Wikipedia

Nicaragua national football team

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

The Nicaragua national football team (Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Nicaragua) represents Nicaragua in men's international football and is controlled by the Nicaraguan Football Federation. Nicaragua achieved their first qualification into a major international competition in 2009, as they qualified for the 2009 Gold Cup as the last entrant from Central America, after a 2–0 victory against Guatemala in the fifth place match in the 2009 Nations Cup.[3] However, the team has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup.

Nicaragua
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)La Azul y Blanco (The Blue and White)
Los Pinoleros (The Pinoleros)
AssociationFederación Nicaragüense de Fútbol (FENIFUT)
ConfederationCONCACAF (North America)
Sub-confederationUNCAF (Central America)
Head coachMarco Antonio Figueroa
CaptainJuan Barrera
Most capsJosué Quijano (99)
Top scorerJuan Barrera (25)
Home stadiumEstadio Nacional de Fútbol
FIFA codeNCA
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 132 Decrease 1 (24 October 2024)[1]
Highest92 (December 2015)
Lowest193 (May 2001)
First international
 El Salvador 9–0 Nicaragua 
(San Salvador, El Salvador; 1 May 1929)
Biggest win
 Turks and Caicos Islands 0–7 Nicaragua 
(San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic; 27 March 2021)
Biggest defeat
 Honduras 10–0 Nicaragua 
(San José, Costa Rica; 13 March 1946)
 Curaçao 11–1 Nicaragua 
(Guatemala City, Guatemala; 2 March 1950)
CONCACAF Championship / Gold Cup
Appearances5 (first in 1963)
Best resultSixth place (1967)
Medal record
CCCF Championship
Bronze medal – third place 1951 Panama Team

Due to American influence throughout the country's history, baseball has more of a following as both a pursuit and spectator event in Nicaragua than football.

History

edit

Nicaragua traveled to El Salvador for their first ever international, losing 9–0 to the hosts on 1 May 1929. They did not play another match for over twelve years, until the qualifying group for the 1941 CCCF Championship in Costa Rica. They lost all 4 games: 7–2 to the hosts Costa Rica on 10 May, 8–0 to El Salvador on 13 May, 9–1 to the Netherlands Antilles on 15 May and 5–2 to Panama on 18 May. Therefore, Nicaragua finished bottom of the group and did not make the final group.[4]

Recent times

edit

After qualifying for the 2019 Gold Cup on the back of finishing ninth in Nations League qualifying, they would go on to finish bottom of the group with losses to Costa Rica, Haiti and Bermuda.[5]

Nicaragua qualified directly for the 2023 Gold Cup and was promoted to Nations League A as group winners in Nations League B but was disqualified on 12 June 2023 for fielding an ineligible player. As a result, they were replaced in the Gold Cup and League A by Trinidad and Tobago, who was the best second-place team overall in League B and must stay in Nations League B.[6]

Team image

edit

Kit sponsorship

edit
Kit supplier Period
  Joma 2004–2021
  Keuka 2022–2024
Orion 2024- Present

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
17 November 2023–24 Nations League Barbados   0–4   Nicaragua Wildey, Barbados
17:00 UTC−4 Report
Stadium: Wildey Turf
Referee: Kwinsi Williams (Trinidad and Tobago)
21 November 2023–24 Nations League Nicaragua   0–0   Dominican Republic Managua, Nicaragua
20:00 UTC−6 Report Stadium: Estadio Nacional de Fútbol
Referee: Ignacio Fuentes (Guatemala)

