5
Mexico United States 1993 Did not qualify 5 2 1 2 10 10
United States 1996 Group stage 7th 2 0 0 2 4 6 Squad 5 4 0 1 21 3
United States 1998 Group stage 6th 2 1 0 1 5 5 Squad 4 2 1 1 9 3
United States 2000 Third place 3rd 4 2 0 2 6 8 Squad 5 4 0 1 18 6
United States 2002 Group stage 10th 2 0 1 1 1 2 Squad 5 4 0 1 13 3
Mexico United States 2003 Did not qualify 7 3 0 4 8 9
United States 2005 Group stage 10th 3 0 2 1 3 5 Squad 10 7 0 3 22 8
United States 2007 Group stage 11th 3 0 1 2 2 5 Squad 5 3 1 1 13 6
United States 2009 Did not qualify 6 3 2 1 11 8
United States 2011 6 4 0 2 13 6
United States 2013 Quarter-finals 6th 4 1 1 2 4 5 Squad 11 6 3 2 23 7
Canada United States 2015 Quarter-finals 5th 4 2 2 0 10 6 Squad 7 5 2 0 16 5
United States 2017 Did not qualify 4 1 0 3 8 8
Costa Rica Jamaica United States 2019 Group stage 14th 3 0 1 2 1 9 Squad Qualified automatically
United States 2021 Group stage 12th 3 0 2 1 1 3 Squad 6 1 3 2 10 11
Canada United States 2023 Group stage 13th 3 1 0 2 4 10 Squad 6 4 1 1 12 4
Total Runners-up 18/27 68 18 17 33 80 118 119 66 20 31 269 125

CONCACAF Nations League History

The CONCACAF Nations League is a newer competition. Trinidad and Tobago has been moving between different levels (Leagues A and B) in this tournament.

CONCACAF Nations League record
League Finals
Season Division Group Pld W D L GF GA P/R Year Pos. Pld W D* L GF GA Squad
2019−20 A C 4 0 2 2 3 9 Fall United States 2020 Did not qualify
2022–23 B C 6 4 1 1 12 4 Rise United States 2023 Ineligible
2023–24 A A 4 3 0 1 10 9 Same position United States 2024 Did not qualify
2024–25 A B 4 1 2 1 5 7 Same position United States 2025
Total 18 8 5 5 30 29 Total 0 Titles

Caribbean Cup History

The Caribbean Cup was a regional tournament where Trinidad and Tobago had a lot of success. They won the championship ten times and were runners-up seven times.

CFU Championship & Caribbean Cup record Qualification record
Year Result Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
Trinidad and Tobago 1978 Runners-up 3 1 1 1 5 4 Squad 2 1 0 1 6 5
Suriname 1979 Fourth place 3 0 0 3 1 6 Squad 2 2 0 0 3 1
Puerto Rico 1981 Champions 3 3 0 0 10 0 Squad 6 2 3 1 10 7
French Guiana 1983 Runners-up 3 2 0 1 4 4 Squad Qualified as champions
Barbados 1985 Did not qualify 4 1 2 1 7 4
Martinique 1988 Champions 3 2 1 0 7 1 Squad 4 4 0 0 14 1
Barbados 1989 Champions 3 2 0 1 5 3 Squad 4 3 0 1 16 4
Trinidad and Tobago 1990 Abandoned 2 1 1 0 5 0 Squad Qualified as champions
Jamaica 1991 Runners-up 5 3 0 2 12 5 Squad Qualified as champions
Trinidad and Tobago 1992 Champions 5 5 0 0 14 2 Squad Qualified as host
Jamaica 1993 Third place 5 2 1 2 10 10 Squad Qualified as champions
Trinidad and Tobago 1994 Champions 5 4 1 0 17 4 Squad Qualified as host
Cayman Islands Jamaica 1995 Champions 5 4 0 1 21 3 Squad Qualified as champions
Trinidad and Tobago 1996 Champions 5 5 0 0 13 2 Squad Qualified as champions
Antigua and Barbuda Saint Kitts and Nevis 1997 Champions 4 2 1 1 9 3 Squad Qualified as champions
Jamaica Trinidad and Tobago 1998 Runners-up 5 4 0 1 18 6 Squad Qualified as champions
Trinidad and Tobago 1999 Champions 5 5 0 0 19 4 Squad Qualified as host
Trinidad and Tobago 2001 Champions 5 4 0 1 13 3 Squad Qualified as champions
Barbados 2005 Third place 3 1 0 2 5 6 Squad 7 6 0 1 17 2
Trinidad and Tobago 2007 Runners-up 5 3 1 1 13 6 Squad Qualified as host
Jamaica 2008 Group stage 3 1 1 1 4 4 Squad 3 2 1 0 7 4
Martinique 2010 Group stage 3 1 0 2 1 3 Squad 3 3 0 0 12 3
Antigua and Barbuda 2012 Runners-up 5 2 2 1 6 5 Squad 6 5 1 0 20 2
Jamaica 2014 Runners-up 4 2 2 0 7 4 Squad 3 3 0 0 9 1
Martinique 2017 Did not qualify 4 1 0 3 8 8
Total 23/25 92 59 12 21 219 88 48 33 7 8 129 42

