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Sierra Leone national football team 
Summary
The Sierra Leone national football team represents Sierra Leone in association football and is governed by the Sierra Leone Football Association. It has qualified for Africa Cup of Nations three times.
 | ||||
| Nickname(s) | Leone Stars | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Association | SLFA | |||
| Confederation | CAF (Africa) | |||
| Sub-confederation | WAFU (West Africa) | |||
| Head coach | Amidu Karim | |||
| Captain | Osman Kakay | |||
| Most caps | Umaru Bangura (55) | |||
| Top scorer | Mohamed Kallon (8) | |||
| Home stadium | Freetown National Stadium | |||
| FIFA code | SLE | |||
| ||||
| FIFA ranking | ||||
| Current | 126  (4 April 2024)[1] | |||
| Highest | 50 (August 2014) | |||
| Lowest | 172 (September 2007) | |||
| First international | ||||
 Sierra Leone 0–2 Nigeria  (Freetown, Sierra Leone; 10 August 1949)[2] | ||||
| Biggest win | ||||
 Sierra Leone 5–1 Niger  (Freetown, Sierra Leone; 7 March 1976) Sierra Leone 5–1 Niger (Freetown, Sierra Leone; 3 June 1995) Sierra Leone 4–0 São Tomé and Príncipe  (Freetown, Sierra Leone; 22 April 2000) | ||||
| Biggest defeat | ||||
 Mali 6–0 Sierra Leone (Bamako, Mali; 17 June 2007) | ||||
| Africa Cup of Nations | ||||
| Appearances | 3 (first in 1994) | |||
| Best result | Group stage (1994, 1996, 2021) | |||
History edit
Sierra Leone's first match was at home on 10 August 1949 against another British colony, Nigeria, and was lost 2–0. In 1954 it played another British colony and British administered U.N trust territory, Gold Coast and Trans-Volta Togoland, and lost 2–0 away. On 22 April 1961, it hosted Nigeria and lost 4–2. On 12 November 1966, it hosted Liberia in its first match against a non-British colony and earned its first draw, 1–1. A week later, it lost 2–0 in Liberia. On 13 January 1971, it played its first match against a non-African team, West Germany's B-team. The match in Sierra Leone was won 1–0 by the Germans. Sierra Leone's first match outside Africa was its first against an Asian nation, China. It lost 4–1 in China on 5 April 1974.[4]
In August 2014, Sierra Leone FA cancelled all association football matches in an effort to stop the spread of the 2014 Ebola virus epidemic in Sierra Leone, a week after Liberian FA did the same.[5] Sierra Leonean players playing outside Sierra Leone, such as Michael Lahoud playing in the United States, were discriminated against, with opposition players refusing to swap shirts, shake hands and allow them to certain places of the stadium because they fear that they could be carrying the disease.[6] The Sierra Leonean national team wasn't allowed to play home games and all players had to be foreign-based.[7]
Results and fixtures edit
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 edit
| 22 March 2023 AFCON qualification | Sierra Leone | 2–2 | São Tomé and Príncipe | Agadir, Morocco |
| 18:00 UTC±0 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Adrar Stadium Referee: Mawabwe Bodjona (Togo) |
| 26 March 2023 AFCON qualification | São Tomé and Príncipe | 0–2 | Sierra Leone | Agadir, Morocco |
| 16:00 UTC±0 | Report |
|
Stadium: Adrar Stadium Referee: Jean Philippe Vlei Patrick Tanguy (DR Congo) |
