- Cyprus national football team
-
Cyprus 
Association Cyprus Football Association Confederation UEFA (Europe) Head coach Nikos Nioplias Captain Ioannis Okkas Most caps Ioannis Okkas (106) Top scorer Michalis Konstantinou (32) Home stadium GSP Stadium, Nicosia FIFA code CYP FIFA ranking 120 Highest FIFA ranking 43 (September 2010) Lowest FIFA ranking 120 (October 2011) Elo ranking 92 Highest Elo ranking 43 Lowest Elo ranking 141 (March 1992) 
Home colours
Away coloursFirst international Unofficial:
Israel 3 - 1 Cyprus 
(Tel-Aviv, Israel; July 30, 1949)
Official:
Cyprus 1 - 1 Israel
(Nicosia, Cyprus; November 13, 1960)Biggest win Cyprus 5 - 0 Andorra 
(Limassol, Cyprus; November 15, 2000)Biggest defeat 
West Germany 12 - 0 Cyprus
(Essen, West Germany; May 21, 1969)The Cyprus national football team (Greek: Κύπρος εθνική ομάδα ποδοσφαίρου, Kýpros ethnikí̱ omáda podosfaírou) represents Cyprus in association football and is controlled by the Cyprus Football Association, the governing body for football in Cyprus. Cyprus' home ground is the GSP Stadium in Nicosia and the current coach is Nikos Nioplias. They have never reached the finals of either the European Championships or the World Cup.
Contents
History
Their first match was a friendly on 23 July 1949, against Maccabi Tel-Aviv in Tel Aviv which ended in a 3-3 draw, one year after becoming a member of the world governing body FIFA. Seven days later the team had its first international game, a 3-1 defeat against Israel in the same city. In November 1960, following independence from British rule, Cyprus drew its first post-independence official match 1-1 against Israel, as part of the 1962 FIFA World Cup qualifying tournament.
Cyprus' first international victory was a 3-1 win against Greece on 27 November 1963 in a friendly. On 17 February 1968 Cyprus recorded their first competitive win, beating Switzerland 2-1 in a European Championship qualifying match in Nicosia.
In 1974, the national team enjoyed one of their most famous victories when they beat a Northern Ireland side 1-0 in Nicosia. On 12 February 1983, as part of the Euro 1984 qualifiers, Cyprus held world champions Italy to a 1-1 draw in Nicosia, followed a month later by the same result against Czechoslovakia. Four years later, in Euro 1988 qualification, Cyprus recorded their first ever point achieved in an away match, against Poland. In 1989 they drew 1-1 with France in World Cup qualifying match. Despite a number of triumphs on home soil, Cyprus had to wait until 1992 to record their first away win, a 2-0 victory against the Faroe Islands.
Results in qualifying tournaments have also improved considerably in recent times. In the qualifying stages for the 1996 UEFA European Championship, Cyprus drew 1-1 with holders Denmark. Four years later, they missed out on a place in the 2000 European Football Championship by a solitary point, 3-2 victories against Spain and Israel and a 4-0 defeat of San Marino contributing to the team finishing on 12 points, just one point behind Israel who qualified for the Euro 2000 play-offs.
On 15 November 2000 Cyprus scored their biggest win in history by beating Andorra in Limassol 5-0 in the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification.
On 7 October 2006, as part of the Euro 2008 qualifiers, Cyprus caused a major upset by beating the Republic of Ireland 5-2 at home with Michalis Konstantinou and Constantinos Charalambides each scoring two goals and Alexandros Garpozis one goal. On 15 November 2006, they caused another surprise by holding the World Cup semi-finalists Germany to a 1-1 draw at home. On 13 October 2007, they beat Wales 3-1 in Nicosia. Also on 17 October 2007 Cyprus came close to a historic away victory in Dublin against the Republic of Ireland, but the hosts equalised in the last minute of the game, and the match ended 1-1. On 3 September 2010, as part of the Euro 2012 qualifiers, Cyprus claimed a historic result against Portugal after drawing 4-4 in Guimarães.
Kit
On 7 October 2006 a new kit, made by Diadora and outlining a map of Cyprus in amber from the shoulder to the sleeve with a green line running down the middle indicating the division of the island. This kit was used for the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying, and was replaced by a kit made by Adidas for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign.
Home stadium
Cyprus currently plays home matches at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia. Home matches had previously been staged at different stadiums all around the country. Until 1974 Cyprus used either the old GSP Stadium in central Nicosia, or the GSE stadium in Famagusta. After the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, some matches were played at Tsirion Stadium in Limassol and the Makario Stadium in Nicosia. In 1999, the building of the New GSP Stadium in Nicosia provided a new home for the national team but in 2008 a change of sponsorship forced home fixtures for 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification to be played at the Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium. However, Cyprus returned to the GSP Stadium for the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying round matches.
