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Timor-Leste national football team
Men's national association football team representing Timor-Leste From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Timor-Leste national football team (Portuguese: Seleção Timorense de Futebol) represents Timor-Leste in the senior men's international football. It is organised by the Federação de Futebol de Timor-Leste (FFTL) which is affiliated with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the regional ASEAN Football Federation (AFF).. They became a member of FIFA on 12 September 2005.[3] The team's traditional home kit is primarily faded red, often paired with black shorts and sometimes accented with yellow trim. Timor-Leste are colloquially known as "Lafaek" also known as 'The Crocodiles', an animal of prominent symbolic nature to the country.
Timor-Leste's international debut was in the preliminary round of the 2004 AFC Asian Cup qualification in March 2003, when they lost 3–2 to Sri Lanka and 3–0 to Chinese Taipei.[4] Timor-Leste won their first international match on 5 October 2012 against Cambodia with a score of 5–1.[5]
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History
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Early history (2003–2017)
Football was established in East Timor during the Portuguese colonial era, when many of the locals and the Portuguese officials played amateur football. After Portugal ended its colonial rule, Indonesia invaded and occupied the island, which resulted in a long running battle against Jakarta-led forces. Timor-Leste eventually gained independence from Indonesia in 2002.
The East Timor Football Federation was accepted as an associate member of AFC at the 20th AFC Congress in 2002. Their international debut came in March 2003 when they participated in the 2004 AFC Asian Cup qualification campaign for the 2004 AFC Asian Cup in China. Given their history, it was no surprise that they crashed out with defeats against the likes of Sri Lanka and Chinese Taipei. They then entered the regional competition for the first time in 2004 as they played in the 2004 AFF Championship as an invited member. They finished in last place, showing that they had a long way to go before they could compete even on the regional stage.
They again had no success in the 2007 AFF Championship qualification, with four heavy losses, including a 7–0 trouncing by the Philippines. The following year in the 2008 AFF Championship qualification, Timor-Leste surprisingly drew against Cambodia; this feat was reported in international news.
First win
In the 2012 AFF Championship qualification, the country's football federation (FFTL) reportedly selected their foreign based players, who played in Brazil, Portugal, Australia and elsewhere, to fortify the team as they also did at the 2011 SEA Games.[6]
On 5 October 2012, Timor-Leste won their first international match in a 5–1 victory against Cambodia with goals coming from Murilo de Almeida who scored a brace, Adelino Trindade and Alan Leandro.[7] On 9 October 2012, the team won another match against Laos in the qualification round as Murilo de Almeida scored a penalty at 43' minutes of the first half of the match. Later Adelino Trindade extended the Timorese advantage with a header early in the second half and then Alan Leandro added the third goal on the 83rd minute.[8] After winning the second match against Laos, head coach Emerson Alcântara stated "This is a win for the people of East Timor. They had to wait a long time for our team to win their first match in this competition but now we have two wins and this was an important victory for Timor-Leste. "I think that about 70 percent of people in Timor Leste are poor so it is very important to get this result for them because they love football and the people can get confidence and take pride in this result. It is very important for us to motivate our people and to help to change their lives."[9] With a win needed in the final fixture, Timor-Leste subsequently lost to Brunei 2–1 and finished in third place in the group, one point away from runners-up of the group, Laos as they went on to qualify for the 2012 AFF Championship. In the 2014 AFF Championship qualification, Timor-Leste secured a victory against Brunei winning them 4–2 in the process. In the next match, they caused an upset to Myanmar on 14 October 2014 which ended up in a goalless draw but that wasn't enough as Timor-Leste didn't make it to the 2014 AFF Championship.
