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Syria national football team

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

Syria
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Nosour Qasioun[1]
(Arabic: نُسُور قَاسِيُون, lit. 'The Qasioun Eagles')
AssociationSyrian Football Association (SFA)
ConfederationAFC (Asia)
Sub-confederationWAFF (West Asia)
UAFA (Arab world)
Head coachJosé Lana
CaptainOmar Al Somah
Most capsMaher Al-Sayed (109)
Top scorerFiras Al-Khatib (36)
Home stadiumAbbasiyyin Stadium
FIFA codeSYR
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 95 Steady (19 December 2024)[2]
Highest68 (1 July 2018)
Lowest152 (September 2014, March 2015)
First international
 Lebanon 1–2 Syria 
(Beirut, Lebanon; 19 April 1942)[3]
Biggest win
 Syria 13–0 Muscat and Oman
(Cairo, Egypt; 6 September 1965)
Biggest defeat
 Greece 8–0 Syria 
(Athens, Greece; 25 November 1949)
 Egypt 8–0 Syria 
(Alexandria, Egypt; 16 October 1951)
Asian Cup
Appearances7 (first in 1980)
Best resultRound of 16 (2023)
Arab Cup
Appearances7 (first in 1963)
Best resultRunners-up (1963, 1966, 1988)
WAFF Championship
Appearances8 (first in 2000)
Best resultChampions (2012)
King's Cup
Appearances2 (first in 2016)
Best resultRunners-up (2024)
Medal record
WAFF Championship
Gold medal – first place 2012 Kuwait Team
Silver medal – second place 2000 Jordan Team
Silver medal – second place 2004 Iran Team
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Jordan Team
Bronze medal – third place 2008 Iran Team
FIFA Arab Cup
Silver medal – second place 1963 Lebanon Team
Silver medal – second place 1966 Iraq Team
Silver medal – second place 1988 Jordan Team
Palestine Cup of Nations
Silver medal – second place 1973 Libya Team
Mediterranean Games
Gold medal – first place 1987 Latakia Team
Bronze medal – third place 1951 Alexandria Team
West Asian Games
Silver medal – second place 1997 Tehran Team
Silver medal – second place 2005 Doha Team
Bronze medal – third place 2002 Kuwait Team
Arab Games
Gold medal – first place 1957 Beirut Team
Silver medal – second place 1953 Alexandria Team
Silver medal – second place 1997 Beirut Team
Bronze medal – third place 1976 Damascus Team

The Syria national football team (Arabic: منتخب سُورِيَا لِكُرَّةُ الْقَدَم) represents Syria in international football, and is controlled by the Syrian Arab Federation for Football, the governing body for football in Syria. Syria has never qualified for the World Cup finals, but did reach the fourth qualification round in 2018. The team was banned by FIFA from playing at home since December 2010.[5] Internationally, Syria won the 2012 WAFF Championship, 1957 Arab Games, 1987 Mediterranean Games and the 2024 Intercontinental Cup.

History

[edit]

1936–1969: The beginnings

[edit]

The Syrian Football Federation was founded in 1936, 10 years before independence from the French in 1946. It has been affiliated with FIFA since 1937 and has been a member of AFC since 1969.[6][7] Syria played its first unofficial matches under the name of Damascus XI with Lebanon (5–4) in 1939 and with Iraq (1–2) in 1944.[8][9]

Syria played their first official game against Lebanon on 19 April 1942; Qasioun Eagles won 2–1.[10] Syria's first official qualifying match was played in Ankara against Turkey, which ended in a Syrian defeat 7–0 on 20 November 1949.[11] Thanks to that, the Syrian team participated in the 1950 World Cup European qualifiers as one of the first teams in the region to do so.[12] One of the biggest defeats was played in Athens against Greece, on 25 November 1949, 5 days after its first official match which ended in a score of 8–0 for the Greeks.[13]

At the 1951 Mediterranean Games in Alexandria, on 12 October 1951, one of Syria's biggest defeats was recorded against Egypt which ended with a score of 8–0 for the Pharaohs.[14]

Francisc Mészáros, who became the second coach of the Syrian national team in 1954.

The first great success of the national team was silver at the 1953 Arab Games, when they were defeated in the final by Egypt (4–0).[15] At the 1957 Arab Games in Beirut, they advanced to the finals after the semi-final defeat of Morocco, in which they defeated Tunisia with goals scored by Shamas and Awadis Kaoulakian 3–1.[16]

In the FIFA World Cup 1958 qualifiers, the Syrian football team was defeated by the Sudan in the 1st round of the playoffs. Between 1958 and 1961, the team combined with Egypt to form the United Arab Republic national football team, although the team's records are attributed only to Egypt by FIFA.[17] Syria reached the finals in the Arab Cup twice: in 1963 (beaten by Tunisia) and 1966 (beaten by Iraq).[18]

In the 1966 World Cup qualifiers they were one of two teams from the Asian zone (the other being Israel) to be allocated to the European qualifying zone and were originally placed with Spain and the Republic of Ireland. However, they joined the Asian and African boycott of the 1966 qualifiers, due to the decision of FIFA to allocate just one place between Asia and Africa.[19]

1970s: Successes in Arab competitions

[edit]

In the 1970s, they regularly participated in the Palestine Cup, which served as a substitute for the Arab Cup. At the 1972 Palestine Cup, they placed fourth when they lost 1–3 to Algeria.[20] At the 1973 Palestine Cup, they advanced from the group stage to the semifinals, where they eliminated Algeria after penalties (0–0, pen. 3–2). In the final of the cup, they clearly lost to Tunisia 0–4.[21]

In the 1974 Kuneitra Cup, the Qasioun Eagles entered the knockout phase after the group defeat of Sudan, Libya, Palestine and North Yemen. In the semifinals of the cup, they defeated Tunisia (3–1), but in the final, they unfortunately lost to Morocco after a penalty shootout.[22]

For the 1974 World Cup, they finished second in the group in the 1st round of the qualification, behind Iran, insufficient to advance to the next round.[23]

At the 1975 Palestine Cup, they eliminated Libya in the group stage, but lost to Iraq in the semifinals 0: 4 and in the bronze medal match with Sudan 0–1.[24] In 1976, Damascus hosted the Arab Games, whose football tournament was played at the Abbasiyyin Stadium, where the home Syrian team won bronze medals.[25]

In the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification, the Qasioun Eagles did not go through the first round, as despite losing one victory over Saudi Arabia (2–0) they lost both matches to Iran, finishing in third place in the group.[26]

1980–1996: Progress in domestic football

[edit]

The Syrian team made it to the 1980 Olympics thanks to Iran, as the team withdrew due to the American-led boycott of the Olympics.[27] Despite losing 0–3 to Algeria and 0–5 to the GDR, they gained experience from big matches. However, the most valuable result in the tournament was a draw with a strong Spain 0–0.[28]

