Liberia national football team
The Liberia national football team, nicknamed the Lone Stars, represents Liberia in men's international football and is controlled by the Liberia Football Association. Although the nation produced the 1995 FIFA World Player of the Year, George Weah, its football team has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup and has qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations just twice—in 1996 and 2002. It is a member of both FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Nickname(s) | The Lone Stars | ||
---|---|---|---|
Association | Liberia Football Association | ||
Confederation | CAF (Africa) | ||
Sub-confederation | WAFU (West Africa) | ||
Head coach | Ansumana Keita | ||
Captain | Oscar Dorley | ||
Most caps | Joe Nagbe (77) | ||
Top scorer | George Weah (18) | ||
Home stadium | SKD Stadium | ||
FIFA code | LBR | ||
| |||
FIFA ranking | |||
Current | 150 2 (21 September 2023)[1] | ||
Highest | 66 (July 2001) | ||
Lowest | 164 (October–November 2010) | ||
First international | |||
Ivory Coast 0–2 Liberia (Abidjan, Ivory Coast; unknown date 1954) | |||
Biggest win | |||
Liberia 5–0 Djibouti (Monrovia, Liberia; 29 March 2016) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
Ghana 6–0 Liberia (Accra, Ghana; 6 April 1975) | |||
Africa Cup of Nations | |||
Appearances | 2 (first in 1996) | ||
Best result | Group stage, 1996 and 2002 |
History
African Cup of Nations
In 1965 Liberia played in first campagin 1965 qualification qualifying campaign, losting its first match 0–1 against Ivory Coast. They also won 3–2 against DR Congo however lost both returning fixtures and were eliminated in the first round. In 1967 Liberia played in 1968 qualification qualifying campaign, drawing its first match 2–2 against Guinea. They also drew against Senegal however lost both returning fixtures and were eliminated in the first round. Liberia returned to qualifying in 1976 but lost in the preliminary round to Togo, falling to defeat in both fixtures. After another absence, Liberia again joined AFCON qualifying in 1982 in the preliminary rounds but failed to progress after two draws against Gambia, losing on the away goals rule.
Liberia withdrew from qualifying for the 1984 African Cup of Nations, but the following tournament they managed to secure their first win during qualifying, a 3–1 first-leg victory over Mauritania. They failed to capitalize on this advantage, losing 3–0 in the second leg. Liberia then faced Sierra Leone and Mali during the 1988 qualification and 1990 qualification respectively, but again failed to progress. In 1992, Liberia withdrew from qualifying before playing a match (possibly due to the ongoing First Liberian Civil War), and in 1994, Liberia was put into a group with two participants that withdrew during qualifying (Tanzania and Burkina Faso) however they failed to take advantage of this and finished with zero points, having lost to Ghana twice.
In the 1996 African Cup of Nations qualification, Liberia managed to register three wins (against Togo, Tunisia and Mauritania) and four draws, which saw them finish the group in second place and qualify for their first African Cup of Nations tournament. Following the withdrawal of Nigeria, Liberia was placed in a group with Gabon and Zaire. Liberia opened the tournament with a 2–1 victory over Gabon with goals from Kelvin Sebwe and Mass Sarr Jr. but lost 2–0 to Zaire. This meant that Liberia finished bottom of the group on goal difference and failed to progress to the knock-out stages.
Liberia missed out on returning to the African Cup of Nations in 1998 as they finished one point off of qualification. In 2000, they defeated Niger in the preliminary rounds, but again failed to advance to the main tournament, this time finishing behind Algeria on goal difference.
In 2002 African Cup of Nations qualification, Liberia beat Cape Verde in the preliminary rounds, then they finished top of their group to qualify for the main tournament for the second time in their history. In the 2002 African Cup of Nations, Liberia drew their first game 1–1 with Mali (goal scored by George Weah) and drew their second game 2–2 against Algeria (goals from Prince Daye and Kelvin Sebwe), but in their final group game, needing a win against Nigeria, they lost 1–0.
