Lesotho national football team
Nickname(s) | Likuena (Crocodiles) | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Association | Lesotho Football Association | ||||||||||
Confederation | CAF (Africa) | ||||||||||
Sub-confederation | COSAFA (Southern Africa) | ||||||||||
Head coach | Leslie Notši | ||||||||||
Most caps | Nkau Lerotholi (66) | ||||||||||
Top scorer | Sera Motebang Refiloe Potse (9) | ||||||||||
Home stadium | Setsoto Stadium | ||||||||||
FIFA code | LES | ||||||||||
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FIFA ranking | |||||||||||
Current | 146 1 (10 February 2022)[1] | ||||||||||
Highest | 105 (August 2014) | ||||||||||
Lowest | 185 (August 2011) | ||||||||||
First international | |||||||||||
Lesotho 2–1 Malawi (Malawi; 8 August 1970) | |||||||||||
Biggest win | |||||||||||
Lesotho 5–0 Swaziland (Maseru, Lesotho; 14 April 2006) | |||||||||||
Biggest defeat | |||||||||||
Zambia 9–0 Lesotho (Botswana; 8 August 1988) | |||||||||||
COSAFA Cup | |||||||||||
Appearances | 19 (first in 1997) | ||||||||||
Best result | Runners-up (2000) | ||||||||||
Medal record
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The Lesotho national football team represents Lesotho in men's international football and is governed by the Lesotho Football Association. The team's nickname is "Likuena" (Crocodiles). The team has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals and the Africa Cup of Nations finals in history. The team represents both FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF).
History[]
The team played their first international match in 1970, a 2–1 victory against Malawi. They have not qualified for a FIFA World Cup or Africa Cup of Nations yet.
Their highest position in the FIFA World Ranking was 105th in August 2014.
Their biggest ever win was 5–0 against Swaziland in April 2006.
From 2004 to 2006, the German Antoine Hey coached the national side. The ambitious goal was the qualification for the 2010 World Cup in neighbouring South Africa. However, after one and a half years, Hey was dismissed for failing. The successor was the Serb Zavisa Milosavljevic, who was also dismissed in September 2009 and was replaced by Lesotho native Leslie Notši, who was previously the assistant coach of the national team. In 2014 Seephephe "Mochini" Matete trained the team, a former international. Moses Maliehe became the coach in 2016.
The biggest success of the national team was reaching the final of the 2000 COSAFA Cup. In 2005 the qualified for the 2005 African Youth Championship. They finished third place of Group B, with a win and two losses.
The nickname of the national team is Likuena (Sesotho for "the crocodiles").
Recent results and fixtures[]
2021[]
27 March 2021 AFCONQ | Lesotho | 0–0 | Sierra Leone | Setsoto Stadium, Maseru |
15:00 UTC+2 | Report | Referee: Andofetra Rakotojaona (Madagascar) |
30 March 2021 AFCONQ | Nigeria | 3–0 | Lesotho | Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos |
18:00 UTC+2 | Report | Referee: Fabricio Duarte (Cape Verde) |
6 July 2021 COSAFA Cup Group A | Eswatini | 3–1 | Lesotho | Port Elizabeth, South Africa |
14:00 UTC+2 |
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Report |
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Stadium: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium Referee: Abongile Tom (South Africa) |
8 July 2021 COSAFA Cup Group A | Zambia | 1–2 | Lesotho | Port Elizabeth, South Africa |
12:00 UTC+2 | Report |
|
