Tanzania's national football team: players, coach, world rankings and nickname

Tanzania's national football team: players, coach, world rankings and nickname

Sospeter Itolondo
updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:54 PM

Dig into facts about Tanzania's national football team, their players, current coach, current world rankings and their nickname. The East African giants have had an elusive AFCON run but have had a hand in the CECAFA tournament. They have never qualified for the World Cup. So come with us as we learn more about their national team.

Tanzania's national football team
Photo: canva.com (modified by author)
Source: UGC

The East African team has had two appearances in AFCON, which ended at the group stage. However, they have won the CECAFA championship three times, which is impressive. Most of their players play in the country's domestic league.

Profile Summary

  • Full name: Tanzania National Football Team
  • Nickname: Taifa Stars
  • Managed by: Tanzania Football Federation
  • Founded: 1945
  • Colours: Blue, Yellow, white
  • Federation: CAF
  • Head coach: Kim Poulsen
  • Captain: Mbwana Samatta
  • Most caps: Erasto Nyoni( 103)
  • Top scorer: Mrisho Ngasa( 25)
  • FIFA ranking: 131 (as of December 2021)
  • World cup appearance: Never Qualified
  • Stadium: Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium

Tanzania national football team

They are one of the most successful East African nations. They have won two CECAFA trophies so far. The trophy is for East African and Central African nations only. Their squad is a mixture of young and experienced players, bringing a balance.

Tanzania national football team players

The national football team consists of 24 players. The team has three goalkeepers, sixteen defenders, twenty-two midfielders and seventeen forwards. The players are:

  • The goalkeepers are Kaseja Juma, Manula Aishi and Mnata Metacha,
  • The left-backs are Husseini Mohamed, Kibabage Nickson and Manyama Edward Charles,
  • The right-backs are Kapombe Shomari, and Mwenda Israel,
  • The centre backs are Juma Kennedy, Kirenge Kalos, Masai Oscar, Nondo Bakari and Yondani Kelvin,
  • Other defenders are Bajana Sospeter, Job Dickson, Mangalo Abdulmajid, Masoud Hance and Salumu Yassin Mustapha,
  • The attacking midfielders are Kikoti Lucas, Lyanga Ayoub, Mauya Zawadi, Mkandala Cleophace, and Yassini Mzamiru,
  • The defensive midfielders are Miroshi Novatus, Miami Himid Mao, Mkude Jonas, Nyoni Erasto and Yahya Mudathir,
  • The centre midfielders are Ndemla Saidi and Salum Feisal,
  • Other midfielders are Abubakar Salum, Juma Rashid, Majogoro Baraka, Mhilu Yusufu, Mohamed Abdurazak, Mwakasugule Reliants, Nado Iddy, Nashon Kelvin and Simba Tariq,
  • The forwards are Adam Adam Omar, Bocco John, Chilunda Shaaban Idd, Denisi Kibu, Dilunga Hassan Saleh, Msuva Simon, Mussa Faridi Malik, Nchimbi Ditram, Samatta Mbwana Aly, Ulimwengu Thomas, Abraham Meshack, Jabir Anuary, John Kelvin, Mayanga Vitalis, Nkane Denis, Othmani Rajab and Sopu Abdul.

Their average age is 25 years. Their captain is Mbwana Samatta.

Tanzania national football team players, coach, world rankings and nickname
Stefan of Tanzania fighting for the ball against Brazil's Kaka during a friendly match in 2010 at Benjamin Mkapa national stadium. Photo: Tony Karumba
Source: Getty Images

Tanzania's national football team roster

The team roster includes:

  • The left-backs are Husseini Mohamed, Kibabage Nickson and Manyama Edward Charles,
  • The right-backs are Kapombe Shomari, and Mwenda Israel,
  • The centre backs are Juma Kennedy, Kirenge Kalos, Masai Oscar, Nondo Bakari and Yondani Kelvin,
  • Other defenders are Bajana Sospeter, Job Dickson, Mangalo Abdulmajid, Masoud Hance and Salumu Yassin Mustapha,
  • The attacking midfielders are Kikoti Lucas, Lyanga Ayoub, Mauya Zawadi, Mkandala Cleophace, and Yassini Mzamiru,
  • The defensive midfielders are Miroshi Novatus, Miami Himid Mao, Mkude Jonas, Nyoni Erasto and Yahya Mudathir,
  • The centre midfielders are Ndemla Saidi and Salum Feisal,
  • Other midfielders are Abubakar Salum, Juma Rashid, Majogoro Baraka, Mhilu Yusufu, Mohamed Abdurazak, Mwakasugule Reliants, Nado Iddy, Nashon Kelvin and Simba Tariq,
  • The forwards are Adam Adam Omar, Bocco John, Chilunda Shaaban Idd, Denisi Kibu, Dilunga Hassan Saleh, Msuva Simon, Mussa Faridi Malik, Nchimbi Ditram, Samatta Mbwana Aly, Ulimwengu Thomas, Abraham Meshack, Jabir Anuary, John Kelvin, Mayanga Vitalis, Nkane Denis, Othmani Rajab and Sopu Abdul.

Their captain is Mbwana Samatta. Their coach is Kim Poulsen.

Tanzania's national football team ranking

They are ranked at number 131 as of January 2022. Their highest ever ranking was 65 in 1995. Their lowest ever rank was 175 in 2005.

Tanzania's national football team in AFCON

They have qualified for the AFCON only twice, in 1980 and 2019. They were knocked out in the group stages in both editions. Unfortunately, they did not make it to AFCON 2022.

Tanzania's national football team captain

Their captain is Mbwanna Samatta. He has played for various teams, from their domestic league to top flight European clubs. He currently plays for Royal Antwerp in Belgium's Jupiter Pro League. Mbwabba Samatta's net worth is estimated to be $1 million and he was born on Dec 23rd 1992, in Tanzania.

Tanzania's national football team coach

Their coach is Kim Poulsen, born on Mar 22nd 1959 in Sonderborg, Denmark. He was appointed head coach in 2021. In a statement, the Tanzanian Football Federation said,

"The Tanzania Football Federation has appointed Danish Kim Poulsen, a Danish national, as the head coach of the national team (Taifa Stars)."

He was tasked with making sure Tanzania qualified for AFCON 2022 and the 2022 WorldCup in Qatar. But, unfortunately, they did not qualify for AFCON.

Tanzania's national football team world rankings

They are ranked 131st as of January 2022.

Tanzania's national football team trophies

They have won the CECAFA cup three times in 1974, 1994 and 2010.

Tanzania's national football team nickname

Their nickname is Taifa stars.

Tanzania national football team Twitter

Their Twitter account is @Tanfootball. At the time of writing, they follow only 151 people and have 451 thousand followers.

Tanzania national football team jersey

Their first colours are a blue shirt and black shorts with black socks. The second colours are a yellow shirt and blue shorts with blue socks. They also have a full white third jersey.

Tanzania national football team
Tanzania national football team players celebrating a goal against Ivory Coast in 2009 in CHAN 2009. Photo: Issouf Sanogo
Source: Getty Images

Tanzania's national football team World Cup qualifiers

They have never qualified for the World Cup. They were knocked out of the World Cup qualifiers in the second round.

Tanzania's national football team is definitely on its way to greatness in the near future. Given its young squad, they have made strides in different editions of tournaments. They hope to qualify for the next edition of AFCON and the world cup.

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Sospeter Itolondo
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