Samoa national football team

Samoa

Association	Football Federation Samoa
Confederation	OFC (Oceania)
Head coach
Most caps	Desmond Fa'aiuaso (20)
Top scorer	Desmond Fa'aiuaso (9)
Home stadium	National Soccer Stadium
FIFA code	SAM
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	193 (10 February 2022)[1]
Highest	146 (December 2007)
Lowest	204 (November 2011)
First international
Solomon Islands 12–0 Western Samoa  (Suva, Fiji; 31 August 1979)
Biggest win
Samoa 8–0 American Samoa  (Coffs Harbour, Australia; 9 April 2001)
Biggest defeat
Tahiti 13–0 Western Samoa  (Honiara, Solomon Islands; 13 July 1981)
OFC Nations Cup
Appearances	2 (first in 2012)
Best result	Group stage, 2012 and 2016

The Samoa national association football team (Samoan: Sāmoa soka au) represents Samoa in men's international football and it is controlled by the Football Federation Samoa, the governing body for football in Samoa. Samoa's home ground is Toleafoa J. S. Blatter Soccer Stadium in Apia. It was known as the Western Samoa national football team until 1997.

History[]

Beginnings (1979–1993)[]

Although they had not taken part in the first five editions of the South Pacific Games, their geographical proximity to Fiji, host of 1979 South Pacific Games, allowed them to participate for the first time. They lost both group stage matches to Wallis and Futuna 3–1 and Solomon Islands 12–0. Four years later, as hosts of the 1983 edition, they beat American Samoa 3–1, drew 3–3 with Tonga and fell again to Wallis and Futuna, but the results allowed them to advance to the next round. In the quarterfinals, Tahiti eliminated them by beating them 2–0.

Samoa entered qualification for the 1988 Summer Olympics however they were defeated by New Zealand over two legs, losing 7–0 at home before being defeated 12–0 in Auckland. In the playoffs for the next round Samoa lost to Taiwan 5–0 and were eliminated.

Regional Frustrations (1994–2010)[]

In 1994 they hosted the first edition of the Polynesia Cup, where they beat American Samoa, tied with Tonga and lost to Tahiti to finish in third position. In 1998 they were third again, coming within a point of the Cook Islands in second. Samoa returned to finish third again in the 2000 edition by beating Tonga and American Samoa, but losing to the Cook Islands and Tahiti.

After four tournaments absent, they returned in the 2007 South Pacific Games as hosts. They managed six points by beating Tonga and American Samoa again, but were eliminated after being losing to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

OFC Nations Cup (2011–present)[]

In 2011 it hosted the OFC Nations Cup qualifying tournament. There, they beat the Cook Islands 3–2, drew 1–1 with Tonga and defeated American Samoa 1–0 to qualify for the first time in their history. At the championship proper, they were beaten 10–1 by Tahiti, 5–0 by Vanuatu and 9–0 by New Caledonia.

In the 2016 qualifiers, they beat American Samoa 3–2 and lost 1–0 to the Cook Islands. In their final game, the Samoan team defeated Tonga 3–0 and qualified on goal difference, because of American Samoa's 2–0 win over the Cookian team. At the tournament, which took place in Papua New Guinea, the Samoan team lost 4–0 to Tahiti, 7–0 to New Caledonia and 8–0 to the local team. Therefore, they finished in last place in their group without a single point.

Kit sponsorship[]

Kit supplier[3]	Period
Puma	????-????
Lotto	2003
Uhlsport	2005
Lotto	2007–13
Nike	2015–16
Adidas	2017–

Results and fixtures[]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania, Samoa have not played any matches since they took part in the 2019 Pacific Games.

Coaching staff[]

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Position	Name
Head coach
Assistant coach
Goalkeeping coach
Team manager
Technical adviser
Gear manager	Bevan Kapisi

Coaching history[]

Players[]

The following players were called up for the 2019 Pacific Games from 7–20 July in Apia, Samoa.^[4]