Total Results and Records
Last Update: November 15, 2011
Competition Played Won Drawn Lost GF GA FIFA World Cup qualification 94 11 10 73 74 266 European Championship qualification 94 12 14 68 67 251 Friendly Matches 110 34 29 47 125 160 TOTAL 298 57 53 188 266 677 FIFA World Cup Record
FIFA World Cup record Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA 
1930Did Not Enter 
1934
1938
1950
1954
1958Withdrew 
1962Did not qualify 
1966
1970 1974
1978
1982 1986
1990
1994 1998
2002 2006
2010
2014To Be Determined European Championship Record
UEFA European Championship record Year Round Position GP W D* L GS GA 1960Did Not Enter 
1964 1968Did Not Qualify 
1972
1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 
2000
2004
2008
2012 2016To Be Determined UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
Main article: UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying Group HTeamPld W D L GF GA GD Pts 
Denmark8 6 1 1 15 6 +9 19 Portugal8 5 1 2 21 12 +9 16 
Norway8 5 1 2 10 7 +3 16 
Iceland8 1 1 6 6 14 −8 4 Cyprus8 0 2 6 7 20 −13 2 Cyprus — 1–4 0–0 1–2 0–4 Denmark 2–0 — 1–0 2–0 2–1 Iceland 1–0 0–2 — 1–2 1–3 Norway 3–1 1–1 1–0 — 1–0 Portugal 4–4 3–1 5–3 1–0 — Results and fixtures
Group H fixtures were to be negotiated between the participants in a meeting held in Copenhagen on 8 March.[1] After that meeting proved inconclusive, the fixture list was determined by a random draw at the XXXIV Ordinary UEFA Congress in Tel Aviv, Israel, on 25 March.[2]
3 September 2010
20:45 UTC+1Portugal 4 – 4 CyprusEstádio D. Afonso Henriques, Guimarães
Attendance: 9,100
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (England)Almeida 
8'
Meireles 29'
Danny 50'
Fernandes 60'Report Aloneftis 3'
Konstantinou 11'
Okkas 57'
Avraam 89'
8 October 2010
21:00 UTC+3Cyprus 1 – 2 NorwayAntonis Papadopoulos Stadium, Larnaca
Attendance: 7,648
Referee: Thomas Einwaller (Austria)Okkas 58'Report Riise 2'
Carew 42'
12 October 2010
20:15 UTC+2Denmark 2 – 0 CyprusParken Stadium, Copenhagen
Attendance: 15,544
Referee: César Muñiz Fernández (Spain)Rasmussen 48'
Lorentzen 81'Report
26 March 2011
20:00 UTC+2Cyprus 0 – 0 IcelandGSP Stadium, Nicosia
Attendance: 2,088
Referee: Darko Čeferin (Slovenia)Report
2 September 2011
21:45 UTC+3Cyprus 0 – 4 PortugalGSP Stadium, Nicosia
Attendance: 15,444
Referee: Gianluca Rocchi (Italy)Report Ronaldo 35' (pen.), 83'
Almeida 84'
Danny 90+2'
6 September 2011
18:45 UTC±0Iceland 1 – 0 CyprusLaugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík
Attendance: 5,267
Referee: Boško Jovanetić (Serbia)Sigþórsson 5'Report
7 October 2011
21:30 UTC+3Cyprus 1 – 4 DenmarkGSP Stadium, Nicosia
Attendance: 2,408
Referee: Marijo Strahonja (Croatia)Avraam 45+1'Report Jacobsen 7'
Rommedahl 11', 22'
Krohn-Dehli 20'
11 October 2011
20:15 UTC+2Norway 3 – 1 CyprusUllevaal Stadion, Oslo
Attendance: 13,490
Referee: William Collum (Scotland)Pedersen 25'
Carew 34'
Høgli 65'Report Okkas 42'Current squad
Squad called up for the friendly matches against Scotland on November 11, 2011.(Players' records are accurate as of November 11, 2011 after the match against Scotland.)