The Syrian team took part in the three editions of the Asian Nations Cup in the 1980s. In the 1980 Asian Cup, they finished 3rd out of 5 in the group stage, behind North Korea and Iran, ahead of China and Bangladesh.[29]

In the 1984 Asian Nations Cup, they finished 4th out of 5 in the 1st round, ahead of South Korea, behind Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.[30] In the 1988 Asian Nations Cup, they finished 3rd out of 5 still in the 1st round, behind China and Saudi Arabia, ahead of Kuwait and Bahrain.[31] The two Syrian scorers were with one goal each: Walid Nasser and Walid Al-Hel. They were finalists in the Arab Nations Cup in 1988 (beaten by Iraq).[citation needed]

For the qualifiers of the 1982 World Cup, they finished last in the group stage behind Qatar, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.[32] As for the qualification round of the 1986 World Cup, Syria came very close to a qualification which would have been historic, since it passed the 1st round ahead of Kuwait and North Yemen, beat Bahrain and lost in the final qualifying round to Iraq 1–3 on aggregate, with the only Syrian goal scored by Walid Abu Al-Sel.[33]

Valeriy Yaremchenko, the coach who led Syria to victory at the 1987 Mediterranean Games

One of the greatest successes of the Qasioun Eagles in the 1980s was the participation in the finals of the 1987 Mediterranean Games, which took place in Latakia, and the defeat of the France team 2–1.[34][35]

In the 1990 World Cup qualifiers, the national team placed second in the first round after losing to Saudi Arabia 4–5 (goal scorers: Mahrous, Jakalan, Al-Nasser and Helou).[36]

In 1992, the Arab Games were held in Syria, which included the Arab Cup In this tournament, the Syrian national team led by Virgil Dridea placed 4th after advancing to the semifinals (losing to Egypt 4–3 on penalties) and losing in the bronze medal match with Kuwait 1–2.[37]

During the 1994 World Cup qualifiers, they led the qualifying group after winning over Taiwan and Oman, but due to draws with Iran (0–0 and 1–1, goal scored by Abdul Latif Helou), they did not advance to the second round.[38]

In the 1st round of the 1996 Asian Cup, the Syrian team beat Uzbekistan (2–1), thanks to goals from Nader Joukhadar and Ali Dib, but they were beaten by Japan (1–2, goal by Nader Joukhadar) and by China (0–3). By finishing 3rd in the group, they had a chance to qualify for the quarterfinals but having a low score compared to the other two countries (Iraq and South Korea), the team finished as the worst 3rd, again missed the knockout phase.[citation needed]

1996–2007: Hope and disappointment

[edit]
Chadi Cheikh Merai in 1997

At the 1997 Arab Games in Beirut, they reached the final, in which Jordan defeated them 0–1.[39]

One of Syria's biggest victories was recorded in Tehran on 4 June 1997, against the Maldives, a match that ended with a final score of 12–0 for the Syrians. 5 days later it faces again the Maldives, still in Tehran, which ends with the same score of 12–0. These two matches were played as a part of the qualification for the 1998 World Cup, where it was eliminated in the first preliminary round, ahead of Iran.[40]

The Syrian team was twice finalist in 2000 and 2004 of a regional competition, the West Asian Football Championship, beaten each time by Iran; as they reached the semi-finals of the West Asian Championship 2002 held at home but lost to Jordan on a golden goal scored in the last minutes of extra time (1–2), before losing to Iran on penalties during the match for the 3rd place (2–2, 2–4).[citation needed]

Syria v Iran, friendly match (2006)

As for the qualification of the World Cup 2002, they were overtaken by Oman at 1st, while being ahead of the Philippines and Laos.[41]

In the qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup, they did not advance to the third stage after uncertain match performances and losses with Bahrain (1–2) and Kyrgyzstan (0–1).[42]

Syria v India, 2007 Nehru Cup

During this period, the national team participated in the 2007 Nehru Cup, where after the first victory over Bangladesh (2–0) they defeated Kyrgyzstan (4–1), India (3–2) and Cambodia (5–1) and advanced to the finals.[43] The top scorers were famous Syrian stars Zyad Chaabo (5 goals) and Maher Al-Sayed (4 goals). But the cup final for the team did not turn out well, because they lost to India 0–1.[44][45]

2007–2012: First major title

[edit]
Fajr Ibrahim led Syria twice to the semifinals of the West Asian Cup

In 2007, Syria advanced to the WAAF Cup under the leadership of coach Fajr Ibrahim, where they after victories over Lebanon and Jordan (both 1–0), lost in the semifinals to Iraq 0–3.[46]

A year later, the Qasioun Eagles took part in the 2008 WAAF Cup, where after a 2–1 victory over Oman and a draw with Jordan, they advanced to the semifinals, where they lost to Iran (0–2).[47]

At the 2009 Nehru Cup, Syria sovereignly won the group stage, defeating Sri Lanka, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon and, in a close match, India (1–0). In the final of the cup, they encountered India, with which they lost 1–2 on penalties (the only Syrian scorer was Ali Diab).[48]

In the qualifications for the World Cup 2010, the team of Syria beat Afghanistan in the 1st round, then Indonesia in the 2nd round, but narrowly failed in the 3rd round to qualify for the 4th round, due to an unfavorable goal average, behind UAE and Iran, but ahead of Kuwait.[49]

Syrian line-up against Japan at the 2011 Asian Cup

The Syrian team qualified for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar after a long absence from it since 1996, where it ascended to the championship without any loss in the qualifiers. They were eliminated from the group stage again after losing to Jordan and Japan and defeating Saudi Arabia.[50] Shortly afterwards, they were disqualified from the 2014 World Cup due to the use of an ineligible player.[51]

In December 2012, Syria beat Iraq in the final of West Asia Cup to collect its first major trophy and Ahmad Al Saleh became the scorer of the historic winning goal (1–0).[52] Official Syrian television interrupted its broadcasts to announce the victory and show the presentation of the cup live.[53]

2013–2016: Away game challenges

[edit]

In 2013, the Syrian team withdrew from the WAAF Cup due to the Syrian Civil War. In the following years, the national team faced challenges due to being unable to play in their home stadiums.[54]

Syria national football team in Tehran: 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification

The Syrian national team missed the 2015 AFC Asian Cup after failing to qualify and occupying third place in Group A which included Jordan, Singapore and Oman.[55] In 2016, Syria took part in the King's Cup under national team captain Mosab Balhous and head coach Ayman Hakeem, where they lost in the semifinals after a penalty shootout with Thailand and defeated the United Arab Emirates 1–0 in third place match.[56]

2018 World Cup qualifiers: Approaching success

[edit]

Ever since war broke out in the country, Syria have been banned from playing home games in their own country and in fact were one day away from being thrown out of the 2018 World Cup only for Malaysia to swoop in at the last minute and offer to host all of Syria's home games.[57][58][59]

