GENEVA (AP) — The official worst national team in men's soccer is within sight of entering qualifying playoffs for the 2026 World Cup in North America. San Marino’s stunning progress this year, as the team ranked No.
GENEVA — The official worst national team in men's soccer is within sight of entering qualifying playoffs for the 2026 World Cup in North America.
“I even cried among the boys, I hugged the captain and it was an incredible thing,” San Marino soccer federation president Marco Tura said after Monday's game that set several firsts for the landlocked microstate in Italy with a population of fewer than 35,000. San Marino being just two games away from the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico is still the stuff of dreams but winning its Nations League group was real, as was the congratulations posted Tuesday by FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Then goals started to flow for coach Roberto Cevoli’s team: Lorenzo Lazzari racing clear to beat the advancing goalkeeper in the 46th minute, Nicola Nanni’s penalty in the 66th and substitute Alessandro Golinucci’s calmly placed shot in the 76th. The 12 group winners in November next year go to the World Cup. The 12 runners-up advance to the playoffs joined by four winners of these Nations League groups. The playoffs format is four knockout brackets, each of four teams playing single-leg games, and the winners qualify for the World Cup.
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