2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round
Timor-Leste then participated in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification first round facing Mongolia where on 12 March 2015, they secured their first ever win against a country outside of Southeast Asia in a 4–1 win at the National Stadium of Timor-Leste. In the second leg, Timor-Leste travelled to Ulaanbaatar where they won 1–0 putting them on an aggregate of 5–2 seeing them advancing to the second round however on 12 December 2017, FIFA awarded both matches 3–0 to Mongolia due to Timor-Leste fielding numerous ineligible players. However, this was long after the Second round had been played, so Timor-Leste advanced and Mongolia were not reinstated. Timor-Leste were then grouped with Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Palestine and Malaysia in Group A. On 11 June 2015, Ramon Saro scored in the 90+3' minute stoppage time which cause a huge upsets to Malaysia in a 1–1 draw at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium which Timor-Leste got their first ever point in the campaign. On 8 October 2015 while playing at home, Ramon Saro break the deadlock as they lead against Palestine however in the dying minute of the match, Ahmad Abu Nahyeh equalise for Palestine in 1–1 draw as it gains media attention from the Southeast Asia region. However, Timor-Leste has to forfeited five of their group matches due to fielding numerous ineligible players. Since their last match against Saudi Arabia on 17 November 2015, Timor-Leste has been playing their home match overboard as their National Stadium of Timor-Leste in Dili failed to meet FIFA standards which also see them finishing at the bottom of the table. During the 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualification match, Timor-Leste played their home match at the Tan Sri Dato Haji Hassan Yunos Stadium in Johor Bahru playing against Malaysia.
Timor-Leste then participated in the 2016 AFC Solidarity Cup held in Kuching where they snatched a goalless draw against Nepal. They were also invited to the 2017 CTFA International Tournament where in the match against the Philippines, Silveiro Garcia scored the only goal in the match as Timor-Leste gains a win in the tournament.
Back-to-back AFF Championship tournament (2018–2020)
Timor-Leste then qualified to the 2018 AFF Championship for the first time in 14 years winning the 2018 AFF Championship qualification against Brunei on an aggregate of 3–2. They will play their designated "home" match against Thailand at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, while their home tie against the Philippines will be played at the Kuala Lumpur Stadium in Malaysia due to the incomplete floodlighting of the National Stadium of Timor-Leste. Timor-Leste then qualified for the 2020 AFF Championship automatically after the withdrawal of Brunei in the qualification play-off.
Young star in the making (2021–present)
During the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification – play-off round first leg match on 5 September 2024, João Pedro became the first player in Timorese history to score a hat-trick in a 4–1 win over Mongolia while playing on neutral ground at the Kapten I Wayan Dipta Stadium held in Gianyar, Bali. In October 2024, Timor Leste then played against Brunei who is also on a five-game winning streak for the 2024 ASEAN Championship qualification. Timor Leste ended up victorious winning 1–0 on aggregate where Gali Freitas scored the goal to ensure the team qualified for the 2024 ASEAN Championship, where they will play their matches at Hàng Đẫy Stadium in Hanoi.
2024 ASEAN Championship
As of 28 December 2024, Timor-Leste's performance at the 2024 ASEAN Championship has been poor, ending in a string of defeats that resulted in their early elimination. The squad competed in four matches, beginning with a devastating loss to Thailand on 8 December suffering their worst ever defeat since 2015 with a 10–0 thrasing defeat scoreline.[10] Following that, they met Malaysia on 11 December, putting up a valiant battle but ultimately lost 2–3. Their difficulties continued against Singapore on 14 December with a 0–3 defeat. Timor-Leste met Cambodia in their last group stage match on 17 December and fell to a 1–2 defeat.[11]
Timor-Leste finished with a record of four losses, two goals scored, and an incredible eighteen goals conceded, resulting in a goal differential of -16. They were unable to gain any victories during the tournament. They became the first team to be eliminated from the 2024 ASEAN Championship.[12]
During the third round of 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification on 10 June 2025, João Pedro scored the lone goal in a 1–0 win against Maldives which put him to become the all time top scorer for Timor-Leste.