2024

edit
22 March Friendly Peru   2–0   Nicaragua Lima, Peru
20:30 UTC−5
Report Stadium: Estadio Alejandro Villanueva
Referee: Paulo Cesar Zanovelli da Silva (Brazil)
26 March Friendly Nicaragua   0–1   Cuba Managua, Nicaragua
19:00 UTC−6 Report
Stadium: Nicaragua National Football Stadium
Referee: Ricardo Mendoza (Nicaragua)
26 May Friendly Guatemala   1–1   Nicaragua San Jose, United States
17:00 UTC−7
Report
Stadium: PayPal Park
Referee: Jon Freemon (United States)
5 June 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Nicaragua   4–1   Montserrat Managua, Nicaragua
20:00 UTC−6
Report
Stadium: Estadio Nacional de Fútbol
Attendance: 14,320
Referee: Tori Penso (United States)
8 June 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Belize   0–4   Nicaragua Belmopan, Belize
18:00 UTC−6 Report
Stadium: FFB Field
Referee: Bryan López (Guatemala)
6 September 2024–25 Nations League French Guiana   0–1   Nicaragua Remire-Montjoly, French Guiana
16:00 UTC−3 Report
Stadium: Stade Municipal Dr. Edmard Lama
Attendance: 450
Referee: Julio Luna (Guatemala)
10 September 2024–25 Nations League Cuba   1–1   Nicaragua Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
16:00 UTC−4
Report
Stadium: Estadio Antonio Maceo
Attendance: 3,565
Referee: Pierre-Luc Lauzière (Canada)
10 October 2024–25 Nations League Nicaragua   0–2   Jamaica Managua, Nicaragua
20:00 UTC−6 Report
Stadium: Estadio Nacional de Fútbol
Attendance: 16,630
Referee: Mario Escobar (Guatemala)
14 October 2024–25 Nations League Nicaragua   3–2   French Guiana Managua, Nicaragua
19:00 UTC−6
Report
Stadium: Estadio Nacional de Fútbol
Referee: Iván Barton (El Salvador)

2025

edit
March 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification Guadeloupe   v   Nicaragua Guadeloupe
March 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification Nicaragua   v   Guadeloupe Nicaragua
6 June 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Nicaragua   v   Guyana Nicaragua
--:-- UTC−6
10 June 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Panama   v   Nicaragua Panama
--:-- UTC−5

Coaching staff

edit
Position Name
Head coach   Marco Antonio Figueroa
Technical director   Roger Rodriguez
Assistant coach   Tyron Acevedo
Goalkeeping coach   Carlos Mendieta
Physical coordinator   Jaime Ruiz
Doctor   Dr. Cupertino Borrell
Physiotherapist   Zamir Cerna
Team coordinator   Cesar Castro Trinidad
Team coordinator   Nestor Díaz

Coaching history

edit

Players

edit

Current squad

edit

The following players were called up to the squad for 2024–25 CONCACAF Nations League matches against Jamaica and French Guiana on 10 and 14 October 2024.[7]

Caps and goals correct as of 14 October 2024, after the match against French Guiana.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Miguel Rodríguez (2003-06-13) 13 June 2003 (age 21) 13 0   SJK
1GK Alyer López (1999-05-16) 16 May 1999 (age 25) 4 0   Managua
1GK Jason Vega (1995-11-06) 6 November 1995 (age 29) 3 0   Real Estelí
2DF Josué Quijano (1991-03-10) 10 March 1991 (age 33) 99 3   Real Estelí
2DF Marvin Fletes (1997-11-12) 12 November 1997 (age 27) 37 2   Real Estelí
2DF Óscar Acevedo (1997-03-18) 18 March 1997 (age 27) 29 2   Real Estelí
2DF Juan Luis Pérez (1999-06-29) 29 June 1999 (age 25) 15 3   Diriangén
2DF Christian Reyes (1998-01-03) 3 January 1998 (age 26) 12 0   AD Municipal Liberia
2DF Justing Cano (2002-03-02) 2 March 2002 (age 22) 3 0   Diriangén
2DF Anyelo Velásquez (2004-12-22) 22 December 2004 (age 19) 1 0   Diriangén
3MF Juan Barrera (captain) (1989-05-02) 2 May 1989 (age 35) 93 26   Managua
3MF Jason Coronel (1993-10-06) 6 October 1993 (age 31) 32 0   Diriangén
3MF Matías Moldskred Belli (1997-08-12) 12 August 1997 (age 27) 29 7   Sandnes Ulf
3MF Harold Medina (2002-01-30) 30 January 2002 (age 22) 27 3   Real Estelí
3MF Henry Niño (1997-10-03) 3 October 1997 (age 27) 25 1   Real Estelí
3MF Junior Arteaga (1999-12-09) 9 December 1999 (age 24) 18 2   Diriangén
3MF Jacob Montes (1998-12-20) 20 December 1998 (age 25) 11 4   RWD Molenbeek
4FW Jaime Moreno (1995-03-30) 30 March 1995 (age 29) 42 13   SJK
4FW Byron Bonilla (1993-08-30) 30 August 1993 (age 31) 35 6   Real Estelí
4FW Widman Talavera (2003-01-12) 12 January 2003 (age 21) 15 3   Real Estelí
4FW Bancy Hernández (2000-06-27) 27 June 2000 (age 24) 14 2   Real Estelí
4FW Ariel Arauz (2001-05-30) 30 May 2001 (age 23) 3 0   CS Herediano
4FW Edgar Castillo (2002-05-21) 21 May 2002 (age 22) 1 0   CS Sebaco
4FW Ronald Palacios (2002-09-09) 9 September 2002 (age 22) 1 0   Managua

