Players from the Mali national squad
warm up before the Mali-Lithuania friendly at Stade de Marville -
La Courneuve (France), 6 February 2007.
The
Mali national football
team, nicknamed Les Aigles (The Eagles), is
the national team of Mali
and is
controlled by the Fédération Malienne de
Football. They have never qualified for the
World Cup finals in
South Africa 2010.
History
Despite not playing their first actual World Cup qualifier until
2000, Mali has a long and colourful football history.
In 1972, a team containing stars like Kidian Diallo as well as
Salif Keita,
Fantamady Keita and Bako Toure (all three
either played or would play top-flight football in France) reached
the African Nations Cup final but lost 3-2 to Congo.
Further appearances in the Nations Cup eluded them until 1994, but
noteworthy stars of the 70s and 80s included Drissa "Poker" Traore,
Gaoussou Samaké,
Mohamed Djila and
Abdoulaye Kaloga.
In 1994, a side containing goalkeeper
Osumane Farota (who was voted the
tournament's outstanding goalkeeper) and midfielder Pathé Diallo
stunned hosts Tunisia in their opening match and went on to reach
the semi-finals.
Since 2002, Mali has re-emerged as a significant force in African
football, but Nations Cup success and World Cup qualification has
eluded them so far.
In March
2005, riots broke out in Bamako
after Mali
lost a World Cup qualifier to Togo, 2-1 on a last minute
goal.
Mali Football Achievements
- Amilcar Cabral Cup
:
- :*3 Times Champion (1989, 1997, 2007)
- :*4 Times Runners-up
World Cup record
African Nations Cup record
Current squad
The following players were called for the
2010 FIFA World Cup
qualifyier against
Ghana on
November 14 2009.
Recent call ups
References
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