Latvia national football team

The Latvian national football team is the national football team of the Republic of Latvia.

History

The Latvian football's governing body is called Latvijas Futbola Federacija and was founded in 1921. The country took part in the 2004 European Championships for the first time at a European Championship. At the World Championships in Latvia has never been represented. Latvia is therefore the only country that could indeed qualify for a European Championship, but never for a world championship. The most important tournament for Latvia has been the Baltic Cup.

Aleksandrs Starkovs was until 2004 and since 2007 the coach of the national team of Latvia.

In the FIFA world rankings, the Latvian national football team occupies the 78th place (as of March 2012).

Participation of Latvia in the European Football Championship

Latvia adopted after emerging from the Soviet Union for the first time in the qualifiers for Euro 1996, and in part so far was able to even qualify for a final. Since the Latvian football in the Soviet Union did not matter, no Latvian players came in the national football team of the USSR for use.

Latvia's participation in the World Cup

In qualifying for the World Cup in Brazil Latvia meets Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, and Slovakia, but could not qualify. By a 0-1 against Greece at the third last round of the distance to the second-placed Greeks was too large.

Squad

Most games

Vitālijs Astafjevs solved on 2 February 2000 in his 64th international game the pre-war record holder Ēriks Pētersons from which they maintained 63 games 1929-1939. Astafjevs is also since November 14, 2009 European record holder when he Estonians Martin Reim replaced with his 158th international match. Worldwide, only four players have played more international matches, this Astafjevs has never participated in the World Cup finals.

As of November 19, 2013

Scorer

Māris Verpakovskis is since October 10, 2009 Top scorer when he against Greece with his 25th goal surpassed the pre-war record of Ēriks Pētersons at 2:5 in World Cup qualifier.

Sources: Latvia - Record International Players, PLAYERS for Latvia, National Team Appearances list, lff.lv: Current squad

As of September 10, 2013