After finishing in second place in Group E during the 2018 World Cup 2nd qualifying round, behind Japan, but ahead of Singapore, Afghanistan and Cambodia. Syria was among the top 4 (2nd) and obtained the right to play in the 3rd round, in addition to being qualified for the next Asian Cup.[60]

2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, Syria v Iran

They were transferred to group A, along with Iran, South Korea, Uzbekistan, China and Qatar. On 5 September 2017, Syria qualified for the first time in their history for the play-offs of a World Cup by finishing 3rd in their group with 13 points, level on points with Uzbekistan, but ahead in the standings thanks to better goal difference, following of their draw gleaned in stoppage time on the lawn of the Iran (2–2) in the last match.[61]

This was the best performance by Qasioun Eagles to date in a World Cup qualifying phase.[62] The prospect of a historic qualification for a final phase of the World Cup has given rise to a momentary halt to the conflict which has ravaged the country for six years, as well as the installation of giant screens by the authorities in the main public squares of major cities to follow the decisive match against Iran.[63][64]

Syria v Australia

[edit]

On 5 October 2017 in Malacca, Syria managed to draw (1–1) against Australia thanks to a converted penalty in the 85th minute by Omar Al Somah, who had already equalized in stoppage time in the last pool match against Iran, responding to the opening goal in the first half of Robbie Kruse.[65]

In the return match played five days later in Sydney, the Syrians opened the scoring in the 6th minute of play, once again thanks to Al Somah, but Tim Cahill tied the two teams seven minutes after the opening goal.[citation needed]

The two teams continued to neutralize each other and it was in extra time that Australia took a decisive advantage in the 109th minute of play thanks to a new goal from Cahill, dashing Syria's last hopes of participating in a World Cup. Reduced to 10 at the start of extra time, Syria nevertheless bravely tried their luck, narrowly missing the equalizer and qualification for the Intercontinental play-off during stoppage time in the 2nd half of extra time on a free kick from the essential Al Somah who found the post.[66]

2019 Asian Cup: A missed opportunity

[edit]

At the 2019 AFC Asian Cup (Group B) in the United Arab Emirates, Syria under the leadership of then-head coach Bernd Stange, the national team drew 0–0 with Palestine in the first match of the tournament. Syria failed to advance from the group stage after losing to Australia (2–3) and Jordan (0–2).[67][68]

2019 Asia Cup, Syria v Palestine

The Syrian coach Bernd Stange was sacked after this tournament, and replaced with former manager Fajr Ibrahim.[69] The team's game didn't improve much after this intervention as they suffered an agonizing loss to Australia after an injury time goal by Tom Rogic in the second half, confirming Syria's elimination.[70]

2019–2024: Qualification setbacks

[edit]

In qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, which began in the fall of 2019, they were placed second in Group A of the 2nd round after the draw.[71] In the first matches of the group, the Qasioun Eagles comfortably won first over the Philippines (5–2), Maldives (2–1) and Guam (4–0).[72] Subsequently, in an important match, they defeated China 2–1 after Osama Omari's goal and Zhang Linpeng's own goal.[73] In the next match, the national team defeated the Philippines 1–0 with a decisive goal by midfielder Ward Al Salama.[74] On 11 March 2020, Tunisian Nabil Maâloul was appointed head coach of Syria.[75]

Nabil Maâloul, Syria's head coach from 2020 to 2021

The last matches in the group were played in 2021 due to COVID-19 in Asia, when they first defeated the Maldives (4–0) and Guam (3–0), confirming their 1st place, advanced to the 2023 AFC Asian Cup and also to the third stage of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.[72] With the 1st place assured, Syria then lost to China 1–3 in the final game, which was irrelevant to the final standing.[72]

Omar Khribin, 2017 Asian Footballer of the Year and one of the key players of the national team

Nabil Maâloul resigned on June 15, 2021, due to disagreements with the leadership of the football federation. Nizar Mahrous replaced him for the next qualification phase.[76] The team started this part of the qualification with unconvincing results with Iran (0–1), UAE (1–1) and South Korea (1–2), with both Syrian goals scored by Omar Khribin and Mahmoud Al Baher.[77] After a humiliating defeat in the Levantine derby with Lebanon (2–3, the scorers were Khrbin and Somah), a draw with Iraq (1–1 only goal was scored by Somah) and a high defeat with Iran (0–3), the head coach Mahrous was fired.[77]

At the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup, under the leadership of new coach Valeriu Tița, they showed up in good form.[78] They played the first match in Group B against the UAE, which they lost 1–2.[79] In the next match, Syria played well despite the previous results, as Oliver Kass Kawo and Mouhamad Anez scored 2–0 over the big favorite from Tunisia.[80][81] In their last group match, the Qasioun Eagles lost very badly to Mauritania 1–2 when the equalizing goal was scored by Mahmoud Al Baher in the 52nd minute. They took the 3rd place in the group and the 9th place overall.[82]

In the last qualifying matches, they lost first to the UAE 0–2 then to South Korea with the same score, and due to these results, Tița was dismissed.[83] Ghassan Maatouk was appointed as the new national head coach on February 9, 2022, leading the team to victory in the derby with Lebanon (3–0) and a draw with Iraq (1–1) in the last two matches. As a result, the Syrian team finished 5th in Group A.[84]

2023 AFC Asian Cup: First knockout stage

[edit]

Syria qualified for their seventh AFC Asian Cup in 2023, and during this tournament, they made the knockout stage for the first time in their history by ranking as one of the best ranked third place team,[85] after being drawn into Group B alongside Australia, India and Uzbekistan.[86] In the round of 16, Syria lost against Iran in the penalty shootouts following a 1–1 draw after extra time, despite their numerical superiority at the start of injury time following a 2nd yellow card for Mehdi Taremi.[87]

2024: Further challenges

[edit]

Following two consecutive losses against North Korea and Japan in the last two matches of the 2026 World Cup qualifying second round, Syria finished third in their group to miss another World Cup participation and drop to compete in the Asian Cup qualifying third round.[88]

2024–present: New beginnings

[edit]

Following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, the Syrian Football Federation announced a change in the home kit and logo colors from red to green, attributing the decision to historic change, marking the end of nepotism, favoritism, and corruption.[89][90]

Stadiums

[edit]
Home stadiums list
Image Stadium Capacity Location Last match
Aleppo International Stadium 53,200 Aleppo v   Vietnam
(18 November 2009; (2011 Asian Cup Q)
Abbasiyyin Stadium 30,000 Damascus v   Iraq
(22 December 2010; Friendly)
Al-Hamadaniah Stadium 15,000 Aleppo v   South Korea
(22 February 2006; (2007 Asian Cup Q)
Al-Jalaa Stadium 10,000 Damascus v   Palestine
(26 March 2004; Friendly)

Team image

[edit]

Rivalries

[edit]
Syrian fans before the match with Palestine

Syria's common rivals are mostly from the Levant, which are Lebanon and Jordan.[91]

Syria vs. Lebanon

[edit]
Statistics vs.  Lebanon[9]
Played1 Wins2 Draws Losses GF GA
25 15 5 5 50 28

1. Only matches recognized by FIFA.
2. Wins for Syria.

Due to historical reasons, matches against Lebanon have been frequently followed and seen by Syrians as the most important rival.[92] Syria played until today 25 games against Lebanon. The first match took place on 19 April 1942 in a friendly match against the Cedars in Beirut, when Lebanon and Syria were a French colonies.[10] In 1947 Syria played two more friendlies against Lebanon: 4–1 victory in Beirut on 4 May,[93] and 1–0 victory in Aleppo on 18 May.[94] It was at this time that the matches were the most regular. Syria dominates the series with 15 wins, 5 draws and 5 losses.