Recent call-ups

edit

The following players have been called up for the team in the last twelve months.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK César Salandia (2004-06-13) 13 June 2004 (age 20) 5 0   Real Estelí v.   Cuba, 10 September 2024
DF Pablo Rodríguez (2000-06-04) 4 June 2000 (age 24) 1 0   Managua v.   Belize, 8 June 2024
DF Evert Martínez (2002-03-08) 8 March 2002 (age 22) 1 0   Real Estelí v.   Cuba, 26 March 2024
DF Melvin Hernández (1994-04-26) 26 April 1994 (age 30) 12 0   UNAN Managua v.   Dominican Republic, 21 November 2023
DF Jeffrey Chávez (1997-02-10) 10 February 1997 (age 27) 1 0   Municipal Liberia v.   Dominican Republic, 21 November 2023
DF Cristhiam Quinto (2001-01-17) 17 January 2001 (age 23) 0 0   Managua v.   Dominican Republic, 21 November 2023
MF Jonathan Moncada (1998-01-03) 3 January 1998 (age 26) 16 0   Diriangén v.   Cuba, 10 September 2024
MF Nextaly Rodríguez (1998-03-03) 3 March 1998 (age 26) 10 1   AD Municipal Liberia v.   Cuba, 10 September 2024
MF Kevin Serapio (1996-04-09) 9 April 1996 (age 28) 28 1   Managua v.   Belize, 8 June 2024
MF Jeremy Cuarezma (2000-05-28) 28 May 2000 (age 24) 2 0   Managua v.   Montserrat, 6 June 2024
FW Luis Fernando Coronel (1997-02-25) 25 February 1997 (age 27) 18 3   Diriangén v.   Cuba, 10 September 2024
FW Abner Acuña (1997-03-05) 5 March 1997 (age 27) 11 0   Managua FC v.   Cuba, 10 September 2024
FW Brayan López (1990-06-03) 3 June 1990 (age 34) 11 0   Puntarenas v.   Cuba, 26 March 2024
FW Anderson Treminio (1997-04-17) 17 April 1997 (age 27) 8 0   Real Santa Cruz v.   Cuba, 26 March 2024
FW Ariagner Smith (1998-12-13) 13 December 1998 (age 25) 20 7   FK Panevėžys v.   Dominican Republic, 21 November 2023

INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury.
PRE Preliminary squad.
RET Player retired from the national team.
SUS Player is serving suspension.
WD Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue.
INE Ineligible player.

Records

edit
As of 15 October 2024[8]
Players in bold are still active with Nicaragua.