# Pos. Player Date of Birth (Age) Caps Goals Club 1 GK Antonis Georgallides 30 January 1982 42 0 Omonia16 GK Anastasios Kissas 18 January 1988 7 0 APOEL25 GK Christos Mastrou 30 January 1988 0 0 Anagennisi Dherynia2 DF Angelis Charalambous 31 May 1989 0 0 Ermis Aradippou4 DF Giorgos Merkis 30 July 1984 16 0 Apollon Limassol5 DF Valentinos Sielis 1 March 1990 3 0 Anorthosis Famagusta13 DF Stelios Parpas 25 July 1985 2 0 AEL Limassol22 DF Jason Demetriou 18 November 1987 13 0 AEK Larnaca6 MF Antonis Katsis 6 October 1989 1 0 Alki Larnaca7 MF Andreas Stavrou 27 October 1988 2 0 Apollon Limassol8 MF Athos Solomou 30 November 1985 6 0 APOEL10 MF Giorgos Vasiliou 12 June 1984 1 0 Aris Limassol15 MF Marios Nicolaou 4 October 1983 26 1 AEL Limassol17 MF Marinos Satsias 24 May 1978 62 0 APOEL18 MF Siniša Dobrašinović 17 February 1977 16 1 Alki Larnaca19 MF Nektarios Alexandrou 19 December 1983 17 0 APOEL20 MF Andreas Avraam 6 June 1987 25 5 Omonia23 MF Georgios Efrem 5 July 1989 14 0 Omonia9 FW Demetris Christofi 28 September 1988 22 3 Omonia14 FW Nestoras Mitidis 1 June 1991 5 0 AEK LarnacaRecent Callups
Pos. Player Date of Birth (Age) Caps Goals Club Latest Call-up GK Michalis Morfis 15 January 1979 22 0 PAEEKv. 
Romania, 9 February 2011GK Sofronis Avgousti 9 March 1977 11 0 Apollon Limassolv. 
Jordan, 16 November 2010DF Nikos Katsavakis 16 May 1979 1 0 Apollon Limassolv. Sweden, 8 February 2011DF Marios Elia 14 April 1979 49 2 APOELv. 
Moldova, 10 August 2011DF Alexandros Garpozis 5 September 1980 38 1 AEP Paphosv. 
Bulgaria, 29 March 2011DF Paraskevas Christou 2 February 1984 30 0 Alki Larnacav. Iceland, 6 September 2011DF Elias Charalambous 25 September 1980 49 0 Alki Larnacav. Denmark, 7 October 2011DF Savvas Poursaitidis 26 June 1976 12 0 APOELv. Denmark, 7 October 2011DF Giorgos Pelagias 10 May 1985 2 0 S.S. Barletta Calciov. Denmark, 7 October 2011MF Giorgos Panagi 3 November 1986 14 0 Alki Larnacav. Romania, 9 February 2011MF Chrysis Michael 26 May 1977 67 7 ENP Paralimiv. Moldova, 10 August 2011MF Kyriacos Pavlou 4 September 1986 9 0 AEK Larnacav. Denmark, 7 October 2011MF Constantinos Makrides 13 January 1982 56 3 Omoniav. Denmark, 7 October 2011MF Constantinos Charalambides 25 July 1981 64 11 APOELv. Denmark, 7 November 2011MF Georgios Tofas 17 June 1989 0 0 Anagennisi Dheryniav. 
Scotland, 11 October 2011MF Christos Marangos 9 May 1983 19 1 Anorthosis Famagustav. Scotland, 11 November 2011MF Efstathios Aloneftis 29 March 1983 44 8 Omoniav. Romania, 9 February 2011FW Ioannis Okkas 11 February 1977 106 27 Anorthosis Famagustav. Denmark, 7 October 2011FW Michalis Konstantinou 19 February 1978 82 32 Anorthosis Famagustav. Denmark, 7 October 2011Past Managers
- As of 10 June 2011.[3]
Name Career 
Nikos Nioplias2011–present Angelos Anastasiadis2004–2011 
Momčilo Vukotić2001–2004 Stavros Papadopoulos1999–2001 Panikos Georgiou1997–1999 Andreas Michaelides1991–1997 Panikos Iakovou1984–1991 Vassil Spasov1982–1984 Kostas Talianos1977–1982 Panikos Krystallis1976–1977 Pambos Avraamidis1972–1976 Sima Milovanov1972 Ray Wood1969–1971 Pambos Avraamidis1968–1969 Argyrios Gavalas1960–1967 
Gyula Zsengellér1958–1959 Player records
As of October 7, 2011
Most capped Cyprus players
# Name Debut Caps Goals Active? 1 Ioannis Okkas 1997 106 27 Yes 2 Pambos Pittas 1987 82 7 No 2 Michalis Konstantinou 1998 82 32 Yes 4 Nicos Panayiotou 1994 75 0 No 5 Giorgos Theodotou 1996 70 0 No Top Cyprus goalscorers
# Player Debut Caps Goals Active? 1 Michalis Konstantinou 1998 82 32 Yes 2 Ioannis Okkas 1997 106 27 Yes 3 Constantinos Charalambides 2003 64 11 Yes 4 Marios Agathokleous 1994 38 10 No 5 Efstathios Aloneftis 2005 46 9 Yes See here for top goal scorers per country.