Syria vs. Jordan

[edit]
Statistics vs.  Jordan[9]
Played1 Wins2 Draws Losses GF GA
43 14 14 15 47 44

1. Only matches recognized by FIFA.
2. Wins for Syria.

Syria played their first official match against Jordan on 1 August 1953 in Alexandria, Egypt as part of the 1953 Arab Games, winning 3–1. In later years, the derby gained mutual popularity mainly due to historical, political, and geographical factors.[95]

Nickname

[edit]

The Syrian national team is known by supporters and the media as Nosour Qasioun, meaning The Eagles of Qasioun in reference to the Mount Qasioun, which stretch over the capital of Syria, Damascus.[1]

Kits

[edit]

The Syria national football team's home color is green and away is white.

Kit supplier Period Notes
Diadora 2005–2010
Adidas 2011–2014
Lotto 2015–2017
Jako 2018–2020
Uhlsport 2021–2022
Jako 2022–

Results and fixtures

[edit]
See also: Syria national football team results (2020–present) and Syria national football team results

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

2024

[edit]
5 January 2024 Unofficial Friendly Syria  1–1  Kyrgyzstan Dubai, United Arab Emirates
18:30 UTC+4
Report Akmatov 48' Stadium: Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium
8 January 2024 Friendly Syria  2–2  Malaysia Doha, Qatar
20:30 UTC+3
Report
Stadium: Grand Hamad Stadium
13 January 2024 2023 AFC Asian Cup GS Uzbekistan  0–0  Syria Al Rayyan, Qatar
20:30 UTC+3 Report Stadium: Jassim bin Hamad Stadium
Attendance: 10,198
Referee: Ahmed Al-Kaf (Oman)
18 January 2024 2023 AFC Asian Cup GS Syria  0–1  Australia Al Rayyan, Qatar
14:30 UTC+3 Report
Stadium: Jassim bin Hamad Stadium
Attendance: 10,097
Referee: Adel Al-Naqbi (United Arab Emirates)
23 January 2024 2023 AFC Asian Cup GS Syria  1–0  India Al Khor, Qatar
14:30 UTC+3
Report Stadium: Al Bayt Stadium
Attendance: 42,787
Referee: Sivakorn Pu-udom (Thailand)
31 January 2024 AFC Asian Cup R16 Iran  1–1 (a.e.t.)
(5–3 p)		  Syria Doha, Qatar
19:00 UTC+3
Report
Stadium: Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium
Attendance: 8,720
Referee: Kim Jong-hyeok (South Korea)
Penalties
21 March 2024 (2024-03-21) 2026 World Cup qualification Myanmar  1–1  Syria Yangon, Myanmar
18:00 UTC+6:30
Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Stadium: Thuwunna Stadium
Attendance: 7,580
Referee: Hassan Akrami (Iran)
26 March 2024 (2024-03-26) 2026 World Cup qualification Syria  7–0  Myanmar Dammam, Saudi Arabia
22:00 UTC+3
Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)		 Stadium: Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium
Attendance: 3,252
Referee: Pranjal Banerjee (India)
6 June 2024 (2024-06-06) 2026 World Cup qualification North Korea  1–0  Syria Vientiane, Laos[note 1]
20:00 UTC+7
Report Stadium: New Laos National Stadium
11 June 2024 (2024-06-11) 2026 World Cup qualification Japan  5–0  Syria Hiroshima, Japan
19:14 UTC+9
Stadium: Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima
Referee: Ahmed Al-Ali (Kuwait)
6 September 2024 (2024-09-06) 2024 Intercontinental Cup Syria  2–0  Mauritius Hyderabad, India
19:30 UTC+5:30
Report Stadium: G.M.C Balayogi Athletic Stadium
Referee: Harish Kundu (India)
9 September 2024 (2024-09-09) 2024 Intercontinental Cup India  0–3  Syria Hyderabad, India
19:30 IST (UTC+05:30) Report
Stadium: G.M.C Balayogi Athletic Stadium
Attendance: 19,982
Referee: Nivon Robesh (Sri Lanka)
11 October 2024 (2024-10-11) 2024 King's Cup Syria  1–0  Tajikistan Songkhla, Thailand
--:-- 
Stadium: Tinsulanon Stadium
14 October 2024 (2024-10-14) 2024 King's Cup Syria  1–2  Thailand Songkhla, Thailand
--:-- 
Stadium: Tinsulanon Stadium
19 November 2024 (2024-11-19) Friendly Russia  4–0  Syria Volgograd, Russia
 Stadium: Volgograd Arena

2025

[edit]
25 March 2025 (2025-03-25) 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification Syria  v  Pakistan
10 June 2025 (2025-06-10) 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification Afghanistan  v  Syria Saudi Arabia
9 October 2025 (2025-10-09) 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification Syria  v  Myanmar
14 October 2025 (2025-10-14) 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification Myanmar  v  Syria Yangon, Myanmar
18 November 2025 (2025-11-18) 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification Pakistan  v  Syria Islamabad, Pakistan

2026

[edit]
31 March 2026 (2026-03-31) 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification Syria  v  Afghanistan

Coaching staff

[edit]

Current technical staff

[edit]
See also: List of Asian national football team managers
As of August 2024
Position Name
Head coach Spain José Lana
Assistant coach Egypt Khaled Ghoneim
Goalkeeping coach
Team manager
Fitness coach

