South Sudan national football team

The South Sudan national football team represents South Sudan in international football and is controlled by the South Sudan Football Association, the governing body for football in South Sudan.

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see South Sudan women's national football team.

South Sudan
Nickname(s)Bright Stars[1]
AssociationSouth Sudan Football Association
ConfederationCAF (Africa)
Sub-confederationCECAFA (East & Central Africa)
Head coachCyprian Besong Ashu
CaptainJumma Genaro
Most capsJumma Genaro (28)
Top scorerJames Moga (6)
Home stadiumJuba National Stadium
FIFA codeSSD
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 168 1 (16 July 2020)[2]
Highest134 (November 2015)
Lowest205 (September 2013)
First international
South Sudan 2–2 Uganda 
(Juba, South Sudan; 10 July 2012)
Biggest win
South Sudan 6–0 Djibouti 
(Juba, South Sudan; 28 March 2017)
Biggest defeat
 Mozambique 5–0 South Sudan
(Maputo, Mozambique; 18 May 2014)

History

Zoran Đorđević (football manager) was appointed on 25 May 2011 to oversee the national team.[3] For their inaugural year the team was featured in Storyville (TV series) called Zoran and His African Tigers. The national team's first international fixture was due to be against the Kenyan national team on 10 July 2011 as part of the country's independence celebrations.[4][5] However, in the event the opposition was provided by Tusker FC of the Kenyan Premier League,[6] alongside the first international fixture of the national basketball team. The match was played at Juba Stadium. South Sudan scored within ten minutes, but they later conceded three goals in a 3–1 defeat.[7] South Sudan was officially admitted as a CAF member on 10 February 2012, at the 34th CAF Ordinary General Assembly hosted in Libreville, Gabon.[8] South Sudan was admitted as a FIFA member on 25 May 2012 at the second session of the 62nd FIFA Congress hosted in Budapest, Hungary.[9][10]

On 10 July 2012, South Sudan competed in its first full international match, a friendly against Uganda in Juba.[11] The match ended in a 2–2 draw, with James Moga and Richard Justin Lado scoring for South Sudan. This match resulted in South Sudan entering the FIFA rankings at the start of August in 199th place.[11]

The South Sudanese took part in their first ever international football tournament when they took part in the 2012 CECAFA Cup in Uganda.[12][13] They were drawn in Group A alongside Ethiopia, Kenya, and hosts Uganda.[14] The national team played their first match against Ethiopia, losing 1–0 through a Yonathan Kebede goal. In their next match, they lost 2–0 against Kenya. Their final match saw them suffer a 4–0 loss to Uganda.

South Sudan entered its first major international tournament in 2014, taking part in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification. As one of the four lowest ranked national teams in Africa, it entered in the preliminary stage and was scheduled to play against Eritrea, who withdrew, thus qualifying South Sudan for the first qualifying round.[15][16] There, they played Mozambique over two legs, losing 5–0 at the Estádio do Zimpeto in Maputo, but hosting a goalless draw in the second leg which was held at the Khartoum Stadium in Sudan due to the South Sudanese Civil War.

On 5 September 2015, South Sudan achieved their first official victory, a 1–0 home win against Equatorial Guinea in 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification. One month later South Sudan played their first ever match in FIFA World Cup Qualification, a 1–1 draw at home to Mauritania. South Sudan would lose both return matches 4–0.

During 2019 AFCON qualifying the Bright Stars achieved their record win, defeating Djibouti 6–0 in Juba, however they lost all seven of their other matches meaning they remained among the lowest ranked teams in Africa.

In October 2019, in the 2021 AFCON preliminary round, South Sudan won an away game for the first time, beating The Seychelles 1–0 in Victoria to secure a 3–1 aggregate victory. This sees the Bright Stars advance to the qualifying Group Stage for the third consecutive edition.