Caps and goals correct after the game against Vanuatu on 18 July 2019.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Faalavelave Matagi	(1997-03-13) 13 March 1997 (age 24)	7	0	Lupe o le Soaga
23	1GK		(2001-02-25) 25 February 2001 (age 20)	0	0	Vaivase-Tai
3	2DF	Tauati Tanoa'i	(1998-04-19) 19 April 1998 (age 23)	3	0	Lupe o le Soaga
4	2DF	Kevin Daniells	(1999-05-19) 19 May 1999 (age 22)	3	0
5	2DF	Faitalia Hamilton-Pama	(1993-05-17) 17 May 1993 (age 28)	6	1	Central United
6	2DF	Andrew Setefano (captain)	(1987-08-10) 10 August 1987 (age 34)	15	0	Lupe o le Soaga
16	2DF		(2000-03-27) 27 March 2000 (age 21)	2	0	Glenfield Rovers
19	2DF		(1999-09-24) 24 September 1999 (age 22)	3	0	Oratia United
20	2DF		(1993-06-11) 11 June 1993 (age 28)	5	0	Lupe o le Soaga
22	2DF		(1987-11-05) 5 November 1987 (age 34)	0	0	Mount Albert-Ponsonby
2	3MF	Keone Kapisi	(1994-04-19) 19 April 1994 (age 27)	4	0	BYU Cougars
8	3MF		(1990-01-11) 11 January 1990 (age 32)	4	0	Manukau City
9	3MF		(1998-06-04) 4 June 1998 (age 23)	2	0	Lupe o le Soaga
12	3MF	Mike Saofaiga	(1991-01-12) 12 January 1991 (age 31)	10	0
13	3MF	Willie Sauiluma	(2000-07-12) 12 July 2000 (age 21)	4	0	Goulburn Valley Suns
14	3MF		(1995-10-23) 23 October 1995 (age 26)	1	0
18	3MF		(2003-01-15) 15 January 2003 (age 19)	0	0	Lupe o le Soaga
21	3MF		(1994-07-06) 6 July 1994 (age 27)	2	0	Lupe o le Soaga
7	4FW	Lapalapa Toni	(1994-04-07) 7 April 1994 (age 27)	6	0	Lupe o le Soaga
10	4FW	Andrew Mobberley	(1992-03-10) 10 March 1992 (age 29)	10	2	Greenhithe Catimba
11	4FW	Vito Laloata	(1996-10-15) 15 October 1996 (age 25)	4	3	Hekari United
15	4FW	Thomas Konusi	(1996-06-11) 11 June 1996 (age 25)	2	0	Mount Albert-Ponsonby
17	4FW	Jarvis Filimalae	(2003-04-20) 20 April 2003 (age 18)	2	0	Lupe o le Soaga

Player records[]

As of 18 July 2019^[5]

Players in bold are still active with Samoa.

Competitive record[]

FIFA World Cup[]

FIFA World Cup record										FIFA World Cup qualification record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1930 to 1990	Did not enter									Did not enter
1994	Withdrew									Withdrew
1998	Did not qualify									2	1	0	1	2	2
2002										4	1	0	3	9	18
2006										4	1	0	3	5	11
2010										4	2	0	2	9	8
2014										6	2	1	3	6	27
2018										6	2	0	4	6	22
2022	Withdrew									Withdrew
2026	To be determined									To be determined
Total	–	0/22	–	–	–	–	–	–		26	9	1	16	37	88

Oceania Nations Cup[]

OFC Nations Cup record										Qualification record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1973 to 1980	Did not enter									Did not enter
1996	Did not qualify									3	1	1	1	5	10
1998										4	2	0	2	8	7
2000										4	2	0	2	13	6
2002										4	2	0	2	8	9
2004										4	1	0	3	5	11
2008										4	2	0	2	9	8
2012	Group stage	8th	3	0	0	3	1	24		3	2	1	0	5	3
2016	Group stage	8th	3	0	0	3	0	19		3	2	0	1	6	3
2020	Cancelled									Cancelled
Total	Group stage	2/10	6	0	0	6	1	43		29	14	2	13	59	57

Pacific Games[]

Pacific Games record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1963 to 1975	Did not enter
1979	Group Stage	10th	3	0	0	3	3	19
1983	Quarter-finals	6th	4	1	1	2	7	8
1987 to 2003	Did not enter
2007	Group Stage	5th	4	2	0	2	9	8
2011 to 2015	Did not enter
2019	Group Stage	8th	4	1	0	3	3	22
Total	Quarter-finals	4/15	15	4	1	10	22	57

Head-to-head record[]

As of 18 July 2019^[6]

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	WPCT
American Samoa	10	10	0	0	44	5	+39	100.00
Australia	1	0	0	1	0	11	−11	0.00
Chinese Taipei	1	0	0	1	0	5	−5	0.00
Cook Islands	6	2	1	3	8	9	−1	33.33
Fiji	5	0	0	5	2	22	−20	0.00
Guam	1	0	0	1	2	4	−2	0.00
New Caledonia	4	0	0	4	0	29	−29	0.00
New Zealand	2	0	0	2	0	19	−19	0.00
Papua New Guinea	5	0	0	5	3	26	−23	0.00
Solomon Islands	3	0	0	3	0	20	−20	0.00
Tahiti	7	0	0	7	3	43	−40	0.00
Tonga	11	6	3	2	21	9	+12	54.55
Tuvalu	1	0	0	1	0	3	−3	0.00
Vanuatu	5	0	0	5	1	36	−35	0.00
Wallis and Futuna	2	0	0	2	2	5	−3	0.00
Total	64	18	4	42	86	246	−160	28.13

Includes results as Western Samoa.

References[]