Most appearances

edit
 
Josué Quijano is Nicaragua's most-capped player with 99 international appearances.
Rank Player Caps Goals Career
1 Josué Quijano 99 3 2011–present
2 Juan Barrera 93 26 2009–present
3 Manuel Rosas 60 2 2013–2022
4 David Solórzano 49 1 1999–2014
5 Carlos Chavarría 44 11 2013–2021
6 Jaime Moreno 42 13 2016–present
7 Marlon López 40 0 2014–2020
8 Luis Copete 39 3 2014–2023
Denis Espinoza 39 1 2004–2021
10 Carlos Alonso 37 0 1999–2011
Marvin Fletes 37 2 2019–present

Top goalscorers

edit
 
Juan Barrera is Nicaragua's all-time top scorer with 26 goals.
Rank Player Goals Caps Ratio Career
1 Juan Barrera 26 93 0.28 2009–present
2 Jaime Moreno 13 42 0.31 2016–present
3 Emilio Palacios 11 26 0.42 2001–2009
Carlos Chavarría 11 44 0.25 2013–2021
5 Raúl Leguías 8 23 0.35 2011–2016
6 Ariagner Smith 7 20 0.35 2017–present
Matías Moldskred 7 29 0.24 2021–present
8 Byron Bonilla 6 35 0.17 2016–present
Luis Galeano 6 35 0.17 2015–2022
10 Jacob Montes 4 11 0.36 2023–present
Rudel Calero 4 26 0.15 2001–2011
Samuel Wilson 4 29 0.14 2001–2013

Competitive record

edit

FIFA World Cup

edit

The Nicaragua national football team has never qualified for the World Cup. Their latest attempt was for the 2022 World Cup, when the side failed to advance from the first round.

FIFA World Cup record Qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA
  1930 Not a FIFA member Not a FIFA member
  1934
  1938
  1950 Did not enter Declined participation
  1954
  1958
  1962
  1966
  1970
  1974
  1978
  1982
  1986
  1990
  1994 Did not qualify 2 0 0 2 1 10
  1998 2 0 0 2 1 3
    2002 4 0 0 4 0 10
  2006 2 0 1 1 3 6
  2010 2 0 0 2 0 3
  2014 4 2 0 2 5 7
  2018 6 5 0 1 15 5
  2022 3 2 0 1 10 1
      2026 Qualification in progress 2 2 0 0 8 1
      2030 To be determined To be determined
  2034
Total – 0/19 – – – – – – 27 11 1 15 43 46

CONCACAF Gold Cup

edit
Main article: Nicaragua at the CONCACAF Gold Cup
CONCACAF Championship & Gold Cup record Qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
  1963 Group stage 8th 4 0 0 4 2 15 Squad Qualified automatically
  1965 Did not qualify 2 1 0 1 2 4
  1967 Sixth place 6th 5 0 1 4 3 12 Squad 2 1 0 1 4 4
  1969 Did not enter Did not enter
  1971 Did not qualify 2 0 0 2 2 4
  1973 Did not enter Did not enter
  1977
  1981
1985
1989
  1991 Did not qualify 2 0 0 2 2 5
    1993 2 0 0 2 0 8
  1996 2 0 0 2 0 7
  1998 2 0 0 2 2 11
  2000 2 0 0 2 0 2
  2002 3 0 0 3 2 19
    2003 5 1 0 4 1 11
  2005 3 1 0 2 2 9
  2007 4 1 0 3 6 14
  2009 Group stage 11th 3 0 0 3 0 8 Squad 4 1 2 1 5 6
  2011 Did not qualify 4 0 1 3 2 7
  2013 3 0 1 2 2 5
    2015 3 0 0 3 0 6
  2017 Group stage 10th 3 0 0 3 1 7 Squad 7 2 1 4 9 9
      2019 15th 3 0 0 3 0 8 Squad 4 3 0 1 9 2
  2021 Did not qualify 6 2 1 3 9 11
    2023 Disqualified[6] 6 4 2 0 15 5
Total Sixth place 5/27 18 0 1 17 6 50 — 68 17 8 43 74 149

CONCACAF Nations League

edit
CONCACAF Nations League record
League Finals
Season Division Group Pld W D L GF GA P/R Year Result Pld W D L GF GA Squad
2019–20 B D 6 2 1 3 9 11     2021 Ineligible
2022–23 B C 6 4 2 0 15 5     2023
2023–24 B B 6 5 1 0 17 1     2024
2024–25 A B 4 2 1 1 5 5     2025 Did not qualify
Total — — 22 13 5 4 46 22 — Total 0 Titles — — — — — — —

