Togo national football team

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 Confederation of African Football (CAF).

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Togo women's national football team.
Togo
Nickname(s)Les Éperviers
(The Sparrowhawks)
AssociationTogolese Football Federation
ConfederationCAF (Africa)
Sub-confederationWAFU (West Africa)
Head coachClaude Le Roy
CaptainEmmanuel Adebayor
Most capsEmmanuel Adebayor (87)
Top scorerEmmanuel Adebayor (32)[1]
Home stadiumStade de Kégué
FIFA codeTOG
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 126 (16 July 2020)[2]
Highest46 (August 2006)
Lowest129 (April 2018)
First international
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, Mauritius; 12 November 2017)
Biggest defeat
 Morocco 7–0 Togo
(Morocco; 28 October 1979)
 Tunisia 7–0 Togo
(Tunis, Tunisia; 7 January 2000)
World Cup
Appearances1 (first in 2006)
Best resultGroup stage, 2006
Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances8 (first in 1972)
Best resultQuarter-finals, 2013
Members of the Togolese national football team before a warm-up match in Biberach/Riss a few days before the 2006 World Cup

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 were 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;[3] 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."[4]

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

Sierra Leone air disaster

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 Obilale was reported dead a day after the attack.[5] Such reports were later dismissed by his club GSI Pontivy in a press announcement, stating the player was actually undergoing surgery in South Africa.[6]

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),[7] the government later ordered that the team return home.[8]

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 $50,000 because of the "decision taken by the political authorities".[9][10][11] 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),[9][12] 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".[10] FIFA has yet to comment on the issue.[10] Togo footballer Thomas Dossevi said "We are a group of footballers who came under fire and now we can't play football any more. They are crushing us".[10] Togolese captain Emmanuel Adebayor described the decision as "outrageous" and said that CAF President Issa Hayatou had "completely betrayed" the Togo squad.[13]

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 Sport Minister Christophe Tchao said to the Jeune Afrique magazine that nobody in Togo had "ever been informed of such a game".[14] 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.[15] The match fixing has been linked to Wilson Raj Perumal and the Singaporean match-fixing syndicate allegedly run by Tan Seet Eng.[16]

2014 World Cup Qualification

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

Competition records

World Cup record
See also: Togo at the 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 Did not enter Declined participation
1934
1938
1950
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974 Did not qualify 2 0 0 2 0 4
1978 4 1 1 2 3 5
1982 2 1 0 1 2 2
1986 Withdrew Withdrew
1990
1994 Did not qualify 5 0 0 5 2 11
1998 8 2 2 4 9 16
2002 10 3 4 3 13 13
2006 Group stage 30th 3 0 0 3 1 6 12 8 2 2 22 9
2010 Did not qualify 10 4 2 4 11 10
2014 8 2 2 4 6 12
2018 2 0 0 2 0 4
2022 To be determined To be determined
2026 To be determined To be determined
Total Group stage 1/21 3 0 0 3 1 6 63 21 13 29 68 86
2006 FIFA World Cup starting lineup

Africa Cup of Nations record
Africa Cup of Nations record
Host nation(s) / Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA
1957Part of  France
1959
1962Not affiliated to CAF
1963
1965Did not enter
1968Did not qualify
1970
1972 Group stage 7th 3 0 2 1 4 6
1974Withdrew
1976Did not qualify
1978
1980
1982
1984 Group stage 8th 3 0 1 2 1 7
1986Did not qualify
1988
1990Withdrew
1992Did not qualify
1994Withdrew during qualifying
1996Did not qualify
1998 Group stage 12th 3 1 0 2 3 3
2000 10th 3 1 1 1 2 3
2002 12th 3 0 2 1 0 3
2004Did not qualify
2006 Group stage 16th 3 0 0 3 2 7
2008Did not qualify
2010Withdrew due to rebel attack
2012Did not qualify
2013 Quarter-finals 8th 4 1 1 2 4 4
2015Did not qualify
2017 Group stage 16th 3 0 1 2 2 6
2019 Did not qualify
2021 To be determined
2023 To be determined
Total Quarter-finals 8/32 25 3 8 14 18 39

African Games record
Football at the African Games has been an under-23 tournament since 1991.
African Games record
Year Result GP W D L GS GA
1965-000000
1973-000000
1978-000000
1987-000000
1991–present See Togo national under-23 football team
Total4/4000000

Results and fixtures

  Win   Draw   Loss

2019
6 September 2019 2022 FWCQComoros 1–1 TogoMoroni, Comoros
15:00 UTC+3 Djoudja  49' Report Laba  34' Stadium: Stade de Moroni
Referee: Elly Sasii (Tanzania)
10 September 2019 2022 FWCQTogo 2–0
(3–1 agg.)		 ComorosLomé, Togo
16:00 UTC±0 M'Dahoma  10' (o.g.)
Sunu  71'		 Report Stadium: Stade de Kégué
Attendance: 13,000
Referee: Pierre Atcho (Gabon)
10 October 2019 FriendlyCape Verde 2–1 TogoFos-sur-Mer, France
Report Stadium: Stade Parsemain
13 October 2019 FriendlyEquatorial Guinea 1–1 TogoMallemort, France
15:00 Report Stadium: Stade d'Honneur Marcel Roustan
Referee: Sylvain Palhies (France)
14 November 2019 (2019-11-14) 2021 AFCONQTogo 0–1 ComorosLomé, Togo
16:00 UTC±0 Selemani  51' Stadium: Stade de Kégué
18 November 2019 (2019-11-18) 2021 AFCONQKenya 1–1 TogoKasarani, Kenya
19:00 UTC+3
Stadium: Moi International Sports Centre