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Eligibility of players controversy
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Since 2012, several Brazilian-born footballers, who are not of East Timorese descent and had not necessarily played in the East Timorese League, were expressly naturalised.[13]
The country's recent history of naturalising foreign players such as Murilo de Almeida, Fellipe Bertoldo, Diogo Rangel, Rodrigo Silva, Jairo Neto, Ramon Saro, Alan Leandro, Thiago Cunha, Juninho and Heberty has been criticized by many, including native East Timorese players and fans.[14][15]
In a match on 8 October 2015 against Palestine seven of the starting eleven for the Timorese line-up were naturalized Brazilians.[16] Following the match the Palestinian Football Association made a complaint to FIFA stating that the naturalized Timorese players were not eligible to represent Timor-Leste under FIFA rules.[17][18]
Following a concern from some Timorese who complained to the prime minister, the prosecutor general and the minister for justice regarding the naturalisation program, Timor Leste Football Federation (FFTL) decided to drop their overseas-born legion. It meant Timor-Leste would be without seven naturalised Brazilian players for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and 2019 AFC Asian Cup joint qualifiers match against United Arab Emirates on 12 November 2015.[19] In that match, coach Fernando Alcântara played an all national line up including six who were under twenty, including Ervino Soares who was 16. Timor-Leste ended up losing the match 8–0. Alcântara took responsibility for the defeat although he also added that he had been forced to play such an inexperienced line-up by the FFTL.[20]
The next match, Timor-Leste did even worse, suffering a record 0–10 home defeat to a strong Saudi Arabia side, who eventually qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Jesse Pinto, an Australian-Timorese footballer, told reporters that the FFTL gives Brazilian players Timorese passports so that they can be registered as "Asian" players and meet the quotas of teams. Pinto also added that the FFTL often takes advantage of players from poor backgrounds, but that it often did not meet its promises of allowing players to travel back to Brazil to meet their families.[21]
In December 2016, the FFTL was charged with using forged and falsified documents, fielding ineligible players and bringing the game into disrepute.[22]
A decision was made on 20 January 2017 that Timor-Leste is barred from participating in the qualification tournament for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup after being found to have fielded a total of twelve ineligible players in 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualification matches and among other competitions.[23]
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Team image
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Kit manufacturers
The team's kit manufacturer was Kubba Sportswear from June 2014 to February 2017.[24]
Since 2018, the kits are made by Narrow, an Indonesian apparel. The home kit is red shirts, black shorts, and red socks, with black as a secondary color. The away kit all white.[25] From 2008 to 2010, their away kits were yellow but at 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup qualification, the away kits changed back into all whites.[26] Their kits were made by Nike in 2012. Previous kit makers include Mitre, Joma, Nike and Tiger.
Home stadium
Timor Leste's home ground is the National Stadium of Timor-Leste in Dili. The stadium capacity is 5,000. The first official match played in the stadium was a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Mongolia on 12 March 2015. Timor-Leste played their last match at the National Stadium of Timor-Leste against Saudi Arabia on 17 November 2015 and since then used their stadium as a neutral ground all over East Asia.
Neutral venue
List of neutral venue grounds for Timor-Leste in the FIFA World Cup qualifications, AFC Asian Cup qualifications and AFF Championship qualifications since 2020.