Stadium: Wolfson Stadium Referee: Akhona Makalima (South Africa) |
10 July 2021 COSAFA Cup Group A | Lesotho | 0–4 | Botswana | Port Elizabeth, South Africa |
12:00 UTC+2 |
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Report |
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Stadium: Wolfson Stadium Referee: Thulani Sibandze (Eswatini) |
13 July 2021 COSAFA Cup Group A | South Africa | 4–0 | Lesotho | Port Elizabeth, South Africa |
15:00 UTC+2 |
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Report |
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Stadium: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium Referee: Audrick Nkole (Zambia) |
2022[]
21-29 March 2023 AFCON Q preliminary round | Seychelles | v | Lesotho | Victoria, Seychelles |
Stadium: Stade Linité |
21-29 March 2023 AFCON Q preliminary round | Lesotho | v | Seychelles | Maseru, Lesotho |
Stadium: Setsoto Stadium |
Players[]
Current squad[]
The following 21 players were selected for the 2021 COSAFA Cup.[3]
Caps and goals correct as of 13 July 2021, after the match against South Africa
No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | GK | 22 December 1998 | 15 | 0 | Lesotho Defence Force | |
13 | GK | 1 December 2000 | 1 | 0 | Lioli | |
16 | GK | 18 September 1997 | 8 | 0 | Lesotho Mounted Police Service | |
2 | DF | 22 November 1994 | 7 | 0 | Linare | |
3 | DF | Basia Makepe | 4 March 1991 | 49 | 1 | Lesotho Mounted Police Service |
8 | DF | 8 August 1994 | 29 | 0 | Bantu | |
14 | DF | 10 June 1997 | 8 | 0 | Lesotho Correctional Services | |
19 | DF | Nkau Lerotholi | 27 September 1990 | 66 | 2 | Lesotho Mounted Police Service |
4 | MF | 15 July 1997 | 23 | 0 | Lesotho Defence Force | |
5 | MF | Tshwarelo Bereng | 30 October 1990 | 15 | 1 | Marumo Gallants |
6 | MF | 24 February 1993 | 12 | 0 | Matlama | |
7 | MF | 22 October 1999 | 4 | 0 | Lioli | |
10 | MF | 23 February 1997 | 20 | 1 | Bantu | |
12 | MF | 6 August 1989 | 0 | 0 | Lesotho Defence Force | |
15 | MF | Jane Thabantso | 22 January 1996 | 60 | 8 | Matlama |
18 | MF | Tumelo Khutlang | 23 October 1995 | 40 | 3 | Black Leopards |
9 | FW | Sera Motebang | 1 May 1995 | 40 | 9 | Bloemfontein Celtic |
11 | FW | 14 September 1996 | 2 | 0 | Likhopo | |
17 | FW | Masoabi Nkoto | 14 January 1992 | 30 | 2 | Merani Martvili |
20 | FW | Thabiso Brown | 3 October 1995 | 11 | 1 | Aurora |
Recent call-ups[]
The following players have also been called up to the Lesotho squad within the last twelve months.
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GK | 22 December 1998 | 1 | 0 | Matlama | v. Nigeria; March 30, 2021 | |
GK | 16 June 1992 | 0 | 0 | Bantu | v. Nigeria; March 30, 2021 | |
DF | 3 | 0 | Bantu | v. Nigeria; March 30, 2021 | ||
DF | 5 November 1994 | 16 | 0 | Bantu | v. Nigeria; March 30, 2021 | |
DF | 23 May 1993 | 1 | 0 | Matlama | v. Nigeria; March 30, 2021 | |
MF | 20 July 1994 | 1 | 0 | Bantu | v. Nigeria; March 30, 2021 | |
MF | 20 July 1994 | 1 | 0 | v. Nigeria; March 30, 2021 | ||
MF | Hlompho Kalake | 2 September 1994 | 53 | 7 | Bantu | v. Nigeria; March 30, 2021 |
MF | 21 April 1998 | 1 | 0 | Kick 4 Life | v. Nigeria; March 30, 2021 | |
MF | 22 September 1996 | 1 | 0 | Bantu | v. Nigeria; March 30, 2021 | |
MF | 20 February 1992 | 26 | 1 | Bantu | v. Nigeria; March 30, 2021 | |
INJ Withdrew due to injury |
Player records[]
- As of 13 July 2021
- Players in bold are still active with Lesotho.
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Managers[]
- April Phumo (1979–95)
- (2000–??)
