Nickname(s) | La Azul y Blanco (The Blue and White) Los Pinoleros (The Pinoleros) | ||
---|---|---|---|
Association | Federación Nicaragüense de Fútbol (FENIFUT) | ||
Confederation | CONCACAF (North America) | ||
Sub-confederation | UNCAF (Central America) | ||
Head coach | Marco Antonio Figueroa | ||
Captain | Juan Barrera | ||
Most caps | Josué Quijano (99) | ||
Top scorer | Juan Barrera (25) | ||
Home stadium | Estadio Nacional de Fútbol | ||
FIFA code | NCA | ||
| |||
FIFA ranking | |||
Current | 132 1 (24 October 2024)[1] | ||
Highest | 92 (December 2015) | ||
Lowest | 193 (May 2001) | ||
First international | |||
El Salvador 9–0 Nicaragua (San Salvador, El Salvador; 1 May 1929) | |||
Biggest win | |||
Turks and Caicos Islands 0–7 Nicaragua (San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic; 27 March 2021) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
Honduras 10–0 Nicaragua (San José, Costa Rica; 13 March 1946) Curaçao 11–1 Nicaragua (Guatemala City, Guatemala; 2 March 1950) | |||
CONCACAF Championship / Gold Cup | |||
Appearances | 5 (first in 1963) | ||
Best result | Sixth place (1967) | ||
Medal record |
The Nicaragua national football team (Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Nicaragua) represents Nicaragua in men's international football and is controlled by the Nicaraguan Football Federation. Nicaragua achieved their first qualification into a major international competition in 2009, as they qualified for the 2009 Gold Cup as the last entrant from Central America, after a 2–0 victory against Guatemala in the fifth place match in the 2009 Nations Cup.[3] However, the team has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup.
Due to American influence throughout the country's history, baseball has more of a following as both a pursuit and spectator event in Nicaragua than football.
Nicaragua traveled to El Salvador for their first ever international, losing 9–0 to the hosts on 1 May 1929. They did not play another match for over twelve years, until the qualifying group for the 1941 CCCF Championship in Costa Rica. They lost all 4 games: 7–2 to the hosts Costa Rica on 10 May, 8–0 to El Salvador on 13 May, 9–1 to the Netherlands Antilles on 15 May and 5–2 to Panama on 18 May. Therefore, Nicaragua finished bottom of the group and did not make the final group.[4]
After qualifying for the 2019 Gold Cup on the back of finishing ninth in Nations League qualifying, they would go on to finish bottom of the group with losses to Costa Rica, Haiti and Bermuda.[5]
Nicaragua qualified directly for the 2023 Gold Cup and was promoted to Nations League A as group winners in Nations League B but was disqualified on 12 June 2023 for fielding an ineligible player. As a result, they were replaced in the Gold Cup and League A by Trinidad and Tobago, who was the best second-place team overall in League B and must stay in Nations League B.[6]
Kit supplier | Period |
---|---|
Joma | 2004–2021 |
Keuka | 2022–2024 |
Orion | 2024- Present |
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
22 March Friendly | Peru | 2–0 | Nicaragua | Lima, Peru |
20:30 UTC−5 | Report | Stadium: Estadio Alejandro Villanueva Referee: Paulo Cesar Zanovelli da Silva (Brazil) |
26 March Friendly | Nicaragua | 0–1 | Cuba | Managua, Nicaragua |
19:00 UTC−6 | Report |
|
Stadium: Nicaragua National Football Stadium Referee: Ricardo Mendoza (Nicaragua) |
26 May Friendly | Guatemala | 1–1 | Nicaragua | San Jose, United States |
17:00 UTC−7 |
|
Report | Stadium: PayPal Park Referee: Jon Freemon (United States) |
5 June 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification | Nicaragua | 4–1 | Montserrat | Managua, Nicaragua |
20:00 UTC−6 | Report |
|
Stadium: Estadio Nacional de Fútbol Attendance: 14,320 Referee: Tori Penso (United States) |
8 June 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification | Belize | 0–4 | Nicaragua | Belmopan, Belize |
18:00 UTC−6 | Report | Stadium: FFB Field Referee: Bryan López (Guatemala) |
6 September 2024–25 Nations League | French Guiana | 0–1 | Nicaragua | Remire-Montjoly, French Guiana |
16:00 UTC−3 | Report |
|
Stadium: Stade Municipal Dr. Edmard Lama Attendance: 450 Referee: Julio Luna (Guatemala) |
10 September 2024–25 Nations League | Cuba | 1–1 | Nicaragua | Santiago de Cuba, Cuba |
16:00 UTC−4 | Report |
|
Stadium: Estadio Antonio Maceo Attendance: 3,565 Referee: Pierre-Luc Lauzière (Canada) |
10 October 2024–25 Nations League | Nicaragua | 0–2 | Jamaica | Managua, Nicaragua |
20:00 UTC−6 | Report | Stadium: Estadio Nacional de Fútbol Attendance: 16,630 Referee: Mario Escobar (Guatemala) |
14 October 2024–25 Nations League | Nicaragua | 3–2 | French Guiana | Managua, Nicaragua |
19:00 UTC−6 | Report | Stadium: Estadio Nacional de Fútbol Referee: Iván Barton (El Salvador) |
March 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification | Guadeloupe | v | Nicaragua | Guadeloupe |
March 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification | Nicaragua | v | Guadeloupe | Nicaragua |
