AFC Challenge Cup 2012: Know about Participating Team – Maldives

Football in Maldives is like what Cricket in India. The people of Maldives loves football as they thought its their passion. Tiny island country is obsessed with the beautiful game. A mere population of three hundred thousands people hasn't barred them from producing talented football players. 

Maldives football association logo

Maldives was known to the world when they drew with South Korea at home 0-0 in the Asian qualifying for the 2006 World Cup. Their most significant success was winning the 2008 SAFF Championship where they beat the most successful team India in the final 1–0. Few years back Maldives was minnows in South asia but now the things have been changed and they are powerhouse of south asia.

Red snappers

Nickname: The Islanders are known as Red Snappers

FIFA Ranking: The Islanders are ranked at 175th position in the world and 37th in Asia. The highest FIFA ranking 126th position was in 2006 and the lowest was 183rd in 1997.

Kit: Maldives' home kit comprises a red jersey and red shorts – red is the national colour of the Maldives, and represents the boldness of the nation's heroes. The current away kit comprises a black jersey and black shorts. Adidas is the kit provider to the national team, a sponsorship deal that began in 2011.

Home colours

Away colours

Coach: Istavan Urbanyi is the hungarian coach who took the helm from Andres Cruciani. Urbanyi was also the coach of the team in 2009/10. 

Player To Be Watched: Ali Ashfaq. Ashfaq is currently not fit as he is recovering from knee injury. But he is surely a player to be watched in Maldivian squad. Ashfaq is the man who scored a ROCKET goal against Nepal in the first match of SAFF Championship 2011.

Supporters: Maldivians are so passionate about the beautiful game and they follow their beloved team closely. 

Maldives football fan

World Cup record

    1930 to 1986 – Did not enter
    1990 – Withdrew
    1994 – Did not enter
    1998 to 2014 – Did not qualify

Asian Cup record

    1956 to 1992 – Did not enter
    1996 to 2004 – Did not qualify
    2007 – Did not enter
    2011 – Did not qualify

AFC Challenge Cup record

    2006 to 2008 – Ineligible
    2010 – Did not qualify
    2012 – Qualified

SAFF championship record

Winner in 2008

First International Match:
Seychelles 9 Maldives 0 in 1979

Biggest Win:
Maldives hammered hapless Mongolia 12-0 in 2003

Biggest Defeat:
Iran defeated Red Snappers 17-0 in 1997 in Damascus, Syria.

Maldives are grouped with Nepal, Palestine and Turkmenistan in Group A of AFC Challenge Cup. 

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