- (2003–04)
- Antoine Hey (2004–06)
- Motheo Mohapi (2006–07)
- Zaviša Milosavljević (2007–09)
- Leslie Notši (2009, caretaker)
- Leslie Notši (2011–13)
- (2013, caretaker)
- Seephephe Matete (2014–15)
- Moses Maliehe (2015–2019)
- Mpitsa Marai (2019)
- Thabo Senong (2019–2021)
- Leslie Notši (2021–)
Competitive record[]
FIFA World Cup[]
FIFA World Cup record | FIFA World Cup qualification record | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
1930 to 1970 | Part of United Kingdom | Part of United Kingdom | |||||||||||||
1974 | Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||||||||
1978 | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
1982 | Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||||||||
1986 | Withdrew | Withdrew | |||||||||||||
1990 | |||||||||||||||
1994 | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
1998 | |||||||||||||||
2002 | Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | ||||||||
2006 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |||||||||
2010 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 16 | |||||||||
2014 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 17 | |||||||||
2018 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
2022 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
2026 | To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||
Total | 0/22 | 26 | 2 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 55 |
Africa Cup of Nations[]
Africa Cup of Nations record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA |
1957 to 1963 | Part of United Kingdom | |||||||
1965 to 1972 | Did not enter | |||||||
1974 | Did not qualify | |||||||
1976 | Withdrew | |||||||
1978 | Did not enter | |||||||
1980 to 1982 | Did not qualify | |||||||
1984 | Withdrew | |||||||
1986 | Did not enter | |||||||
1988 | Withdrew | |||||||
1990 to 1992 | Did not enter | |||||||
1994 | Did not qualify | |||||||
1996 | Withdrew during qualifying | |||||||
1998 | Banned for withdrawing in 1996 | |||||||
2000 to 2010 |
Did not qualify | |||||||
2012 | Did not enter | |||||||
2013 to 2021 | Did not qualify | |||||||
2023 | To be determined | |||||||
2025 | To be determined | |||||||
Total | 0/33 |
COSAFA Cup[]
COSAFA Cup record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Rank | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
1997 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
1998 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
1999 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2002 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2003 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2004 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2005 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2006 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2007 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2008 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2009 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2016 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Total | 0/19 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Head-to-head record[]
As of 17 November 2019 after match against Nigeria[4]
Positive Record Neutral Record Negative Record
Opponent |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
GD |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Algeria | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 9 | −8 |
Angola | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 16 | −12 |
Botswana | 30 | 5 | 11 | 14 | 23 | 35 | −12 |
Burkina Faso | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | −3 |
Burundi | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 |
Cameroon | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 |
Cape Verde | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Comoros | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
DR Congo | 7 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 17 | −13 |
Ethiopia | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | −2 |
Gabon | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 10 | −7 |
Gambia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | −5 |
Ghana | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 23 | −16 |
Guinea | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | −2 |
Kenya | 8 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 10 | −4 |
Laos | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 |
Liberia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | +1 |
Libya | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | −5 |
Madagascar | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | −1 |
Malawi | 20 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 12 | 43 | −31 |
Malaysia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | −5 |
Mauritius | 14 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 23 | 22 | +1 |
Mozambique | 22 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 9 | 31 | −22 |
Myanmar | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 |
Namibia | 11 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
Niger | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
Nigeria | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 7 | −5 |
São Tomé and Príncipe | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 |
Senegal | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | −4 |
Seychelles | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 |
Sierra Leone | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
South Africa | 13 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 22 | −12 |
Sudan | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 |
Eswatini | 40 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 41 | 46 | −5 |
Tanzania | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 |
Uganda | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 8 | −8 |
Zambia | 14 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 36 | −29 |
Zimbabwe | 24 | 2 | 7 | 15 | 23 | 54 | −31 |
Total | 279 | 51 | 85 | 143 | 224 | 464 | −240 |
Kit suppliers[]
- Uhlsport (2000)
- Umbro (2002, 2006)
- Uhlsport (2007)
- Adidas (2008–2011)
- Basutoland Ink (2012–2019)
- Umbro (2019–)
Honours[]
- COSAFA Cup :
- Runners-up: 2000
References[]
- ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. 10 February 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
- ^ Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 13 February 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
- ^ "COSAFA Cup 2021: Lesotho's list of 21 players revealed". Africa Foot United.
- ^ "World Football Elo Ratings: Lesotho". Elo Ratings. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- Lesotho national football team
- African national association football teams