6 June 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification | Nicaragua | v | Guyana | Nicaragua |
--:-- UTC−6 |
10 June 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification | Panama | v | Nicaragua | Panama |
--:-- UTC−5 |
Position | Name |
---|---|
Head coach | Marco Antonio Figueroa |
Technical director | Roger Rodriguez |
Assistant coach | Tyron Acevedo |
Goalkeeping coach | Carlos Mendieta |
Physical coordinator | Jaime Ruiz |
Doctor | Dr. Cupertino Borrell |
Physiotherapist | Zamir Cerna |
Team coordinator | Cesar Castro Trinidad |
Team coordinator | Nestor Díaz |
The following players were called up to the squad for 2024–25 CONCACAF Nations League matches against Jamaica and French Guiana on 10 and 14 October 2024.[7]
Caps and goals correct as of 14 October 2024, after the match against French Guiana.
The following players have been called up for the team in the last twelve months.
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GK | César Salandia | 13 June 2004 | 5 | 0 | Real Estelí | v. Cuba, 10 September 2024 |
DF | Pablo Rodríguez | 4 June 2000 | 1 | 0 | Managua | v. Belize, 8 June 2024 |
DF | Evert Martínez | 8 March 2002 | 1 | 0 | Real Estelí | v. Cuba, 26 March 2024 |
DF | Melvin Hernández | 26 April 1994 | 12 | 0 | UNAN Managua | v. Dominican Republic, 21 November 2023 |
DF | Jeffrey Chávez | 10 February 1997 | 1 | 0 | Municipal Liberia | v. Dominican Republic, 21 November 2023 |
DF | Cristhiam Quinto | 17 January 2001 | 0 | 0 | Managua | v. Dominican Republic, 21 November 2023 |
MF | Jonathan Moncada | 3 January 1998 | 16 | 0 | Diriangén | v. Cuba, 10 September 2024 |
MF | Nextaly Rodríguez | 3 March 1998 | 10 | 1 | AD Municipal Liberia | v. Cuba, 10 September 2024 |
MF | Kevin Serapio | 9 April 1996 | 28 | 1 | Managua | v. Belize, 8 June 2024 |
MF | Jeremy Cuarezma | 28 May 2000 | 2 | 0 | Managua | v. Montserrat, 6 June 2024 |
FW | Luis Fernando Coronel | 25 February 1997 | 18 | 3 | Diriangén | v. Cuba, 10 September 2024 |
FW | Abner Acuña | 5 March 1997 | 11 | 0 | Managua FC | v. Cuba, 10 September 2024 |
FW | Brayan López | 3 June 1990 | 11 | 0 | Puntarenas | v. Cuba, 26 March 2024 |
FW | Anderson Treminio | 17 April 1997 | 8 | 0 | Real Santa Cruz | v. Cuba, 26 March 2024 |
FW | Ariagner Smith | 13 December 1998 | 20 | 7 | FK Panevėžys | v. Dominican Republic, 21 November 2023 |
INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury. |
Rank | Player | Caps | Goals | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Josué Quijano | 99 | 3 | 2011–present |
2 | Juan Barrera | 93 | 26 | 2009–present |
3 | Manuel Rosas | 60 | 2 | 2013–2022 |
4 | David Solórzano | 49 | 1 | 1999–2014 |
5 | Carlos Chavarría | 44 | 11 | 2013–2021 |
6 | Jaime Moreno | 42 | 13 | 2016–present |
7 | Marlon López | 40 | 0 | 2014–2020 |
8 | Luis Copete | 39 | 3 | 2014–2023 |
Denis Espinoza | 39 | 1 | 2004–2021 | |
10 | Carlos Alonso | 37 | 0 | 1999–2011 |
Marvin Fletes | 37 | 2 | 2019–present |
Rank | Player | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Juan Barrera | 26 | 93 | 0.28 | 2009–present |
2 | Jaime Moreno | 13 | 42 | 0.31 | 2016–present |
3 | Emilio Palacios | 11 | 26 | 0.42 | 2001–2009 |
Carlos Chavarría | 11 | 44 | 0.25 | 2013–2021 | |
5 | Raúl Leguías | 8 | 23 | 0.35 | 2011–2016 |
6 | Ariagner Smith | 7 | 20 | 0.35 | 2017–present |
Matías Moldskred | 7 | 29 | 0.24 | 2021–present | |
8 | Byron Bonilla | 6 | 35 | 0.17 | 2016–present |
Luis Galeano | 6 | 35 | 0.17 | 2015–2022 | |
10 | Jacob Montes | 4 | 11 | 0.36 | 2023–present |
Rudel Calero | 4 | 26 | 0.15 | 2001–2011 | |
Samuel Wilson | 4 | 29 | 0.14 | 2001–2013 |
The Nicaragua national football team has never qualified for the World Cup. Their latest attempt was for the 2022 World Cup, when the side failed to advance from the first round.
FIFA World Cup record | Qualification record | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
1930 | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | |||||||||||||
1934 | |||||||||||||||
1938 | |||||||||||||||
1950 | Did not enter | Declined participation | |||||||||||||
1954 | |||||||||||||||
1958 | |||||||||||||||
1962 | |||||||||||||||
1966 | |||||||||||||||
1970 | |||||||||||||||
1974 | |||||||||||||||
1978 | |||||||||||||||
1982 | |||||||||||||||
1986 | |||||||||||||||
1990 | |||||||||||||||
1994 | Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 10 | ||||||||
1998 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||
2002 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 10 | |||||||||
2006 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | |||||||||
2010 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | |||||||||
2014 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 7 | |||||||||
2018 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 5 | |||||||||
2022 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 1 | |||||||||
2026 | Qualification in progress | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | ||||||||