Copa Centroamericana

edit
Copa Centroamericana record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA
  1991 Preliminary round 5th 2 0 0 2 2 5
  1993 Preliminary round 5th 2 0 0 2 0 8
  1995 Preliminary round 7th 2 0 0 2 0 7
  1997 First round 6th 2 0 0 2 2 11
  1999 First round 5th 2 0 0 2 0 2
  2001 First round 7th 3 0 0 3 2 19
  2003 Sixth place 6th 5 1 0 4 1 11
  2005 Fifth place 5th 3 1 0 2 2 9
  2007 Sixth place 6th 4 1 0 3 6 14
  2009 Fifth place 5th 4 1 2 1 5 6
  2011 Sixth place 6th 4 0 1 3 2 7
  2013 Seventh place 7th 3 0 1 2 2 5
  2014 Sixth place 6th 3 0 0 3 0 6
  2017 Fifth place 5th 5 1 1 3 5 6
Total Fifth place 14/14 44 5 5 34 29 116

CCCF Championship

edit
CCCF Championship record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA
  1941 Fifth place 5th 4 0 0 4 5 29
  1943 Fourth place 4th 6 0 0 6 7 39
  1946 Sixth place 6th 5 1 0 4 5 31
  1948 Did not enter
  1951 Third place 3rd 4 0 0 4 4 22
  1953 Sixth place 6th 6 1 0 5 4 18
  1955 Did not enter
  1957
  1960
  1961 Ninth place 9th 3 0 0 3 3 18
Total Third place 6/10 28 2 0 26 28 157

Pan American Games

edit
Pan American Games record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA
  1951 Did not enter
  1955
  1959
  1963
  1967
  1971
  1975 Preliminary round 13th 3 0 0 3 2 23
  1979 Did not enter
  1983
  1987
  1991 Preliminary round 8th 3 0 0 3 1 20
  1995 Did not qualify
  1999
  2003
  2007
  2011
  2015
  2019
  2023
Total Preliminary round 2/19 6 0 0 6 3 43

Central American and Caribbean Games

edit
Central American and Caribbean Games record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA
  1930 Did not qualify
  1935
  1938
  1946
  1950 Group stage 8th 3 0 0 3 4 19
  1954 Did not qualify
  1959
  1962
  1966
  1970
  1974
  1978
  1982 Group stage 7th 3 0 1 2 2 6
  1986 Did not qualify
  1990
  1993
  1998 Quarter-finals 8th 4 1 0 3 3 13
  2002 Quarter-finals 8th 3 1 0 2 2 7
  2006 Did not qualify
  2010
  2014
  2018
Total Quarter-finals 4/22 13 2 1 10 11 45

Honours

edit

Regional

edit

Head-to-head record

edit

As of 14 October 2024 after the match against   French Guiana.[9]

  Positive Record   Neutral Record   Negative Record

  1. ^ Includes matches against   Netherlands Antilles.

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking". FIFA. 24 October 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  2. ^ Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 20 November 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Nicaragua shocks Guatemala 2–0 to claim last berth in CONCACAF Gold Cup". CONCACAF. 29 January 2009. Archived from the original on 2 February 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
  4. ^ "Nicaragua - List of International Matches". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 24 February 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  5. ^ "Bermuda downs Nicaragua to earn first ever Gold Cup victory". New Jersey: Gold Cup. 24 June 2019. Archived from the original on 6 March 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Concacaf Disciplinary Committee decision regarding Nicaragua and the Eligibility of Players" (Press release). CONCACAF. 12 June 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  7. ^ @laazulyblanco (3 October 2024). "𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗩𝗢𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗔 𝗢𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟" – via Instagram.
  8. ^ Passo Alpuin, Luis Fernando. "Nicaragua – Record International Players". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  9. ^ "World Football Elo Ratings".
edit
 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nicaragua national association football team.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nicaragua_national_football_team&oldid=1258587475"