| 18 June 2023 AFCON qualification | Sierra Leone | 2–3 |  Nigeria | Monrovia, Liberia |
| 16:00 UTC±0 | Report | Stadium: Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex Referee: Mahmood Ismail (Sudan) |
| 11 September 2023 AFCON qualification | Guinea-Bissau  | 2–1 | Sierra Leone | Bissau, Guinea-Bissau |
| 16:00 UTC±0 | Report |
|
Stadium: Estádio 24 de Setembro Referee: Boubou Traoré (Mali) |
| 17 October Friendly | Sierra Leone | 2–0 |  Somalia | |
| Report |
| 15 November 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification | Ethiopia  | 0–0 | Sierra Leone | El Jadida, Morocco |
| 20:00 UTC+1 | Report | Stadium: Stade El Abdi Attendance: 50 Referee: Celso Alvação (Mozambique) |
| 19 November 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification | Sierra Leone | 0–2 |  Egypt | Paynesville, Liberia |
| 16:00 UTC±0 | Report |
|
Stadium: Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex Attendance: 8,916 Referee: Jean-Jacques Ndala Ngambo (DR Congo) |
2024 edit
| 6 January Friendly | Ivory Coast  | 5–1 | Sierra Leone | San Pedro, Ivory Coast |
| 17:00 UTC±0} | Report |
|
Stadium: Laurent Pokou Stadium Referee: Dedjinnanchi Ahomlanto (Benin) |
| 11 January Friendly | Sierra Leone | 1–3 |  Morocco | San Pedro, Ivory Coast |
| 15:00 UTC±0 |
|
Report | Stadium: Laurent Pokou Stadium |
Coaching history edit
Burkhard Pape (1966–1968)- Klaus Ebbighausen (1976–1978)
Warwick Rimmer (1979)
Christian Cole (1989)- Christian Cole (1991)
Raymond Zarpanelian (1993–1994)- Roger Palmgren (1996)
- John Sherington (1996–1997)
- Abdulai Sesay (1997–2000)
Dušan Drašković (2000)- Christian Cole (2001)
José Antonio Nogueira (2003)- John Sherington (2003–2006)
James Peters (2006–2007)- Mohamed Kanu (2007–2009)
- Daniel Koroma (2009–2010)
- Christian Cole (2010–2011)
Lars-Olof Mattsson (2011–2013)
Johnathan McKinstry (2013–2014)- Atto Mensah (2014)
- John Ajina Sesay (2014–2015)
- John Sherington (2015)
Sellas Tetteh (2015–2017)- John Keister (2017–2019)
- Sellas Tetteh (2019–2020)
- John Keister (2020–2023)
- Amidu Karim (2023–)
Players edit
Current squad edit
The following players were called up for the friendly matches against Ivory Coast and Morocco on 6 and 11 January 2024.[8]
Caps and goals are correct as of 6 January 2024, after the match against Ivory Coast.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Donald Kamara | 16 July 2002 | 1 | 0 | East End Lions
| |
| GK | Francis Koroma | 15 May 2000 | 1 | 0 | East End Lions
| |
| GK | Abu Bakar Kamara | 28 January 2004 | 0 | 0 | Kallon
| |
| DF | Emmanuel Samadia | 19 April 2001 | 16 | 0 |  Hapoel Rishon LeZion
| |
| DF | Abu Bakarr Samura | 10 August 1995 | 15 | 1 | Bo Rangers
| |
| DF | Saidu Mansaray | 21 February 2001 | 8 | 0 | Bo Rangers
| |
| DF | Santigie Koroma | 27 November 2003 | 1 | 0 | LISCR
| |
| DF | Yusuf Sesay | 19 April 2001 | 1 | 0 | Bo Rangers
| |
| DF | Abu Bakarr Barrie | 28 November 1999 | 0 | 0 | Diamond Stars
| |
| DF | Edward Bello Yillah | 4 October 1996 | 0 | 0 | Mighty Blackpool
| |
| MF | Kwame Quee | 7 September 1996 | 34 | 3 | Old Edwardians
| |
| MF | Abu Dumbuya | 29 January 1985 | 13 | 0 | Freetownian SLIFA
| |
| MF | Saidu Bah Kamara | 3 March 2002 | 7 | 0 | Bo Rangers
| |