Memorable Results
Date Tournament Place Match Score November 27, 1963 Friendly Nicosia, Cyprus Cyprus - 
Greece3 - 1 February 17, 1968 UEFA EURO 1968 qualifying Nicosia, Cyprus Cyprus - Switzerland2 - 1 May 13, 1979 UEFA EURO 1968 qualifying Limassol, Cyprus Cyprus - Romania1 - 1 February 14, 1973 1974 FIFA World Cup qualification Nicosia, Cyprus Cyprus - 
Northern Ireland1 - 0 February 12, 1983 UEFA EURO 1984 qualifying Limassol, Cyprus Cyprus - Italy1 - 1 March 27, 1983 UEFA EURO 1984 qualifying Nicosia, Cyprus Cyprus - 
Czechoslovakia1 - 1 April 12, 1987 UEFA EURO 1988 qualifying Gdansk, Poland Poland - Cyprus0 - 0 October 22, 1988 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification Nicosia, Cyprus Cyprus - France1 - 1 March 24, 1993 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification Limassol, Cyprus Cyprus - Czechoslovakia1 - 1 March 29, 1995 UEFA EURO 1996 qualifying Limassol, Cyprus Cyprus - Denmark1 - 1 November 15, 1995 UEFA EURO 1996 qualifying Limassol, Cyprus Cyprus - Belgium1 - 1 November 10, 1996 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification Limassol, Cyprus Cyprus - Israel2 - 0 March 29, 1997 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification Paralimni, Cyprus Cyprus - 
Russia1 - 1 September 5, 1998 UEFA EURO 2000 qualifying Larnaca, Cyprus Cyprus - Spain3 - 2 September 5, 1999 UEFA EURO 2000 qualifying Limassol, Cyprus Cyprus - Israel3 - 2 February 6, 2000 Friendly Nicosia, Cyprus Cyprus - Romania3 - 2 November 15, 2000 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification Limassol, Cyprus Cyprus - Andorra5 - 0 February 28, 2001 Friendly Larnaca, Cyprus Cyprus - Ukraine4 - 3 November 14, 2001 Friendly Athens, Greece Greece - Cyprus1 - 2 October 11, 2003 UEFA EURO 2004 qualifying Limassol, Cyprus Cyprus - 
Slovenia2 - 2 August 18, 2004 Friendly Limassol, Cyprus Cyprus - 
Albania2 - 1 October 7, 2006 UEFA EURO 2008 qualifying Nicosia, Cyprus Cyprus - 
Republic of Ireland5 - 2 November 15, 2006 UEFA EURO 2008 qualifying Nicosia, Cyprus Cyprus - Germany1 - 1 October 13, 2007 UEFA EURO 2008 qualifying Nicosia, Cyprus Cyprus - 
Wales3 - 1 October 17, 2007 UEFA EURO 2008 qualifying Dublin, Ireland Republic of Ireland - Cyprus1 - 1 February 6, 2008 Friendly Nicosia, Cyprus Cyprus - Ukraine1 - 1 October 11, 2008 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification Tbilisi, Georgia 
Georgia - Cyprus1 - 1 February 11, 2009 Friendly Nicosia, Cyprus Cyprus - 
Slovakia3 - 2 March 28, 2009 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification Larnaca, Cyprus Cyprus - Georgia2 - 1 September 9, 2009 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification Podgorica, Montenegro 
Montenegro - Cyprus1 - 1 October 11, 2009 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification Larnaca, Cyprus Cyprus - Bulgaria4 - 1 September 3, 2010 UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying Guimarães, Portugal Portugal - Cyprus4 - 4 References
- ^ "Danmark mod Portugal i EM-kvalifikation" (in Danish). Danish FA. 7 February 2010. http://dbu.dk/news/newsShow.aspx?id=252751. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
- ^ "Fixtures draw completes qualifying schedule". UEFA.com (Union of European Football Associations). 25 March 2010. http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro2012/news/newsid=1467876.html. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
- ^ RSSSF - Cyprus National Team Coaches
External links
- RSSSF archive of results 1949-
- RSSSF archive of most capped players and highest goalscorers
- RSSSF archive of coaches 1929-
- Cyprus national football team
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