Coaching history

[edit]
Name Nat Period Matches Wins Draws Losses Honours
Vinzenz Dittrich Austria 1951
Francisc Mészáros Hungary 1954
József Albert Hungary 1956–1959 1957 Arab Games winners[97]
Miklós Vadas Hungary 1960–1965
Cornel Drăgușin[98] Romania 1965–1966
Ezzat Abdel-Wahab United Arab Republic 1969
Mehana Jabour Syria 1971
Khalil Nadaf Syria 1971–1972
Mohamed Azzam Syria 1972
Khalil Nadaf Syria 1972–1973
Mousa Shamas Syria 1973–1974
Lofti Kerkuli Syria 1974
Petre Rădulescu[99] Romania 1974–1975
Vladimir Bolotov Soviet Union 1975
Mohamed Azzam Syria 1976–1977
Lofti Kerkuli Syria b1977
Zaki Natour Syria 1978
Horst Zokoll East Germany 1978–1979
Mustafa Hasanagić Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1979
Mousa Shamas Syria 1980
Joseph Chadli[100] Syria 1980
Bill Asprey[101] England 1980–1982
Karl Trautmann East Germany 1983–1984
Viktor Vasilyev Soviet Union 1984
Avedis Kavlakian Syria 1984–1985
Valeriy Yaremchenko Soviet Union 1985–1987 1987 Mediterranean Games winners
Anatoliy Azarenkov Soviet Union
Ukraine 		1987–1992
Virgil Dridea[102] Romania 1992–1993
Marwan Khouri Syria 1994–1995
Yuri Kurnenin Belarus 1995–1997
Anwar Abdul-Kader Syria 1997
Kevork Mardikian Syria 1997
Angel Stankov Bulgaria 1997
Mircea Rădulescu Romania 1997–1998
Joel Camargo Brazil 1998–1999
Mousa Shamas Syria March – September 1999
Dragoslav Popović Federal Republic of Yugoslavia September 1999 – February 2000
Dragoslav Sridović Federal Republic of Yugoslavia March – April 2000
Božidar Vukotić Federal Republic of Yugoslavia March – October 2001
Jalal Talebi Iran November 2001 – September 2002 10 9 0 1
Janusz Wójcik Poland March – August 2003
Božidar Vukotić Serbia and Montenegro September – November 2003
Ahmed Rifaat Egypt December 2003 – November 2004
Nizar Mahrous Syria November 2004 – 2005
Miloslav Radenović

Serbia

2005 – August 2006
Fajr Ibrahim Syria 5 August 2006 – February 2008 24 13 5 6
Mohammad Kwid Syria 10 May – 20 August 2008 8 4 0 4
Fajr Ibrahim Syria 13 November 2008 – 13 September 2010 28 13 9 6
Ayman Hakeem (Interim) Syria 14 September – 20 December 2010 5 2 1 2
Ratomir Dujković Serbia 28 October – 8 December 2010 1 1 0 0
Valeriu Tiţa Romania 21 December 2010 – 9 February 2011 6 1 0 5
Claude Le Roy France 16 April – 4 May 2011 0 0 0 0
Nizar Mahrous Syria 22 May – 18 August 2011 7 5 2 0
Marwan Khoury BSyria 7 July – 30 August 2012 4 1 1 2
Hussam Al Sayed Syria 21 October 2012 – 10 April 2013 8 2 3 3 2012 WAFF Championship winners
Anas Makhlouf Syria 13 April – 23 October 2013 3 0 1 2
Hussam Al Sayed (Interim) Syria 9 – 20 November 2013 3 1 0 2
Ahmad Al Shaar Syria 13 February – 5 March 2014 1 0 0 1
Muhannad Al Fakeer Syria 18 September 2014 – 5 January 2015 2 2 0 0
Fajr Ibrahim Syria 6 January 2015 – 29 March 2016 14 10 1 3
Ayman Hakeem Syria 9 May 2016 – 20 November 2017 21 6 11 4
Bernd Stange Germany 31 January 2018 – 10 January 2019 11 3 5 3
Fajr Ibrahim Syria 10 January – 31 December 2019 17 7 3 7
Nabil Maâloul Tunisia 11 March 2020 – 15 June 2021 7 3 0 4
Nizar Mahrous Syria 7 July – 16 November 2021 6 0 2 4
Valeriu Tiţa Romania 18 November 2021 – 1 February 2022 5 1 0 4
Ghassan Maatouk Syria 9 February – 1 June 2022 3 2 1 0
Hussam Al Sayed Syria 23 August 2022 – 1 February 2023 6 0 0 6
Héctor Cúper Argentina 2 February 2023 – 11 June 2024 18 5 6 7
José Lana Spain 22 August 2024 – 5 3 0 2

Players

[edit]

Current squad

[edit]

The following players were called up for the friendly match against Russia on 19 November 2024.

Information correct as of 19 November 2024, after the match against  Russia
No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Ibrahim Alma (1991-10-18) 18 October 1991 (age 33) 80 0 Syria Tishreen
1GK Ahmad Madania (1990-01-01) 1 January 1990 (age 34) 31 0 Bahrain Al-Riffa
1GK Maksim Sarraf (2005-03-15) 15 March 2005 (age 19) 0 0 Uzbekistan Andijon
2DF Omar Midani (1994-01-26) 26 January 1994 (age 30) 66 1 Kuwait Al-Salmiya
2DF Khaled Kourdoghli (1997-01-31) 31 January 1997 (age 27) 27 0 Iraq Erbil
2DF Ahmad Faqa (2003-01-10) 10 January 2003 (age 21) 4 0 Sweden AIK
2DF Ignacio Abraham (1998-01-12) 12 January 1998 (age 26) 3 0 Argentina Estudiantes de Río Cuarto
2DF Emiliano Amor (1995-05-16) 16 May 1995 (age 29) 3 0 Chile Colo-Colo
2DF Ali Al Rina (2004-01-10) 10 January 2004 (age 20) 1 0 Syria Al-Ittihad
2DF Zakaria Hannan (1997-08-21) 21 August 1997 (age 27) 1 0 Syria Al-Ittihad
2DF Facundo Mater (1998-07-23) 23 July 1998 (age 26) 1 0 Argentina Barracas Central
3MF Thaer Krouma (1990-02-02) 2 February 1990 (age 34) 46 1 India Mumbai City
3MF Mohammed Osman (1994-01-01) 1 January 1994 (age 30) 29 2 Thailand Lamphun Warriors
3MF Ammar Ramadan (2001-01-05) 5 January 2001 (age 23) 18 0 Slovakia Dunajská Streda
3MF Elmar Abraham (1999-03-01) 1 March 1999 (age 25) 10 0 Sweden Skövde AIK
3MF Hasan Dahan (2003-01-01) 1 January 2003 (age 21) 0 0 Syria Al-Ittihad
3MF Mahmoud Nayef (2004-01-03) 3 January 2004 (age 20) 1 0 Syria Al-Ittihad
4FW Mahmoud Al-Mawas (1993-01-01) 1 January 1993 (age 31) 100 16 Iraq Al-Shorta
4FW Alaa Al Dali (1997-01-03) 3 January 1997 (age 27) 25 4 Iran Chadormalu
4FW Mohammad Al Hallak (1999-01-01) 1 January 1999 (age 25) 22 1 Bahrain Al-Riffa
4FW Mahmoud Al Aswad (2003-09-14) 14 September 2003 (age 21) 10 1 Iraq Zakho
4FW Pablo Sabbag (1997-06-11) 11 June 1997 (age 27) 8 2 Peru Alianza Lima
4FW Mohammad Al Salkhadi (2001-07-29) 29 July 2001 (age 23) 3 0 Sweden IFK Värnamo