Competitive record

FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup record FIFA World Cup qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA
1930 to 2010 Part of  Sudan Part of  Sudan
2014 Did not enter Did not enter
2018 Did not qualify 2 0 1 1 1 5
2022 2 0 1 1 1 2
2026 To be determined To be determined
Total 0/21 4 0 2 2 2 7

Africa Cup of Nations
Africa Cup of Nations record
Appearances: 0
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA
1957 to 2010Part of  Sudan
2012 to 2013Did not enter
2015 to 2019Did not qualify
2021To be determined
2023
2025
Total–0/32––––––

African Nations Championship
African Nations Championship record
Appearances: 0
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA
2009 Part of  Sudan
2011
2014Did not qualify
2016
2018
2020To be determined
2022
Total–0/5––––––

CECAFA Cup
CECAFA Cup record
Appearances: 4
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA
1973 to 2010Part of  Sudan
2011Did not enter
2012Group stage11th300307
2013Group stage10th300327
2015Quarter-finals6th422040
2017Group stage9th301218
TotalQuarter-finals4/3913238722

Results and fixtures

  Win   Draw   Loss

2019
4 September 2022 FIFA World Cup qualificationSouth Sudan 1–1 Equatorial GuineaOmdurman, Sudan[note 1]
16:00 UTC+2
Report (FIFA)
Stadium: Al-Hilal Stadium
Referee: Abdulwahid Huraywidah (Libya)
9 September 2022 FIFA World Cup qualificationEquatorial Guinea 1–0
(2–1 agg.)		 South SudanMalabo, Equatorial Guinea
17:00 UTC+1
Report (FIFA) Stadium: Nuevo Estadio de Malabo,
Referee: Mahmood Ali Ismail (Sudan)
9 October 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualificationSouth Sudan 2–1 SeychellesOmdurman, Sudan[note 2]
16:00 UTC+2
  • Thok  20'
  • Kuch  44'
  • Hoareau  12'
 Stadium: Al-Merrikh Stadium
Referee: Emmanuel Mwandembwa (Tanzania)
13 October 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualificationSeychelles 0–1
(1–3 agg.)		 South SudanVictoria, Seychelles
16:00 UTC+4
  • Kuch  72'
 Stadium: Stade Linité
Referee: Mohamed Athoumani (Comoros)
13 November 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualificationMalawi 1–0 South SudanBlantyre, Malawi
15:00 UTC+2
Stadium: Kamuzu Stadium
17 November 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualificationSouth Sudan 1–2 Burkina FasoKhartoum, Sudan
15:00 UTC+2
  • Pawaar  90'
Stadium: Khartoum Stadium

Head-to-head records against other countries
As of 8 January 2020
Opponent Pld W D L GF GA GD Win %
 Benin 2 0 0 2 2 6 −4 000.00
 Burkina Faso 1 0 0 1 1 2 −1 000.00
 Burundi 5 0 1 4 3 12 −9 000.00
 Djibouti 3 2 0 1 8 2 +6 066.67
 Equatorial Guinea 4 2 1 1 2 6 −4 050.00
 Ethiopia 2 0 0 2 0 5 −5 000.00
 Gabon 2 0 0 2 0 4 −4 000.00
 Kenya 2 0 0 2 1 5 −4 000.00
 Malawi 2 1 0 1 2 1 +1 050.00
 Mali 4 0 0 4 0 11 −11 000.00
 Mauritania 2 0 1 1 1 5 −4 000.00
 Mozambique 2 0 0 2 0 5 −5 000.00
 Seychelles 2 2 0 0 3 1 +2 100.00
 Somalia 2 1 0 1 4 1 +3 050.00
 Sudan 2 0 1 1 0 1 −1 000.00
 Uganda 3 0 1 2 2 10 −8 000.00
 Zanzibar 1 0 0 1 1 2 −1 000.00
17 Countries 41 8 5 28 30 79 −49 019.51

Coaches
Dates Name
2009–2011 Stephen Constantine
2011–2012 Malesh Soro
2012 Ismail Balanga
2012–2013 Zoran Đorđević
2013–2014 Ismail Balanga
2014 Salyi Lolaku Samuel
2014–2015 Lee Sung-jea
2015–2016 Leo Adraa
2016 Joseph Malesh
2017 Elya Wako
2017–2018 Bilal Felix Komoyangi
2018 Ahcene Aït-Abdelmalek
2018 Ramsey Sebit (caretaker)
2019– Cyprian Besong Ashu

