Comoros national football team squad, coach, world rankings, AFCON, nickname

Shock and disbelief greeted many worldwide when Comoros national football team qualified for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. Some barely knew of the country's existence, while others wondered how a country with a population of less than a million people could assemble a squad to participate in Africa's top competition.

Where is Comoros located? What is its population? Comoros is a collection of islands located in the Indian Ocean, at the northern end of Mozambique between Madagascar and the east coast of Africa near Tanzania. Its capital city is Moroni. The country has a population of 812,000 as of 2021. So, what is the story behind the country's rise to football prominence?

Profile summary

• Full name: Comoros national football team
• Nickname: Les Coelacantes (The Coelacanths)
• Founded: 1979
• FIFA entry: 2005
• Confederation: CAF
• Federation: Fédération de Football des Comores (FFC)
• Arena/Stadium: Stade international Saïd Mohamed Cheikh
• Coach: Amir Abdou
• Captain: Jimmy Abdou
• FIFA ranking: 132 (as of December 2021)

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Football

History

How old is Comoros national football team? The country's football federation was founded in 1979. It became a member of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) in 2005. It is also a member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) since 2000, as well as the Union des Associations de Football Arabe (UAFA), the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) and the Union of Indian Ocean Football Federations (UFFOI).

Comoros national football team nickname

The team is nicknamed Les Coelacantes (The Coelacanths), a rare species of fish primarily found near the Comoro Islands.

The Coelacanth started playing in 1979, featuring in the Indian Ocean Island Games. The team played its first World Cup qualifiers on 14 October 2007 against Madagascar but lost 10-2 in the preliminary round match. Comoros also started featuring in the Council of Southern Africa Football Association (COSAFA) tournament, Afcon qualifiers and international friendly games.

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Football

Dream comes true!

The Comoros national football team Afcon dream finally came true after the country booked a slot in the tournament for the first time in their history.

The team edged out Kenya's Harambee Stars and Togo to finish second and clinch a ticket to Cameroon.

Comoros national football team squad

Many football fans can hardly mention one or two players of the Coelacanths. Some ply their trade in the French leagues, while others play in local clubs. Here is a list of players representing the African island.

Goalkeepers

• Salim Ben Boina – US Marseille Endoum
• Moyadh Ousseni – Fréjus-Saint-Raphaël
• Ali Ahamada

Defenders

• Younn Zahary (centre-back) – SO Cholet
• Kassim M'Dahoma (centre-back) – US Avranches
• Alexis Souahy (centre-back) – New Mexico United
• Chaker Alhadhur (left-back) – AC Ajaccio
• Benjaloud Youssouf (right-back) – LB Châteauroux
• Mohamed Youssouf (right-back) – AC Ajaccio
• Mohamed Abdallah (right-back) – FC Stade-Lausanne-Ouchy
• Kassim Abdallah (right-back) – Marignane Gignac
• Kassim Ahamada (right-back)

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Football

Midfielders

• Fouad Bachirou (defensive midfield) – Omonia Nicosia
• Yacine Bourhane (defensive midfield) – Go Ahead Eagles
• Rafidine Abdullah (defensive midfield) – FC Stade-Lausanne-Ouchy
• Nakibou Aboubakari (defensive midfield) – Football Club Fleury 91
• Iyad Mohamed (defensive midfield) – AJ Auxerre
• Youssouf M'Changama (central midfield) – EA Guingamp
• Nadjim Abdou (central midfield) – FC Martigues

Forwards

• Faïz Selemani (left-winger) – KV Kortrijk
• Saïd Bakari (left-winger) – RKC Waalwijk
• Ahmed Mogni (left-Winger) – Annecy FC
• Ali M'Madi (left winger) – SAS Epinal
• El Fardou Ben (right-winger) – Red Star Belgrade
• Mohamed M'Changama (striker) – FC Nouadhibou
• Faiz Mattoir (centre-forward) – SO Cholet
• Moussa Djoumoi (centre-forward) – AS Saint-Priest
• Ibroihim Youssouf (centre-forward) – TS Sporting FC

Comoros national football team captain

FC Martigues midfielder, Nadjim Abdou, is currently the captain of his national team. Nadjim, commonly referred to as Jimmy, was born on 13 July 1984 in France. He has represented the Coelacanths in several international matches. Jimmy has also played for Sedan, Plymouth Argyle, Millwall and AFC Wimbledon.

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Comoros national football team coach

Amir Abdou is the current coach of the Coelacanths. Comoros appointed the Marseille-born manager in January 2014 to stir the team to the limelight. According to recent Comoros national football team results, it is clear the coach has lived up to expectations, perhaps even beyond after qualifying for Afcon.

Comoros national football team world rankings

According to the latest FIFA ranking, the Coelacanths is placed in position 132 globally. In Africa, the country ranks 38th.

The Comoros national football team may still be lower in the rankings, but recent developments prove that they are on an upward trajectory of making history in the beautiful game.

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