2030 | To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||
2034 | |||||||||||||||
Total | – | 0/19 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 27 | 11 | 1 | 15 | 43 | 46 |
CONCACAF Championship & Gold Cup record | Qualification record | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Squad | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
1963 | Group stage | 8th | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 15 | Squad | Qualified automatically | ||||||
1965 | Did not qualify | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | |||||||||
1967 | Sixth place | 6th | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 12 | Squad | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | |
1969 | Did not enter | Did not enter | ||||||||||||||
1971 | Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |||||||||
1973 | Did not enter | Did not enter | ||||||||||||||
1977 | ||||||||||||||||
1981 | ||||||||||||||||
1985 | ||||||||||||||||
1989 | ||||||||||||||||
1991 | Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | |||||||||
1993 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | ||||||||||
1996 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | ||||||||||
1998 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 11 | ||||||||||
2000 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | ||||||||||
2002 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 19 | ||||||||||
2003 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 11 | ||||||||||
2005 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 9 | ||||||||||
2007 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 14 | ||||||||||
2009 | Group stage | 11th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | Squad | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | |
2011 | Did not qualify | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 7 | |||||||||
2013 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | ||||||||||
2015 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | ||||||||||
2017 | Group stage | 10th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7 | Squad | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 9 | |
2019 | 15th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | Squad | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 2 | ||
2021 | Did not qualify | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 11 | |||||||||
2023 | Disqualified[6] | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 5 | |||||||||
Total | Sixth place | 5/27 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 6 | 50 | — | 68 | 17 | 8 | 43 | 74 | 149 |
CONCACAF Nations League record | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
League | Finals | |||||||||||||||||||
Season | Division | Group | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | P/R | Year | Result | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad | ||
2019–20 | B | D | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 2021 | Ineligible | ||||||||||
2022–23 | B | C | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 5 | 2023 | |||||||||||
2023–24 | B | B | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 2024 | |||||||||||
2024–25 | A | B | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 2025 | Did not qualify | ||||||||||
Total | — | — | 22 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 46 | 22 | — | Total | 0 Titles | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Copa Centroamericana record | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
1991 | Preliminary round | 5th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | |
1993 | Preliminary round | 5th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | |
1995 | Preliminary round | 7th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | |
1997 | First round | 6th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 11 | |
1999 | First round | 5th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
2001 | First round | 7th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 19 | |
2003 | Sixth place | 6th | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 11 | |
2005 | Fifth place | 5th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 9 | |
2007 | Sixth place | 6th | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 14 | |
2009 | Fifth place | 5th | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | |
2011 | Sixth place | 6th | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 7 | |
2013 | Seventh place | 7th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | |
2014 | Sixth place | 6th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | |
2017 | Fifth place | 5th | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | |
Total | Fifth place | 14/14 | 44 | 5 | 5 | 34 | 29 | 116 |
CCCF Championship record | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
1941 | Fifth place | 5th | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 29 | |