Players

Current squad

The following players were selected for the 2021 CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Seychelles on 7 and 15 October 2019.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Ramadan John Mayik (2000-03-13) 13 March 2000 0 0 Rapta
18 1GK Khamis Daniel Dak (1986-01-08) 8 January 1986 8 0 Atlabara
23 1GK Majak Mawith (1999-09-19) 19 September 1999 4 0 Port Melbourne
20 1GK Geu Apech (1993-02-14) 14 February 1993 0 0 Sturt Lions FC
2 2DF Peter Deng (1993-01-12) 12 January 1993 4 0 Heidelberg United
3 2DF Hassan James Martin (1997-08-28) 28 August 1997 6 0 Merreikh Aweil
4 2DF Peter Maker Manyang (C) (1994-01-01) 1 January 1994 5 0 Amarat United
6 2DF Mathiang Mathiang (1994-09-19) 19 September 1994 2 0 Brunswick City
8 2DF Dominic Angelo Kornelis 2 0 Munuki
22 2DF Santino Deng Deng
24 2DF Friday Zico (1994-11-01) 1 November 1994 4 0 Armadale SC
5 3MF Mutwakil Abdulkarim (1992-08-04) 4 August 1992 3 0 Atlabara
7 3MF Peter Timothy Dusman (1994-01-24) 24 January 1994 7 0 SC Villa
12 3MF Jose Kutch Nyuar (1998-09-24) 24 September 1998 6 3 Amarat United
14 3MF Koang Thok Kerjok (1993-07-27) 27 July 1993 5 1 Al-Hilal Kadougli
16 3MF Jackson Morgan (1998-08-18) 18 August 1998 2 0 Stirling Lions
17 3MF Peter Chol (1994-10-23) 23 October 1994 16 1 Kator
21 3MF Emmanuel Thomas Lumeri 2 0 Amarat United
19 4FW David Majak (2000-10-10) 10 October 2000 1 0 Tusker
10 4FW Leon Uso Khamis (1987-01-01) 1 January 1987 24 3 Atlabara
18 4FW Dominic Abui Pretino (1991-01-01) 1 January 1991 25 4 Al Khartoum SC
15 4FW Jimmy Michael Omer 3 0 Atlabara
20 4FW Denis Yongule (1998-06-03) 3 June 1998 2 0 Geelong SC
9 4FW Kenny Athiu (1992-08-05) 5 August 1992 4 0 Melbourne Victory
11 4FW Yagoub Mustafa (1998-05-07) 7 May 1998 2 0 Stirling Lions

Dual-internationals

The following South Sudanese international footballers have also played for Sudan before the country's independence:

Notes
    1. South Sudan played their home match in Sudan due to their national stadium currently undergoing renovations.[17]
    2. South Sudan played their home matches outside the country due to renovation of Juba Stadium.
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    References
    1. "BBC Storyville 2014 Soccer Coach Zoran and his African Tigers". 18 December 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
    2. "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. 16 July 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
    3. Jacobs, Sean (25 May 2011). "Zoran and his African Tigers". Africas Country. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
    5. Martell, Peter (6 July 2011). "World's Newest Nation Set to Step Into Sporting Arena". Jakarta Globe. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
    6. Rice, Xan (10 July 2011). "South Sudan marks statehood with football match". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
    7. "Independent South Sudan play first football match". Kickoff.com. 11 July 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
    8. South Sudan admitted as a member of CAF, SuperSport.com, Retrieved 10 February 2012.
    9. "FIFA Congress fully backs reform process, appoints first woman to Executive; welcomes South Sudan as 209th FIFA member". FIFA Congress. 25 May 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
    10. Mensah, Kent (27 May 2012). "South Sudan become Fifa's 209th member". Goal.com. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
    11. "South Sudan enter FIFA rankings". Reuters. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
    12. South Sudan set for international debuts at Cecafa cups BBC. Retrieved 12 November 2012
    13. World newest state set for CECAFA début Futaa.com. Retrieved 12 November 2012
    14. Ethiopia get tough draw for 2012 Cecafa Challenge Cup BBC. Retrieved 12 November 2012
    15. "Eritrea withdraws from Nations Cup Qualification". Reuters.com. 30 March 2014.
    16. "Eritrea withdraws from Can 2015". Cafonline.com. 30 March 2014.
    17. Huaxia (23 August 2019). "S. Sudan camps in Khartoum ahead of World Cup qualifiers". Xinhua News Agency. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
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