Recent call-ups

[edit]

The following players have also been called up to the Syria squad within the last 12 months.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Elias Hadaya (1998-08-21) 21 August 1998 (age 26) 1 0 Sweden Utsiktens v.  Russia, 19 November 2024INJ
GK Esteban Glellel (1999-01-06) 6 January 1999 (age 25) 4 0 Argentina Quilmes v.  Thailand, 14 October 2024
GK Taha Mosa (1987-05-24) 24 May 1987 (age 37) 6 0 Syria Hutteen v.  Myanmar, 26 March 2024
DF Aiham Ousou (2000-01-09) 9 January 2000 (age 24) 11 0 Belgium Charleroi v.  Russia, 19 November 2024INJ
DF Moayad Ajan (1993-02-16) 16 February 1993 (age 31) 76 3 Syria Al-Wahda v.  India, 9 September 2024
DF Muayad Al Khouli (1993-10-16) 16 October 1993 (age 31) 16 0 Syria Al-Wathba v.  India, 9 September 2024
DF Amro Jenyat (1993-01-15) 15 January 1993 (age 31) 45 1 Syria Al-Karamah v.  Japan, 11 June 2024
DF Abdul Rahman Weiss (1998-06-14) 14 June 1998 (age 26) 22 0 Greece Kalamata v.  Japan, 11 June 2024
DF Abdullah Al Shami (1994-03-02) 2 March 1994 (age 30) 14 0 Syria Al-Karamah 2023 AFC Asian CupPRE
DF Saad Al Ahmad (1989-08-10) 10 August 1989 (age 35) 12 0 Syria Hutteen 2023 AFC Asian CupPRE
MF Ezequiel Ham (1994-01-10) 10 January 1994 (age 30) 14 1 Argentina Independiente Rivadavia v.  Russia, 19 November 2024WD
MF Simon Amin (1997-11-13) 13 November 1997 (age 27) 5 0 Norway Sandefjord v.  Russia, 19 November 2024INJ
MF Mouhamad Anez (1995-05-14) 14 May 1995 (age 29) 31 1 Syria Hutteen v.  Thailand, 14 October 2024
MF Mustafa Jneid (2000-01-11) 11 January 2000 (age 24) 7 0 Syria Hutteen v.  Thailand, 14 October 2024
MF Mohammad Al Marmour (1995-01-04) 4 January 1995 (age 29) 35 4 Bahrain Al-Najma v.  India, 9 September 2024
MF Mustafa Abdullatif (2003-12-15) 15 December 2003 (age 21) 2 0 Germany Hannover 96 II v.  India, 9 September 2024
MF Fahd Youssef (1987-05-15) 15 May 1987 (age 37) 44 7 Iraq Al-Shorta v.  Japan, 11 June 2024
MF Jalil Elías (1996-04-25) 25 April 1996 (age 28) 9 0 Argentina Vélez Sarsfield v.  Japan, 11 June 2024
MF Mahmoud Dahoud (1996-01-01) 1 January 1996 (age 28) 0 0 Germany Eintracht Frankfurt v.  Myanmar, 26 March 2024WD
MF Kamel Hmeisheh (1998-07-23) 23 July 1998 (age 26) 27 0 Iraq Masafi Al-Wasat 2023 AFC Asian Cup
MF Malek Janeer (2003-01-01) 1 January 2003 (age 21) 0 0 United Arab Emirates Al Wasl 2023 AFC Asian CupPRE
FW Noah Shamoun (2002-12-08) 8 December 2002 (age 22) 6 0 Denmark Randers v.  Thailand, 14 October 2024
FW Tobías Cervera (2002-08-06) 6 August 2002 (age 22) 3 0 Argentina Platense v.  Thailand, 14 October 2024
FW Daleho Irandust (1998-06-04) 4 June 1998 (age 26) 3 1 Sweden Brommapojkarna v.  Tajikistan, 11 October 2024INJ
FW Omar Al Somah (1989-03-28) 28 March 1989 (age 35) 42 21 Qatar Al-Arabi v.  Japan, 11 June 2024
FW Ibrahim Hesar (1993-11-15) 15 November 1993 (age 31) 12 2 Iraq Zakho v.  Japan, 11 June 2024
FW Antonio Yakoub (2002-06-12) 12 June 2002 (age 22) 3 0 Sweden Örebro SK v.  Japan, 11 June 2024
FW Omar Khribin (1994-01-15) 15 January 1994 (age 30) 60 26 United Arab Emirates Al Wahda v.  Myanmar, 26 March 2024
FW Mardik Mardikian (1992-03-14) 14 March 1992 (age 32) 44 8 Syria Hutteen v.  Myanmar, 26 March 2024
FW Yassin Samia (1998-02-22) 22 February 1998 (age 26) 7 1 Syria Al-Wahda 2023 AFC Asian CupPRE

SUS Player suspended.
INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury.
RET Retired from the national team.
WD Player withdrew from the squad for non-injury related reasons.
PRE Player was named in preliminary squad.

Previous squads

[edit]
AFC Asian Cup
Olympic Games

Player records

[edit]
Main article: Syria national football team records and statistics
As of 26 March 2024[103]
Players in bold are still active with Syria.

Most appearances

[edit]
Maher Al-Sayed is Syria's most-capped player with 109 appearances.
Rank Player Caps Goals Career
1 Maher Al-Sayed 109 29 1999–2013
2 Mahmoud Al-Mawas 100 16 2012–present
3 Ali Diab 97 4 2004–2013
4 Mosab Balhous 86 0 2006–2016
5 Raja Rafe 84 32 2002–2015
6 Tarek Jabban 83 5 1996–2007
7 Ibrahim Alma 80 0 2012–present
8 Moayad Ajan 76 3 2012–present
Nizar Mahrous 76 12 1985–1993
10 George Khouri 74 8 1982–1989

Top goalscorers

[edit]
Firas Al-Khatib is Syria's all-time record goalscorer with 36 goals.
Rank Player Goals Caps Ratio Career
1 Firas Al-Khatib 36 72 0.5 2001–2019
2 Raja Rafe 32 84 0.38 2006–2016
3 Maher Al-Sayed 29 109 0.27 1999–2013
4 Omar Khribin 27 60 0.45 2012–present
5 Said Bayazid 24 24 1 1997–2001
6 Zyad Chaabo 22 49 0.45 2001–2010
7 Omar Al Somah 21 42 0.5 2012–present
8 Mahmoud Al-Mawas 16 100 0.16 2012–present
9 Mohamed Al-Zeno 15 48 0.31 2004–2011
10 Avedis Kavlakian 14 — — 1953–1966

Competitive record

[edit]
Syrian national team before 2019 AFC Asian Cup match against Australia.