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Results and fixtures
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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
2024
| 5 September 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification – play-off round | Timor-Leste  | 4–1 |  Mongolia | Gianyar, Indonesia[note 1] |
| 15:30 UTC+8 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Kapten I Wayan Dipta Stadium Referee: Daniel Elder (Australia) |
| 10 September 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification – play-off round | Mongolia | 2–0 (3–4 agg.) | Timor-Leste | Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia |
| 17:00 UTC+8 | Report | Stadium: MFF Football Centre Referee: Ali Berry (Lebanon) |
| 8 October[27] 2024 ASEAN Championship qualification | Brunei  | 0–1 | Timor-Leste | Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei |
| 20:30 UTC+8 | Report |
|
Stadium: Track & Field Sports Complex |
| 15 October 2024 ASEAN Championship qualification | Timor-Leste | 0–0 (1–0 agg.) | Brunei | Chonburi, Thailand [note 2] |
| 19:30 UTC+7 | Report | Stadium: Chonburi Stadium Referee: Torpong Somsing (Thailand) |
| 8 December ASEAN Championship GS | Timor-Leste | 0–10 |  Thailand | Hanoi, Vietnam |
| 20:00 UTC+7 | Report | Stadium: Hàng Đẫy Stadium Attendance: 1,239 Referee: Kim Dae-yong (South Korea) |
| 11 December ASEAN Championship GS | Malaysia  | 3–2 | Timor-Leste | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| 21:00 UTC+8 | Report |
|
Stadium: Bukit Jalil National Stadium Attendance: 7,420 Referee: Omar Al-Yaqoubi (Oman) |
| 14 December ASEAN Championship GS | Timor-Leste | 0–3 |  Singapore | Hanoi, Vietnam |
| 17:30 UTC+7 | Report | Stadium: Hàng Đẫy Stadium Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Ko Hyung-jin (South Korea) |
| 17 December ASEAN Championship GS | Cambodia  | 2–1 | Timor-Leste | Phnom Penh, Cambodia |
| 17:45 UTC+7 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Phnom Penh Olympic Stadium Attendance: 17,109 Referee: Firdavs Norsafarov (Uzbekistan) |
2025
| 20 March Friendly | Lebanon  | 4–0 | Timor-Leste | Al Khor, Qatar |
| 21:00 UTC+3 | Report | Stadium: Al-Khor SC Stadium |
| 25 March 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification | Tajikistan  | 1–0 | Timor-Leste | Dushanbe, Tajikistan |
| 16:00 UTC+5 |
|
Report (AFC) | Stadium: Pamir Stadium Attendance: 8,520 Referee: Seyedvahid Kazemi (Iran) |
| 10 June 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification | Timor-Leste | 1–0 |  Maldives | Darwin, Australia |
| 16:00 UTC+9:30 |
|
Report (AFC) | Stadium: Territory Rugby League Stadium Attendance: 1,048 Referee: Songkran Bunmeekiart (Thailand) |
| 9 October 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification | Timor-Leste | v |  Philippines | Darwin, Australia |
| --:-- UTC+6 | Stadium: Territory Rugby League Stadium |
| 14 October 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification | Philippines | v | Timor-Leste | Manila, Philippines |
| 20:00 UTC+8 | Stadium: Rizal Memorial Stadium |
| 18 November 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification | Timor-Leste | v | Tajikistan | Bangkok, Thailand |
| 20:00 UTC+8 | Stadium: Insee Chantarasatit Stadium |
| 20 November Friendly | Timor-Leste | – |  Vanuatu | |
| 21:00 UTC+3 |
2026
| 31 March 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification | Maldives | v | Timor-Leste | Malé, Maldives |
| --:-- UTC+5:30 | Stadium: National Football Stadium |
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Coaching staff
Coaching history
- As of May 2024
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Players
Current squad
- The following 23 players were called up for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers match.[29]
- Match date: 10 June 2025
- Opponents: Maldives
- Caps and goals correct as of: 10 June, after the match against Maldives.
Recent call-ups
Previous squads
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Player records
- As of 10 June 2025[30]
- Players in bold are still active with Timor-Leste.
Most appearances
Top goalscorers
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Competition records
FIFA World Cup
AFC Asian Cup
AFC Challenge Cup
AFC Solidarity Cup
ASEAN Championship
Lusofonia Games
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Head-to-head record
As of 20 March 2025[31]
Source: Results
Regional record
Notes
- Timor-Leste will play their home game in Gianyar, due to the National Stadium in Dili failing to meet FIFA standards.
- Timor-Leste will play their home game in Chonburi, due to the National Stadium in Dili failing to meet FIFA standards.
References
External links
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