Cyprus national football team

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The Cyprus national football team is the national football team of Cyprus and is controlled by the Cyprus Football Association. It is one of the weakest members of UEFA, having never made the finals of any major international tournament.

Contents

1 History
2 Home Stadium
3 World Cup record
4 European Championship record
5 Managers
6 External links

History

In their first international friendly, the Cyprus national team tied 3-3 with Israel in Tel Aviv on 23 July 1949, a year after becoming a member of the world governing body FIFA. In November 1960, following independence from British rule, Cyprus took part in their first official game, a 1-1 draw against Israel in the first leg of a qualifying tie for the 1962 FIFA World Cup. The return leg ended in a 6-1 defeat.

UEFA membership followed in 1962, and the next year was even more momentous as Cyprus won their first international - beating Greece 3-1 on 27 November in a friendly, and that was followed by another victory against Lebanon 2 years later when Cyprus won that particular encounter 2-0 in a friendly.

On the 17th February 1968, however, Cyprus made history when the Cypriots defeated Switzerland 2-1 in a European Championship Qualifier in Nicosia to mark the island's first ever official victory.

In 1974, the national team enjoyed one of their most famous victories when a team of part-timers beat a Northern Ireland side featuring legendary goalkeeper Pat Jennings, 1-0 in Nicosia. Cyprus managed in 1989 to bring a 1-1 draw against France to knock the French out of the World Cup chase. Despite other similar triumphs on home soil, Cyprus had to wait until 1992 to record a first away win - 2-0 in the Faroe Islands.

Results in qualifying tournaments have also improved considerably in recent times. Cyprus drew 1-1 with holders Denmark and claimed seven points in their qualification campaign for 1996 European Football Championship. Four years later, they missed out on a place at 2000 European Football Championship by a solitary point after victories against Spain and Israel, 3-2. The Spain's defeat signalled the end of Javier Clemente's time as Spanish coach and made the world do a double-take.

Home Stadium

Cyprus plays their home matches at New GSP Stadium, in Nicosia. The Cyprus team played its home matches at different venues all around the country; Until 1974, Cyprus used for home venue, the Old GSP Stadium in Nicosia, while sometimes the stadiums in Famagusta were used rarely. Since then played their home matches on different venues, while in 1990s, the national stadium in Limassol was usually used. That changed in 1999, with the creation of the New GSP Stadium in Nicosia. For World Cup 2006 qualifications, Cyprus used only the GSP Stadium, because it is the only stadium in Cyprus which satisfies the UEFA criteria. Sometimes plays in other towns of Cyprus but only for friendlies.

World Cup record

1930 to 1954 - Did not enter
1958 - Withdrew
1962 to 2006 - Did not qualify

European Championship record

1960 - Did not enter
1964 - Did not enter
1968 to 2004 - Did not qualify

Managers

Argyrios Gavalas 1960-1967
Pambos Avraamidis 1968-1969
Rey Wood 1970-1971
Sima Milovanov 1972
Pambos Avraamidis 1972-1974
Panikos Iakovou 1974
Pambos Avraamidis 1975
Kostas Talianos 1976
Panikos Krystalis 1976-1977
Andreas Lazaridis 1977
Kostas Talianos 1978-1982
Bazile Spasov 1982-1984
Panikos Iakovou 1984-1987
Takis Charalambous 1987
Panikos Ioakovou 1988-1991
Andreas Michailidis 1991-1996
Stavros Papadopoulos 1997
Panikos Georgiou 1997-1999
Stavros Papadopoulos 1999-2001
Takis Charalambous 2001
Moca Vukotic 2001-2004
Aggelos Anastasiadis 2004-

External links

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Asia: AFC – Asian Cup

Africa: CAF – African Cup of Nations

North America: CONCACAF – Gold Cup

South America: CONMEBOL – Copa América

Oceania: OFC – Nations Cup

Europe: UEFA – European Championship

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