FIFA World Cup
Liberia first entered the qualifying process for the FIFA World Cup in 1966, however, they withdrew in protest against the fact that too few places had been reserved for Africa and Asia, along with all fourteen other African nations that had initially entered qualifying.
Liberia next entered qualifying in 1982 against Guinea after receiving a bye in the first round. They lost 1–0 over the two legs and were eliminated. In 1986, Liberia was again eliminated without having scored a goal, falling 4–0 to Nigeria. In 1990, Liberia won its first FIFA qualifying match defeating Ghana to progress to the second round. Despite finishing second in their group, Liberia failed to advance to the final qualification round, ending two points behind group winners Egypt.
In 1998, Liberia beat Gambia in the first qualification round, but finished twelve points adrift of Tunisia in their group. In 2002, Liberia had their strongest qualifying campaign, however, a loss against Ghana in their penultimate group game gave Nigeria the opportunity to overtake them and secure the only qualification spot.
Team image
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
24 March 2023 AFCON qualification | South Africa | 2–2 | Liberia | Johannesburg, South Africa |
18:00 UTC+2 | Report | Stadium: Orlando Stadium Referee: Bamlak Tessema Weyesa (Ethiopia) |
28 March 2023 AFCON qualification | Liberia | 1–2 | South Africa | Monrovia, Liberia |
18:00 UTC±0 |
|
Report | Stadium: Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex Referee: Daniel Nii Laryea (Ghana) |
June 2023 AFCON qualification | Liberia | Cancelled | Zimbabwe | Liberia |
--:-- UTC±0 | Report |
12 September Friendly | Ghana | 3–1 | Liberia | Accra, Ghana |
Report |
|
Stadium: Accra Sports Stadium Referee: Kouassi Attiogbe (Togo) |
17 October 2023 AFCON qualification | Morocco | 3–0 | Liberia | Agadir, Morocco |
20:00 UTC+1 | Report | Stadium: Adrar Stadium Referee: Ahmad Imtehaz Heeralall (Mauritius) | ||
Note: Match postponed from 9 September due to 2023 Marrakesh-Safi earthquake. |
November 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification | Liberia | v | Malawi |
Coaching staff
Position | Name |
---|---|
Head coach | Ansumana Keita |
Assistant coach | Thomas Kojo |
Deputy coach | Cooper Sannah |
Goalkeeping coach | Nathaniel Sherman |
Fitness coach | George Gebro |
Team manager | Sebastian Collins |
Assistant Team manager | Tommy Johnson |
Coaching history
- Caretaker managers are listed in italics
- Josiah Johnson (1971–78)
- Bert Trautmann (1978–80)
- Paulo Campos (1986)
- Walter Pelham (1986–1990)
- Wilfred Lardner (1990–1998)
- Kadalah Kromah (1999–2000)
- Philippe Redon (2000–02)
- Dominic George Vava (2002)
- Kadalah Kromah (2002–04)
- Joseph Sayon (2004–06)
- Shawky El Din (2006)
- Frank Jericho Nagbe (2006–08)
- Antoine Hey (2008–09)
- Bertalan Bicskei (2010–11)
- Roberto Landi (2011–12)
- Thomas Kojo (2012)
- Kaetu Smith (2012)
- Frank Jericho Nagbe (2013)
- Thomas Kojo (2013)
- James Debbah (2013–17)
- Thomas Kojo (2018)
- Peter Butler (2019–2022)
- Ansumana Keita (2022)
- Thomas Kojo (2022–2023)
- Ansumana Keita (2023–present)
Players
Current squad
The following players were called up for the 2023 AFCON qualification matches against South Africa on 24 and 28 March 2023.[4]
Caps and goals correct as of 28 March 2023, after the match against South Africa.