FIFA World Cup

[edit]
FIFA World Cup record Qualification record
Year Round Pld W D* L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA
1930 to 1938 Not a FIFA member Not a FIFA member
Brazil 1950 Withdrew 1 0 0 1 0 7
Switzerland 1954 Did not enter Did not enter
Sweden 1958 Did not qualify 2 0 1 1 1 2
Chile 1962 Withdrew Withdrew
England 1966
Mexico 1970 Did not enter Did not enter
West Germany 1974 Did not qualify 6 3 1 2 6 6
Argentina 1978 Withdrew 4 1 0 3 2 6
Spain 1982 Did not qualify 4 0 0 4 2 7
Mexico 1986 8 4 3 1 8 4
Italy 1990 4 2 1 1 7 5
United States 1994 6 3 3 0 14 4
France 1998 5 2 1 2 27 5
South Korea Japan 2002 6 4 1 1 40 6
Germany 2006 6 2 2 2 7 7
South Africa 2010 10 6 2 2 23 10
Brazil 2014 Disqualified 2 0 0 2 0 6
Russia 2018 Did not qualify 20 9 5 6 37 22
Qatar 2022 18 8 3 7 31 23
Canada Mexico United States 2026 6 2 1 3 9 12
Morocco Portugal Spain 2030 To be determined To be determined
Saudi Arabia 2034
Total 0/20 – – – – – – 108 46 24 38 214 132
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

AFC Asian Cup

[edit]
Main article: Syria at the AFC Asian Cup
Syria during the 2023 Asian Cup match against Australia.
AFC Asian Cup record Qualification record
Year Round Pld W D* L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA
Hong Kong 1956 Not a AFC member Not a AFC member
South Korea 1960
Israel 1964
Iran 1968
Thailand 1972 Did not qualify 3 0 2 1 4 5
Iran 1976 Withdrew Withdrew
Kuwait 1980 Group stage 4 2 1 1 3 2 3 2 1 0 2 0
Singapore 1984 4 1 1 2 3 5 5 3 0 2 9 8
Qatar 1988 4 2 0 2 2 5 4 3 1 0 8 2
Japan 1992 Did not qualify 2 1 0 1 3 4
United Arab Emirates 1996 Group stage 3 1 0 2 3 6 4 3 0 1 6 2
Lebanon 2000 Did not qualify 6 4 1 1 11 3
China 2004 6 2 1 3 16 10
Indonesia Malaysia Thailand Vietnam 2007 6 2 2 2 10 6
Qatar 2011 Group stage 3 1 0 2 4 5 6 4 2 0 10 2
Australia 2015 Did not qualify 6 1 1 4 7 7
United Arab Emirates 2019 Group stage 3 0 1 2 2 5 8 6 0 2 26 11
Qatar 2023 Round of 16 4 1 2 1 2 2 8 7 0 1 22 7
Saudi Arabia 2027 To be determined 6 2 1 3 9 12
Total Round of 16 25 8 5 12 19 30 73 40 12 21 143 79
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.
AFC Asian Cup history
Year Round Score Result
1980
Round 1 Syria  0–0  Iran Draw
Round 1 Syria  1–0  Bangladesh Win
Round 1 Syria  1–2  North Korea Loss
Round 1 Syria  1–0  China Win
1984
Round 1 Syria  1–1  Qatar Draw
Round 1 Syria  0–1  Saudi Arabia Loss
Round 1 Syria  1–0  South Korea Win
Round 1 Syria  1–3  Kuwait Loss
1988
Round 1 Syria  0–2  Saudi Arabia Loss
Round 1 Syria  0–3  China Loss
Round 1 Syria  1–0  Kuwait Win
Round 1 Syria  1–0  Bahrain Win
1996
Round 1 Syria  1–2  Japan Loss
Round 1 Syria  0–3  China Loss
Round 1 Syria  2–1  Uzbekistan Win
2011
Round 1 Syria  2–1  Saudi Arabia Win
Round 1 Syria  1–2  Japan Loss
Round 1 Syria  1–2  Jordan Loss
2019
Round 1 Syria  0–0  Palestine Draw
Round 1 Syria  0–2  Jordan Loss
Round 1 Syria  2–3  Australia Loss
2023
Round 1 Syria  0–0  Uzbekistan Draw
Round 1 Syria  0–1  Australia Loss
Round 1 Syria  1–0  India Win
Round of 16 Syria  1–1 (3–5 p)  Iran Draw

Olympic Games

[edit]
Olympic Games record Olympic Games qualification record
Year Result Pld W D* L GF GA Pld W D* L GF GA
France 1900 to 1968 Mexico Did not enter
West Germany 1972 Did not qualify 2 0 1 1 0 1
Canada 1976 Did not enter
Soviet Union 1980 Round 1 3 0 1 2 0 8 4 2 0 2 3 1
United States 1984 Did not qualify 6 2 1 3 6 10
South Korea 1988 2 0 0 2 0 5
Spain 1992 to present See Syria national under-23 team See Syria national under-23 team
Total 0 Titles 3 0 1 2 0 8 14 4 2 8 9 17
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

WAFF Championship

[edit]
2012 WAFF Championship Final starting lineup on 20 December 2012, in Kuwait City (Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium).
WAFF Championship record
Year Round Pld W D* L GF GA
Jordan 2000 Runners-up 5 2 1 2 5 2
Syria 2002 Fourth place 4 1 1 2 5 6
Iran 2004 Runners-up 4 1 1 2 6 13
Jordan 2007 Semi-finals 3 2 0 1 2 3
Iran 2008 Semi-finals 3 1 1 1 2 3
Jordan 2010 Group stage 2 0 1 1 2 3
Kuwait 2012 Champions 4 2 2 0 5 3
Qatar 2014 Withdrew
Iraq 2019 Group stage 4 0 2 2 5 7
United Arab Emirates 2023 Qualified
Total 1 Title 29 9 9 11 32 40
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

FIFA Arab Cup

[edit]
FIFA Arab Cup record
Year Round Pld W D* L GF GA
Lebanon 1963 Runners-up 4 3 0 1 9 4
Kuwait 1964 Did not enter
Iraq 1966 Runners-up 5 3 1 1 9 4
Saudi Arabia 1985 Did not enter
Jordan 1988 Runners-up 6 2 2 2 5 5
Syria 1992 Fourth place 4 0 3 1 2 3
Qatar 1998 Group stage 2 0 0 2 1 6
Kuwait 2002 Group stage 4 2 0 2 8 6
Saudi Arabia 2012 Did not enter
Qatar 2021 Group stage 3 1 0 2 4 4
Qatar 2025 To be determined
Total 0 Titles 28 11 6 11 38 32
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

Palestine Cup of Nations

[edit]
Palestine Cup of Nations record
Year Round Pld W D L GF GA
Iraq 1972 Fourth place 6 4 0 2 11 10
Libya 1973 Runners-up 6 3 1 2 16 11
Tunisia 1975 Fourth place 4 1 0 3 3 8
Total 0 Titles 16 8 1 7 30 29