| MF | Ibrahim Turay | 5 May 1999 | 6 | 0 | Bo Rangers
| |
| MF | Sallieu Bah | 10 September 2006 | 5 | 0 | Wilberforce Strikers
| |
| MF | Alpha Turay | 26 May 2005 | 4 | 0 | Kallon
| |
| MF | Samuel Bekoe | 24 August 1997 | 3 | 0 | East End Lions
| |
| MF | Mohamed Fofanah | 8 September 1998 | 1 | 0 | Kallon
| |
| MF | Adebayor Black | 0 | 0 | Bhantal
| ||
| MF | Joseph Cleveland | 1 January 2000 | 0 | 0 | Ports Authority
| |
| FW | Alie Conteh | 29 October 2002 | 8 | 2 | Kallon
| |
| FW | Abu Komeh | 21 May 2001 | 3 | 1 | Bo Rangers
| |
| FW | Rodney Michael | 10 August 1999 | 2 | 1 |  POX
| |
Recent call-ups edit
The following players had been called up in 12 months preceding the above draft.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Mohamed Kamara | 29 April 1999 | 20 | 0 |  Horoya
|
v. Egypt, 19 November 2023
|
| GK | Ibrahim Sesay | 18 October 2004 | 13 | 0 | Bo Rangers
|
v. Egypt, 19 November 2023
|
| GK | Saidu F Kamara | 20 November 1996 | 0 | 0 | Mighty Blackpool
|
v. São Tomé and Príncipe, 26 March 2023
|
| DF | Juma Bah | 11 April 2006 | 0 | 0 | Freetownian SLIFA
|
v. Egypt, 19 November 2023
|
| DF | Osman Kakay | 25 August 1997 | 22 | 0 |  Queens Park Rangers
|
v. Egypt, 19 November 2023
|
| DF | Lamin Conteh | 15 December 1994 | 10 | 0 | Johansen
|
v. Guinea-Bissau, 11 September 2023
|
| DF | Steven Caulker | 29 December 1991 | 13 | 0 |  Málaga City
|
v. Nigeria, 18 June 2023
|
| DF | Daniel Francis | 10 July 2002 | 2 | 0 |  KFC Uerdingen 05
|
v. Nigeria, 18 June 2023
|
| DF | Edward Fornah | 28 November 1999 | 0 | 0 | Luawa
|
v. Nigeria, 18 June 2023
|
| DF | Eshiek Kamara | 16 December 1998 | 0 | 0 | Bo Rangers
|
v. São Tomé and Príncipe, 26 March 2023
|
| DF | John Kamara | 12 May 1988 | 26 | 1 |  United City
|
v. São Tomé and Príncipe, 26 March 2023
|
| MF | Mohamed Buya Turay | 10 January 1995 | 17 | 3 |  Birmingham Legion
|
v. Egypt, 19 November 2023
|
| MF | Tyrese Fornah | 11 September 1999 | 1 | 0 | Derby County
|
v. Egypt, 19 November 2023
|
| MF | Alusine Koroma | 9 June 2000 | 10 | 0 |  Al-Shahaniya
|
v. Egypt, 19 November 2023
|
| MF | Saidu Fofanah | 14 September 1997 | 13 | 1 | Kallon
|
v. Guinea-Bissau, 11 September 2023
|
| MF | Mamadou Saidou Sow | 19 August 1999 | 0 | 0 | Fortuna
|
v. Guinea-Bissau, 11 September 2023
|
| MF | Mohamed Billoh Kabba | 26 November 2004 | 0 | 0 | Bo Rangers
|
v. Guinea-Bissau, 11 September 2023
|
| MF | Kamil Conteh | 26 December 2002 | 8 | 0 | Grimsby Town
|
v. Nigeria, 18 June 2023
|
| MF | Prince Barrie | 18 August 1997 | 14 | 1 | East End Lions
|
v. Nigeria, 18 June 2023
|
| MF | Mohamed Kamara | 16 November 1987 | 33 | 2 | East End Lions
|
v. São Tomé and Príncipe, 26 March 2023
|
| MF | Ballie Kamara | 29 January 1997 | 0 | 0 | F.C. Johansen
|
v. São Tomé and Príncipe, 26 March 2023
|
| MF | Alhassan Koroma | 9 June 2000 | 15 | 1 | Linense
|
v. São Tomé and Príncipe, 26 March 2023
|
| FW | Amadou Bakayoko | 1 January 1996 | 10 | 2 |  Dundee
|
v. Egypt, 19 November 2023
|
| FW | Sullay Kaikai | 26 August 1995 | 13 | 1 | Cambridge United
|
v. Egypt, 19 November 2023
|
| FW | Alhaji Kamara | 16 April 1994 | 17 | 5 |  Randers
|
v. Egypt, 19 November 2023
|
| FW | Daniel Kanu | 14 November 2004 | 1 | 0 | Charlton Athletic
|
v. Egypt, 19 November 2023
|