No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GK | Tommy Songo | 20 April 1995 | 22 | 0 | LISCR | |
GK | Derrick Julu | 13 May 2002 | 1 | 0 | Watanga | |
GK | Emmanuel Deanneh | 20 June 1995 | 0 | 0 | Bea Mountain | |
DF | Marcus Macauley | 27 October 1991 | 24 | 5 | PDRM | |
DF | Sampson Dweh | 10 October 2001 | 17 | 0 | FC Viktoria Plzen | |
DF | Prince Balde | 23 March 1998 | 14 | 0 | Al-Diwaniya | |
DF | Mark Pabai | 30 September 2000 | 7 | 0 | Koper | |
DF | Jamal Arago | 28 August 1993 | 6 | 0 | Al-Ahly | |
DF | Darius Kah | 25 January 1997 | 0 | 0 | LISCR | |
MF | Oscar Dorley (captain) | 19 July 1998 | 31 | 1 | Slavia Prague | |
MF | Allen Njie | 26 July 1999 | 21 | 0 | Aarau | |
MF | Tonia Tisdell | 2 January 1992 | 16 | 1 | Telecom Egypt | |
MF | Mohammed Sangare | 28 December 1998 | 9 | 2 | Livingston | |
MF | Justin Salmon | 25 January 1999 | 7 | 0 | Degerfors | |
MF | Joachim Adukor | 2 May 1993 | 5 | 0 | Free agent | |
MF | Nohan Kenneh | 10 January 2003 | 2 | 0 | Shrewsbury Town | |
MF | Morris Konneh | 11 November 2003 | 0 | 0 | Heaven Eleven | |
FW | William Jebor | 10 November 1991 | 22 | 13 | Valletta | |
FW | Peter Wilson | 9 October 1996 | 12 | 2 | Jerv | |
FW | Ketu Jerbo | 20 June 1998 | 5 | 0 | Bea Mountain | |
FW | Mohammed Kamara | 31 October 1997 | 1 | 0 | Hapoel Haifa | |
FW | Farsedu Logan | 10 November 1997 | 1 | 0 | Watanga |
Recent call-ups
The following players have been called up for the team in the last 12 months.
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GK | Melvin King | 18 November 1985 | 4 | 0 | Bouaké | v. Egypt, 27 September 2022 |
GK | Boison Wynney | 27 December 1996 | 4 | 0 | Ceahlăul Piatra Neamț | v. Egypt, 27 September 2022 |
DF | Jeremy Saygbe | 1 June 2001 | 13 | 0 | CA Marbella | v. Egypt, 27 September 2022 |
DF | Joel Johnson | 20 September 1992 | 8 | 0 | Charlotte Independence | v. Egypt, 27 September 2022 |
DF | Ben Benaiah | 6 December 1992 | 7 | 0 | LPRC Oilers | v. Egypt, 27 September 2022 |
MF | Seth Hellberg | 19 August 1995 | 10 | 0 | Brage | v. Egypt, 27 September 2022 |
FW | Kpah Sherman | 3 February 1992 | 19 | 3 | Pahang | v. Egypt, 27 September 2022 |
Records
- As of 28 March 2023[5]
- Players in bold are still active with Liberia.