Players

Current squad

The following players have been called up for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Comoros and Kenya on 14 & 18 November 2019.[17]

Caps and goals updated as of 18 November 2019 after the game against Kenya.[18]

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Malcolm Barcola (1999-05-14) 14 May 1999 5 0 Lyon II
1GK Abdoul Moubarak Aïgba (1997-08-05) 5 August 1997 1 0 OTR
1GK Dové Abotchi (1992-09-20) 20 September 1992 0 0 JDR Stars
2DF Djené Dakonam (Captain) (1991-12-31) 31 December 1991 51 0 Getafe
2DF Hakim Ouro-Sama (1997-12-28) 28 December 1997 23 1 Lille B
2DF Steve Lawson (1994-08-08) 8 August 1994 17 0 Livingston
2DF Simon Gbegnon (1992-03-27) 27 March 1992 11 0 Béziers
2DF Adewale Olufadé (1994-08-21) 21 August 1994 8 0 Union Douala
2DF Wilson Akakpo (1988-02-01) 1 February 1988 2 0 Al Ittihad
2DF Abdoul Bodé (1995-01-22) 22 January 1995 4 0 Togo-Port
2DF Kangnivi Amatchoutchoui (1994-05-28) 28 May 1994 0 0 Gbohloé-Su des Lacs
3MF Lalawélé Atakora (1990-11-09) 9 November 1990 45 2 Gabala
3MF Floyd Ayité (1988-12-15) 15 December 1988 43 11 Gençlerbirliği
3MF Mathieu Dossevi (1988-02-12) 12 February 1988 32 5 Toulouse
3MF Koffi Atchou (1995-12-03) 3 December 1995 20 1 Fremad Amager
3MF Ihlas Bebou (1994-04-23) 23 April 1994 20 1 Hannover 96
3MF Gilles Sunu (1991-03-30) 30 March 1991 7 1 BB Erzurumspor
3MF Marouf Tchakei (1995-12-15) 15 December 1995 6 2 ASKO Kara
3MF Yendoutie Nane (1994-06-23) 23 June 1994 0 0 ASKO Kara
4FW Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba (1992-01-27) 27 January 1992 28 12 Al Ain
4FW Peniel Mlapa (1991-02-20) 20 February 1991 11 0 Kalba
4FW Ahoueke Denkey (2000-11-30) 30 November 2000 8 1 Béziers
4FW David Henen (1996-04-19) 19 April 1996 0 0 Charleroi

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up for Togo in the last 12 months.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Sabirou Bassa-Djeri (1987-07-09) 9 July 1987 15 0 Coton Sport v.  Comoros, 10 September 2019
DF Klousseh Agbozo (1994-06-26) 26 June 1994 1 0 Dynamic Togolais v.  Comoros, 10 September 2019
DF Kossi Jean Ozou (1992-04-12) 12 April 1992 1 0 ASC Kara v.  Comoros, 10 September 2019
MF Kossivi Amededjisso (2001-12-31) 31 December 2001 0 0 Leipzig U-19 v.  Equatorial Guinea, 13 October 2019
MF Gnama Akaté (1991-11-25) 25 November 1991 3 1 Togo-Port v.  Comoros, 10 September 2019
MF Kokouvi Amekoudji (1993-12-19) 19 December 1993 1 0 Dynamic Togolais v.  Comoros, 10 September 2019

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
As of 10 October 2019
Players in bold text are still active with Togo.

Previous squads

FIFA World Cup

Africa Cup of Nations

Coaches
gollark: They cost less on Amazon.
gollark: Anyway, they... aren't actually very good at graphing compared to software on computers, so I don't really see the advantage.
gollark: Clearly you're wrong.
gollark: Also, the CG-50 is "only" £80 or so.
gollark: Just use Desmos?!

References
  1. Mamrud, Roberto; Stokkermans, Karel. "Players with 100+ Caps and 30+ International Goals". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 2011-06-28. Retrieved 2010-12-16.
  2. "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. 16 July 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  3. "Sky Sports | Football News". Home.skysports.com. Archived from the original on 2007-01-25. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
  4. https://www.fifa.com/en/media/index/0,1369,120470,00.html?articleid=120470. Retrieved August 30, 2006. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. "African Cup of Nations — NoConfusion over Togo death toll". Reuters. 2010-01-09. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  6. "Kodjovi Obilalé n'est pas décédé des suites de ses blessures (Agence AFP)" (in French). Archived from the original on 2007-02-22. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  7. Nick Reeves (2010-01-10). "Togo in dramatic African Nations Cup u-turn". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  8. "Togo officially disqualified from Africa Cup of Nations". BBC Sport. BBC. 2010-01-11. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  9. Togo's withdrawal, Confederation of African Football, 30 January 2010
  10. "Togo banned from next two Africa Cups of Nations". BBC Sport. BBC. 30 January 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
  11. "Togo suspended for next two Africa Nations Cup". Xinhua. Retrieved 31 January 2010.
  12. Regulations of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations (PDF), Confederation of African Football
  13. Togo captain Emmanuel Adebayor slams 'outrageous' ban, BBC Sport, 31 January 2010
  14. 'Fake' Togo football team at Bahrain match being investigated, BBC News, 15 September 2010
  15. Fake mastermind behind fake Togo team revealed!, Yahoo, 20 September 2010, archived from the original on 26 September 2010
  16. Buncombe, Andrew (29 March 2013). "Dan Tan: the man who fixed football". The Independent. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
  17. https://www.afrik-foot.com/can-2021-q-2-nouveaux-dans-la-liste-du-togo-contre-les-comores-et-le-kenya
  18. "Togo".
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