| FW | Augustus Kargbo | 24 August 1999 | 15 | 2 |  Cesena
|
v. Egypt, 19 November 2023
|
| FW | Jonathan Morsay | 5 October 1997 | 10 | 1 | AEL Limassol
|
v. Egypt, 19 November 2023
|
| FW | Augustine Williams | 3 August 1997 | 7 | 0 | Indy Eleven
|
v. Guinea-Bissau, 11 September 2023
|
| FW | Ron Gandi Williams | 8 September 1998 | 3 | 0 | Mighty Blackpool
|
v. Guinea-Bissau, 11 September 2023
|
| FW | Mustapha Bundu | 27 February 1997 | 14 | 3 | Plymouth Argyle
|
v. Nigeria, 18 June 2023
|
| FW | Musa Kamara | 6 August 1999 | 12 | 3 | Bo Rangers
|
v. Nigeria, 18 June 2023
|
| FW | Idris Kanu | 5 December 1999 | 2 | 0 | Barnet
|
v. Nigeria, 18 June 2023
|
| FW | Santigie Sesay | 19 December 2000 | 0 | 0 | Unknown | v. Nigeria, 18 June 2023
|
INJ Withdrew due to injury. | ||||||
Records edit
- As of 19 November 2023[9]
- Players in bold are still active with Sierra Leone.
Most appearances edit
| Rank | Name | Caps | Goals | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Umaru Bangura | 55 | 4 | 2006–2022 |
| 2 | Ibrahim Bah | 45 | 3 | 1986–1998 |
| 3 | Mohamed Kallon | 40 | 8 | 1995–2012 |
| 4 | Kei Kamara | 39 | 7 | 2008–2022 |
| 5 | Sheriff Suma | 37 | 3 | 2006–2015 |
| 6 | Medo Kamara | 33 | 1 | 2008–2021 |
| Kwame Quee | 33 | 3 | 2012–present | |
| 8 | Julius Wobay | 32 | 4 | 2001–2018 |
| 9 | Ibrahim Kargbo | 30 | 1 | 2000–2013 |
| 10 | Yeami Dunia | 29 | 0 | 2012–present |
Top goalscorers edit
| Rank | Name | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mohamed Kallon | 8 | 40 | 0.2 | 1995–2012 |
| 2 | Kei Kamara | 7 | 39 | 0.18 | 2008–2022 |
| 3 | Lamine Conteh | 6 | 20 | 0.3 | 1993–2006 |
| 4 | Alhaji Kamara | 5 | 17 | 0.29 | 2012–present |
| 5 | Teteh Bangura | 4 | 12 | 0.33 | 2011–2014 |
| Alhassan Kamara | 4 | 16 | 0.25 | 2012–2018 | |
| Abu Kanu | 4 | 16 | 0.25 | 1994–2003 | |
| Mustapha Bangura | 4 | 17 | 0.24 | 2005–2016 | |
| Julius Wobay | 4 | 31 | 0.13 | 2001–2018 | |
| Umaru Bangura | 4 | 55 | 0.07 | 2006–2022 |
Competitive record edit
FIFA World Cup edit
| FIFA World Cup record | Qualification record | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | ||
 1962 and 1966
|
Not affiliated to CAF | Not affiliated to CAF | ||||||||||||||
 1970
|
Did not enter | Did not enter | ||||||||||||||
| 1974
|
Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | |||||||||
 1978
|
4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 9 | ||||||||||
| 1982
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | ||||||||||
| 1986
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | ||||||||||
| 1990
|
Did not enter | Did not enter | ||||||||||||||
| 1994
|
Withdrew | Withdrew | ||||||||||||||
 1998
|
Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||
  2002
|
10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 17 | ||||||||||
| 2006
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||
 2010
|
8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | ||||||||||
 2014
|
6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 10 | ||||||||||
 2018
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||
| 2022
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||||||||
 2026
|
To be determined | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||
 2030
|
To be determined | |||||||||||||||
 2034
