Tuvalu national football team

Infobox National football team
Name = Tuvalu
Badge = Tuvalu ASA-Logo.png Nickname =
Association = Tuvalu Soccer Association
Coach = Toakai Puapua
Most caps =
Top scorer =
FIFA Trigramme = TUV
FIFA Rank =
Elo Rank = 202
Home Stadium = Vaiaku Stadium
pattern_la1=_yellowshoulders|pattern_b1=_thinyellowsides|pattern_ra1=_yellowshoulders
leftarm1=42B2DE|body1=42B2DE|rightarm1=42B2DE|shorts1=FFFFFF|socks1=42B2DE
pattern_la2=_blueshoulders|pattern_b2=_thinbluesides|pattern_ra2=_blueshoulders
leftarm2=ffff00|body2=ffff00|rightarm2=ffff00|shorts2=42B2DE|socks2=FFFFFF

First game = flagicon|Tahiti Tahiti 18 - 0 Tuvalu )
Largest win = )
Largest loss = flagicon|Tahiti Tahiti 18- 0 Tuvalu ) |
World cup apps =
World cup first = -
World cup best = -
Regional name = OFC Nations Cup
Regional cup apps =
Regional cup first =
Regional cup best = -The Tuvalu national soccer team is the international football team of Tuvalu. The team is not affiliated to FIFA, but is an associate member of the OFC.

The national team is controlled by the "Tuvalu Soccer Association" and played three international matches in the 1979 South Pacific Games, held in Fiji. There, the team recorded both its largest win, 5-3 against Tonga, and its worst defeat, losing 18-0 to Tahiti.

It also participated in four games at the South Pacific Games in 2003, again held in Fiji. After defeating Kiribati in their opening game, the Tuvaluan team lost their remaining three matches and finished fourth out of five in Pool A.

History was made in 2007 when Tuvalu became the first non FIFA member to participate in an official World cup qualifying match. The situation arose when the regional governing body used the 2007 South Pacific Games, as the first stage of the qualification tournament for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and qualification tournament for the 2008 OFC Nations Cup. Tuvalu performed with great credit, earning a remarkable 1-1 draw with Tahiti in which Viliamu Sekifu made history as the first World cup scorer for his country. The other three fixtures in the tournament ended in defeat and Tuvalu failed to progress from their five team group.

In September 2008, Tuvaluan Prime Minister Apisai Ielemia and the President of the Tuvalu Football Association, Tapugao Falefou, visited the headquarters of FIFA in Zurich, hoping to gain full membership in the organisation. [ [http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/federation/insidefifa/news/newsid=886994.html] "Tuvalu eye place in football family", FIFA website, September 22, 2008]

elected internationals

outh Pacific Games record

*1963 - "Did not enter"
*1966 - "Did not enter"
*1969 - "Did not enter"
*1971 - "Did not enter"
*1975 - "Did not enter"
*1979 - Quarter-final
*1983 - "Did not enter"
*1987 - "Did not enter"
*1991 - "Did not enter"
*1995 - "Did not enter"
*2003 - Round 1
*2007 - Round 1

Current squad

Goalkeepers:


Timo Moulogo

Defenders:


Semese Alefaio

Jelly Selau

Hetoa Taula

Mau Penisula

Midfielders:


Fulisagafou Hauma

Onosemu Neemia

Papua Papua

Kivola Manoa

Petio Semaia

Paitela Kelemene

Lolesi Vaaia

Moeava Mausalii

Forwards:


Mati Fusi

Polu Tanei

Viliamu Sekifu

Sumeo Silu

Paeniu Fagota

Peniuna Kaitu

Loision Samuelu