Arab Games

[edit]
Arab Games record
Year Round Pld W D* L GF GA
Egypt 1953 Runners-up 3 1 1 1 3 5
Lebanon 1957 Champions 5 2 2 1 12 6
Morocco 1961 Did not enter
Egypt 1965 Group stage 4 2 0 2 20 8
Syria 1976 Third place 6 3 1 2 6 4
Morocco 1985 Group stage 2 0 0 2 0 4
Syria 1992 See 1992 Arab Cup
Lebanon 1997 Runners-up 5 4 0 1 9 5
Jordan 1999 Group stage 4 0 4 0 5 5
Egypt 2007 Did not enter
Qatar 2011 Withdrew
Algeria 2023 to present See Syria national under-23 team
Total 1 Title 33 12 11 10 57 40
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

Mediterranean Games

[edit]
Mediterranean Games record
Year Round Pld W D L GF GA
Egypt 1951 Third place 2 0 0 2 0 12
Spain 1955 Fourth place 3 0 0 3 0 10
Lebanon 1959 Did not enter
Italy 1963 Group stage 3 0 0 3 1 10
Tunisia 1967 Did not enter
Turkey 1971 Group stage 3 0 0 3 1 4
Algeria1975 Did not enter
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1979
Morocco 1983 Group stage 2 0 0 2 0 2
Syria 1987 Champions 5 4 1 0 13 3
Italy 1991 to present See Syria national under-20 team
Total 1 Title 18 4 1 13 15 41

Asian Games

[edit]
Asian Games record
Year Round Pld W D* L GF GA
India 1951 Did not enter
Philippines 1954
Japan 1958
Indonesia 1962
Thailand 1966
Thailand 1970
Iran1974
Thailand 1978
India 1982 Group stage 3 0 2 1 3 5
South Korea 1986 Did not enter
China 1990
Japan 1994
Thailand 1998
South Korea 2002 to present See Syria national under-23 team
Total 0 Titles 3 0 1 2 3 5
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

West Asian Games

[edit]
West Asian Games record
Year Round Pld W D* L GF GA
Iran 1997 Runners-up 4 3 0 1 14 4
Kuwait 2002 Third place[104] 4 1 3 0 5 4
Qatar 2005 Runners-up 4 1 3 0 7 5
Total 0 Titles 12 5 6 1 26 13
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

Head-to-head record

[edit]
Main article: Syria national football team records and statistics

The list shown below shows the Syria national football team all-time international record against opposing nations.

  Positive Record   Neutral Record   Negative Record

As of 19 Nov 2024 after match against  Russia

All friendly and international matches have been approved, except for Olympic matches. A-level matches

Syria national football team head-to-head records
Opponent Played Win Draws Losse GF GA GD Confederation
 Afghanistan 4 4 0 0 16 3 +13 AFC
 Algeria 6 1 2 3 4 7 −3 CAF
 Australia 4 0 1 3 4 7 −3 AFC
 Bahrain 25 12 7 6 29 24 +5 AFC
 Bangladesh 3 3 0 0 5 1 +4 AFC
 Belarus 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1 UEFA
 Cambodia 3 3 0 0 17 1 +16 AFC
 China 15 5 2 8 14 29 −15 AFC
 Chinese Taipei 4 4 0 0 17 1 +16 AFC
 Cyprus 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1 UEFA
 Egypt 11 2 2 7 7 23 −16 CAF
 Greece 2 0 0 2 0 12 −12 UEFA
 Guam 2 2 0 0 7 0 +7 AFC
 Haiti 1 1 0 0 2 1 +1 CONCACAF
 Hong Kong 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 AFC
 India 8 4 2 2 11 7 +4 AFC
 Indonesia 5 4 0 1 15 3 +12 AFC
 Iran 30 1 12 17 16 52 −36 AFC
 Iraq 33 5 11 17 25 46 −21 AFC
 Japan 13 0 2 11 9 37 −28 AFC
 Jordan 43 14 14 15 47 44 +3 AFC
 Kazakhstan 4 3 1 0 8 1 +7 UEFA
 Kuwait 34 11 9 14 39 51 −12 AFC
 Kyrgyzstan 7 2 2 3 10 8 +2 AFC
 Laos 2 2 0 0 20 0 +20 AFC
 Lebanon 25 15 5 5 50 28 +22 AFC
 Libya 10 3 3 4 13 17 −4 AFC
 Malaysia 6 2 2 2 12 14 -2 AFC
 Maldives 7 6 0 1 39 4 +35 AFC
 Mauritania 3 2 0 1 4 2 +2 CAF
 Morocco 6 0 3 3 2 7 −5 CAF
 Mauritius 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 CAF
 Myanmar 2 1 1 0 8 1 +6 AFC
   Nepal 2 2 0 0 5 0 +5 AFC
 Nigeria 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1 CAF
 North Korea 11 4 4 3 18 14 +4 AFC
 Oman 26 9 8 9 39 28 +11 AFC
 Palestine 16 8 6 2 26 14 +12 AFC
 Philippines 5 5 0 0 25 3 +22 AFC
 Qatar 12 4 3 5 18 18 0 AFC
 Russia 1 0 0 1 0 4 −4 UEFA
 San Marino 1 1 0 0 3 0 +3 UEFA
 Saudi Arabia 27 2 9 16 22 49 −26 AFC
 Sierra Leone 1 1 0 0 6 0 +6 CAF
 Singapore 6 4 0 2 11 7 +4 AFC
 South Korea 10 1 3 6 5 12 −7 AFC
 South Yemena 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 AFC
 Soviet Uniona 1 0 0 1 0 2 −2 UEFA
 Sri Lanka 3 3 0 0 17 0 +17 AFC
 Sudan 10 4 2 4 10 10 0 CAF
 Sweden 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 UEFA
 Tajikistan 9 5 1 3 8 11 −3 AFC
 Thailand 7 1 2 4 11 15 −4 AFC
 Tunisia 11 5 1 5 14 16 −2 CAF
 Turkey 1 0 0 1 0 7 −7 UEFA
 Turkmenistan 3 1 1 1 6 5 +1 AFC
 United Arab Emirates 24 3 8 13 18 37 −19 AFC
 Uzbekistan 7 3 2 2 5 5 0 AFC
 Venezuela 2 0 0 2 2 6 −4 CONMEBOL
 Vietnam 4 1 1 2 1 3 −2 AFC
 Yemenb 14 11 1 2 42 10 +32 AFC
 Zimbabwe 1 1 0 0 6 0 +6 CAF
Total 541 194 134 213 775 713 +62
Last match updated was against  Russia Russia on 19 Nov 2024.

(a) Denotes defunct national football team.
(b) Including North Yemen

Honours

[edit]

Regional

[edit]

Friendly

[edit]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Following the incident over North Korea's refusal to host a home game against Japan, North Korea will play their home matches in a neutral ground, per Syria's request.[96]

References

[edit]
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