| ||||||||||||||||
| Total | 0/16 | 44 | 10 | 9 | 25 | 37 | 68 | |||||||||
Africa Cup of Nations edit
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Squad |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 1962 |
Not affiliated to CAF | ||||||||
 1963
| |||||||||
 1965
| |||||||||
| 1968
|
Did not enter | ||||||||
 1970
|
Withdrew | ||||||||
 1972
|
Did not enter | ||||||||
 1974
|
Did not qualify | ||||||||
 1976
|
Did not enter | ||||||||
| 1978
|
Did not qualify | ||||||||
| 1980
|
Did not enter | ||||||||
 1982
|
Did not qualify | ||||||||
| 1984
| |||||||||
| 1986
|
Withdrew | ||||||||
| 1988
|
Did not qualify | ||||||||
 1990
|
Withdrew | ||||||||
 1992
|
Did not qualify | ||||||||
| 1994
|
Round 1 | 10th | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | Squad |
| 1996
|
Round 1 | 13th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 | Squad |
 1998
|
Withdrew | ||||||||
| 2000
|
Disqualified due to civil war | ||||||||
| 2002
|
Did not qualify | ||||||||
 2004
| |||||||||
| 2006
| |||||||||
| 2008
| |||||||||
 2010
| |||||||||
  2012
| |||||||||
| 2013
| |||||||||
| 2015
| |||||||||
| 2017
| |||||||||
| 2019
|
Disqualified due to FIFA suspension | ||||||||
 2021
|
Group stage | 18th | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | Squad |
| 2023
|
Did not qualify | ||||||||
| 2025
|
To be determined | ||||||||
   2027
| |||||||||
| Total | 0 titles | 3/36 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 14 | — |
Coaching staff edit
| Head coach | Amidu Karim
|
| Assistant coach | Francis Koroma
|
| Assistant coach | Alhaji Foray
|
| Sport therapist |  Joris De Vos
|
| Head of medical | Songor Koedoyoma
|
| Team manager | Ibrahim Swarray
|
References edit
- ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. 4 April 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ^ Courtney, Barrie (15 August 2006). "Sierra Leone – List of International Matches". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
- ^ Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 27 March 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
- ^ "Sierra Leone – List of International Matches". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 19 November 2015. Archived from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
- ^ "Sierra Leone suspends football matches as Ebola virus spreads". The Independent. 4 August 2014. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
- ^ "Ebola affecting Sierra Leone team – Michael Lahoud". BBC Sport. 14 October 2014. Archived from the original on 18 December 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
- ^ "The land where football is religion". FIFATV. 14 October 2014. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Final Squad". Facebook. Sierra Leone Football Association.
- ^ "Sierra Leone". National Football Teams. Archived from the original on 26 April 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
Sources edit
- Sierra Leone to 'host' the Elephants of Ivory Coast in Abidjan – footballsierraleone.net (archived 5 March 2016)
- Sierra Leone 1–1 Malawi: International Friendly – footballsierraleone.net (archived 5 April 2016)
External links edit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sierra Leone national football team.