Most appearances
Rank | Name | Caps | Goals | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Joe Nagbe[lower-alpha 1] | 77 | 0 | 1986–2011 |
2 | George Weah[lower-alpha 2] | 75 | 18 | 1986–2018 |
3 | Kelvin Sebwe | 62 | 10 | 1988–2008 |
4 | James Debbah[lower-alpha 3] | 58 | 13 | 1986–2018 |
5 | George Gebro | 48 | 1 | 1997–2012 |
6 | Anthony Laffor | 46 | 5 | 2004–2018 |
7 | Teah Dennis Jr. | 44 | 1 | 2011–2019 |
8 | Varmah Kpoto | 40 | 1 | 1997–2008 |
9 | Fallah Johnson | 37 | 0 | 1995–2004 |
Zizi Roberts | 37 | 9 | 1995–2003 | |
Top goalscorers
Rank | Name | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | George Weah[lower-alpha 2] | 18 | 75 | 0.24 | 1986–2018 |
2 | William Jebor | 13 | 22 | 0.59 | 2011–present |
James Debbah[lower-alpha 3] | 13 | 58 | 0.22 | 1986–2018 | |
4 | Kelvin Sebwe | 10 | 62 | 0.16 | 1988–2008 |
5 | Zizi Roberts | 9 | 37 | 0.24 | 1995–2003 |
6 | Oliver Makor | 8 | 32 | 0.25 | 1995–2008 |
7 | Prince Daye | 7 | 25 | 0.28 | 1996–2004 |
Jonathan Sogbie | 7 | 27 | 0.26 | 1988–1998 | |
9 | Zah Rahan | 6 | 35 | 0.17 | 2006–2017 |
10 | Francis Doe | 5 | 22 | 0.23 | 2004–2016 |
Isaac Tondo | 5 | 22 | 0.23 | 2000–2005 | |
Marcus Macauley | 5 | 24 | 0.21 | 2011–present | |
Dioh Williams | 5 | 24 | 0.21 | 2004–2016 | |
Anthony Laffor | 5 | 46 | 0.11 | 2004–2018 | |
Competitive record
FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup record | 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 | |||||||||||||||
1978 | |||||||||||||||
1982 | Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||
1986 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | |||||||||
1990 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||
1994 | Withdrew during qualifying | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||||||||
1998 | Did not qualify | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 12 | ||||||||
2002 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 2 | |||||||||
2006 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 29 | |||||||||
2010 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 12 | |||||||||
2014 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 9 | |||||||||
2018 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | |||||||||
2022 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 10 | |||||||||
2026 | To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||
Total | — | 0/22 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 68 | 18 | 13 | 37 | 49 | 92 |
Africa Cup of Nations
Africa Cup of Nations record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Appearances: 2 | ||||||||
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
1957 | Not affiliated to CAF | |||||||
1959 | ||||||||
1962 | ||||||||
1963 | Did not enter | |||||||
1965 | Did not qualify | |||||||
1968 | ||||||||
1970 | Did not enter | |||||||
1972 | ||||||||
1974 | ||||||||
1976 | Did not qualify | |||||||
1978 | Did not enter | |||||||
1980 | ||||||||
1982 | Did not qualify | |||||||
1984 | Withdrew | |||||||
1986 | Did not qualify | |||||||
1988 | ||||||||
1990 | ||||||||
1992 | Withdrew | |||||||
1994 | Did not qualify | |||||||
1996 | Group stage | 13th | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
1998 | Did not qualify | |||||||
2000 | ||||||||
2002 | Group stage | 9th | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
2004 | Did not qualify | |||||||
2006 | ||||||||
2008 | ||||||||
2010 | ||||||||
2012 | ||||||||
2013 | ||||||||
2015 | ||||||||
2017 | ||||||||
2019 | ||||||||
2021 | ||||||||
2023 | ||||||||
2025 | To be determined | |||||||
Total | Group stage | 2/34 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
Honours
- Runners-up:1987
- CEDEAO Cup
Notes
- Nagbe retired from international duty in 2001 but later played two farewell matches in 2011.
- Weah retired from international duty in 2002 but later played a farewell match in 2018.
- Debbah retired from international duty in 2004 but later played a farewell match in 2018.
References
- "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. September 21, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- "Liberia Kit History". Football Kit Archive. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
- Molaposc (July 21, 2014). "Molapo Sports Centre: A good win for Lesotho, but there is still work to do". Molapo Sports Centre. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
- "Final Squad". Facebook. Liberia Football Association. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
- Mamrud, Roberto. "Liberia - Record International Players". RSSSF. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2023.