1943 | Fourth place | 4th | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 39 | |
1946 | Sixth place | 6th | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 31 | |
1948 | Did not enter | ||||||||
1951 | Third place | 3rd | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 22 | |
1953 | Sixth place | 6th | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 18 | |
1955 | Did not enter | ||||||||
1957 | |||||||||
1960 | |||||||||
1961 | Ninth place | 9th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 18 | |
Total | Third place | 6/10 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 28 | 157 |
Pan American Games record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
1951 | Did not enter | |||||||
1955 | ||||||||
1959 | ||||||||
1963 | ||||||||
1967 | ||||||||
1971 | ||||||||
1975 | Preliminary round | 13th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 23 |
1979 | Did not enter | |||||||
1983 | ||||||||
1987 | ||||||||
1991 | Preliminary round | 8th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 20 |
1995 | Did not qualify | |||||||
1999 | ||||||||
2003 | ||||||||
2007 | ||||||||
2011 | ||||||||
2015 | ||||||||
2019 | ||||||||
2023 | ||||||||
Total | Preliminary round | 2/19 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 43 |
Central American and Caribbean Games record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
1930 | Did not qualify | |||||||
1935 | ||||||||
1938 | ||||||||
1946 | ||||||||
1950 | Group stage | 8th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 19 |
1954 | Did not qualify | |||||||
1959 | ||||||||
1962 | ||||||||
1966 | ||||||||
1970 | ||||||||
1974 | ||||||||
1978 | ||||||||
1982 | Group stage | 7th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
1986 | Did not qualify | |||||||
1990 | ||||||||
1993 | ||||||||
1998 | Quarter-finals | 8th | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
2002 | Quarter-finals | 8th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
2006 | Did not qualify | |||||||
2010 | ||||||||
2014 | ||||||||
2018 | ||||||||
Total | Quarter-finals | 4/22 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 45 |
As of 14 October 2024 after the match against French Guiana.[9]
Positive Record Neutral Record Negative Record
Opponents | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anguilla | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | +14 |
Argentina | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | −4 |
Bahamas | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | +6 |
Barbados | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 2 | +8 |
Belize | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 24 | 14 | +10 |
Bermuda | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 7 | −2 |
Bolivia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | −2 |
Canada | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 |
Cayman Islands | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 |
Colombia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 7 | −5 |
Costa Rica | 19 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 10 | 72 | −62 |
Cuba | 15 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 17 | 26 | −9 |
Curaçao[a] | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 34 | −31 |
Dominica | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | +9 |
Dominican Republic | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | −2 |
El Salvador | 31 | 1 | 3 | 27 | 21 | 120 | −99 |
French Guiana | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 |
Ghana | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 |
Guadeloupe | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | −2 |
Guatemala | 28 | 2 | 5 | 21 | 18 | 74 | −56 |
Haiti | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 16 | −7 |
Honduras | 25 | 1 | 3 | 21 | 16 | 80 | −64 |
Iran | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 |
Jamaica | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | −3 |
Martinique | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | −4 |
Mexico | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 10 | −9 |
Montserrat | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | +9 |
Panama | 28 | 5 | 1 | 22 | 26 | 79 | −53 |
Paraguay | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | −2 |
Peru | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | −2 |
Puerto Rico | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 6 | +3 |
Qatar | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 11 | +1 |
Suriname | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 11 | −5 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 12 | −5 |
Turks and Caicos Islands | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | +7 |
United States | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | −3 |
Uruguay | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | −3 |
Venezuela | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Total (40) | 255 | 54 | 35 | 166 | 263 | 629 | −366 |