Honours and Awards

Major Competitions

Continental Awards

  • CONCACAF Championship/Gold Cup
    • 2 Runners-up (1): 1973
    • 3 Third place (1): 1989

Regional Awards

  • CFU Championship/Caribbean Cup
    • Champions (10): 1981, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001
    • Runners-up (7): 1978, 1983, 1991, 1998, 2007, 2012, 2014
    • Third place (2): 1993, 2005

Friendly Tournament Awards

  • OSN Cup
    • Third place (1): 2013
  • Coupe Duvalier
    • Third place (1): 1966

FIFA World Ranking History

The FIFA World Ranking shows how well national teams are doing compared to others around the world. Here's how Trinidad and Tobago's ranking has changed over the years. Last updated: December 23, 2021

     Best Ranking       Worst Ranking       Best Mover       Worst Mover  

Trinidad & Tobago's FIFA World Ranking History
Rank Year Best Worst
Rank Move Rank Move
103 2021 100 Increase 3 103 Steady
103 2020 103 Increase 2 105 Decrease 1
104 2019 92 Increase 1 104 Decrease 9
92 2018 79 Increase 7 93 Decrease 13
87 2017 76 Increase 16 99 Decrease 16
78 2016 49 Increase 6 78 Decrease 13
49 2015 49 Increase 8 67 Decrease 7
55 2014 49 Increase 37 86 Decrease 13
78 2013 69 Increase 9 87 Decrease 12
68 2012 68 Increase 11 85 Decrease 7
76 2011 76 Increase 11 95 Decrease 7
89 2010 76 Increase 28 106 Decrease 21
82 2009 63 Increase 7 82 Decrease 9
77 2008 77 Increase 12 102 Decrease 20
81 2007 63 Increase 19 87 Decrease 14
91 2006 47 Increase 5 91 Decrease 24
50 2005 50 Increase 5 62 Decrease 3
63 2004 63 Increase 14 77 Decrease 7
70 2003 47 Increase 1 71 Decrease 12
47 2002 34 Increase 3 47 Decrease 7
32 2001 25 Increase 11 36 Decrease 5
29 2000 29 Increase 9 49 Decrease 4
44 1999 40 Increase 11 72 Decrease 17
51 1998 44 Increase 12 59 Decrease 11
56 1997 42 Increase 13 74 Decrease 18
41 1996 33 Increase 15 50 Decrease 4
57 1995 55 Increase 27 85 Decrease 28
91 1994 83 Increase 10 95 Decrease 5
88 1993 85 Increase 1 89 Decrease 23

More About Trinidad and Tobago Football

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Trinidad y Tobago para niños

  • TT Pro League (the top soccer league in Trinidad and Tobago)
  • Trinidad and Tobago men's national under-20 football team
  • Trinidad and Tobago men's national under-17 football team
  • Trinidad and Tobago women's national football team
  • Football in Trinidad and Tobago
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