Azerbaijan national football team
history(The Land of Fire) | Association = Association of Football
Federations of Azerbaijan | Confederation = UEFA (Europe) | Coach = Berti Vogts | Asst Manager = Bernhard Lippert | Colours = White and Blue | Captain = Rashad Sadygov | Most caps = Aslan Kerimov (75) | Top scorer = Gurban Gurbanov (12) | | FIFA Rank = 109 | 1st ranking date = June 1994 | FIFA max = 97 | FIFA max date = June 1999 | FIFA min = 170 | FIFA min date = June 1994 | | Elo Rank = 103 | Elo max = 100 | Elo max date = 1993 | Elo min = 151 | Elo min date = Feb 2001 | | Home Stadium = Tofik Bakhramov Stadium
Lankaran City Stadium | |pattern_ra1=|pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=_bluesleevelinesandsides| |leftarm1=ffffff|body1=ffffff|rightarm1=fffffff|shorts1=1226E6|socks1=fffffff| |pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=_whitesleevelinesandsidesthick|pattern_ra2=| |leftarm2=002FA7|body2=002FA7|rightarm2=002FA7|shorts2=002FA7|socks2=002FA7| | | First game = Georgia 1–1 Azerbaijan
(Tbilisi, Georgia, 1927)»World Football Elo Ratings: Azerbaijan
,6–3
(Gurjaani, Georgia; September 17, 1992) | Largest win = 4–0
(Baku, Azerbaijan; 5 June 1999) | Largest loss = 10 – 0
(Auxerre, France; September 6, 1995) | no World cup apps = none | Regional name = European Championship | no Regional cup apps = none }} The '''Azerbaijan national football team is the national football team of Azerbaijan and is controlled by Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan. It represents Azerbaijan in international football competitions.
The Azerbaijan national football team has attempted to qualify for each major tournament from Euro 96 onwards, but has never achieved to take part in finals tournament of the World Cup, or the European Championships.
- First Azerbaijani football clubs started to function in 1905. Generally they represented the main oil companies of Baku.
- The Azerbaijan national football team held her first friendly matches against Georgia and Armenia in 1927 for the Trans-Caucasian Championship in Georgia.
- During the Soviet Era the team did not play any international matches
'60s to '90s
1960s considered Golden Age for Azerbaijani football as it produced great players like Anatoliy Banishevskiy, Alakbar Mammadov and football referee Tofik Bakhramov, most famous for being a linesman who helped to award a goal for England in the 1966 World Cup Final between England and West Germany.
1990s–present day
After Azerbaijan gained its independence in 1991, AFFA — Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan — was created. In 1992, renowned Azerbaijani footballer Alekper Mamedov became the first head coach of the Azeribaijani national football team, compiling a 3–1 record as coach that includes the first ever national team victory, over Georgia on May 25, 1993.
,
, In 1994, the national team was accepted into FIFA and UEFA.
Because of security issues, the team played all of its home Euro 96 qualifers in Trabzon, Turkey. ,
In February 2004, Carlos Alberto Torres, captain of the Brazil team that won the 1970 FIFA World Cup was appointed its national coach. Despite a poor start, a 0–6 defeat to Israel on February 18, Azerbaijan won their first ever away match, 3–2 against Kazakhstan on April 28. In June 2005, following a 3–0 defeat by Poland, Torres stood down from the position, to be replaced by former Neftchi coach Vagif Sadygov, his third spell as coach of Azerbaijan. Shakhin Diniyev took over as manager in November 2005. He resigned on 31 October 2007, and Gjoko Hadzievski was named as care-taking coach of Azerbaijan.»Euro 2008 homepage, UEFA
World Cup 2010
In April 2008 famous German football player and coach Berti Vogts was appointed as a manager of Azerbaijan on a two-year contract.»FIFA World Cup News and Features, UEFA
Azerbaijan had a mixed qualifying campaign, finishing with 5 points, just missing out on a last place to Liechtenstein with 2 points.
Euro 2012
In November 2009, AFFA extended Berti Vogts contract to further 2 years, which going to make Vogts as the first manager to manage Azerbaijani national team in two qualification cycles.[http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/news/newsid=1131508.html#vogts+contract+extended fifa.com: Vogts' contract extended]»Фогтс увидел перспективу
Most of Azerbaijan's home matches are played at the Tofik Bakhramov Stadium in the capital Baku. It has been Azerbaijan's principal home stadium ever since country's independence from Soviet Union.
Today, some qualifying matches are hosted at the Lankaran City Stadium in Lankaran after it met UEFA stadium criteria.»Матч Азербайджан-Финляндия пройдет в Лянкяране »Milli komandamız yenidən Lənkəran stadionunda
A new Baku Olympic Stadium is under construction in Baku with an expected capacity of 65,000 seats.»Tender for construction for stadium for 65,000 seats in Baku to be announced some day»Будет объявлен тендер на строительство нового стадиона в Баку Following 2012, this stadium will be used as the venue for most key matches of the Azerbaijani national team.
Record in major tournaments
World Cup
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |- !Year !Round !Position !GP !W !D !L !GS !GA |- | 1998
| Total | - |
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |- !Year !Round !Position !GP !W !D !L !GS !GA |- | 1996
| Total | - |
Notes 2 Qualification not yet begun
World Cup 2010
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
Azerbaijan have been drawn alongside Germany, Russia, Wales, Finland and Liechtenstein in Group 4 and kicked off their qualifying campaign playing away to Wales on 6 September. Vogts replaces Gjoko Hadžievski who was dismissed after the Azeris failed to qualify for UEFA Euro 2008. Vogts has said that the qualifying group is difficult, stating that "We want to learn some things from Germany and try to upset Russia."»German Vogts named as new Azerbaijan coach, Agence France Presse
Euro 2008 qualifications
Azerbaijan was competing in Group A in qualification for UEFA Euro 2008, together with Portugal, Poland, Serbia, Belgium, Armenia, Finland and Kazakhstan.
Euro 2012 qualifications
Azerbaijan will compete in Group A in qualification for UEFA Euro 2012, together with Germany, Turkey, Austria, Belgium and Kazakhstan.
Current squad
The following players have been called up for the friendly vs Czech Republic, that took place on 18 November, 2009.
|caps=32|goals=0|club=FK Qarabağ|clubnat=AZE}} |caps=13|goals=0|club=Khazar Lankaran|clubnat=AZE}} |caps=0|goals=0|club=Inter Baku|clubnat=AZE}} |----- ! colspan="9" bgcolor="#B0D3FB" align="left" | |caps=57|goals=3|club=FK Qarabağ|clubnat=AZE}} |caps=39|goals=0|club=Anzhi Makhachkala|clubnat=RUS}} |caps=27|goals=0|club=Neftchi Baku|clubnat=AZE}} |caps=20|goals=0|club=FK Baku|clubnat=AZE}} |caps=10|goals=0|club=Inter Baku|clubnat=AZE}} |caps=6|goals=0|club=FK Qarabağ|clubnat=AZE}} |caps=7|goals=0|club=FK Qarabağ|clubnat=AZE}} |caps=7|goals=1|club=Neftchi Baku|clubnat=AZE}} |caps=34|goals=0|club=Inter Baku|clubnat=AZE}} |----- ! colspan="9" bgcolor="#B0D3FB" align="left" | |caps=9|goals=0|club=FK Qarabağ|clubnat=AZE}} |caps=24|goals=0|club=Inter Baku|clubnat=AZE}} |caps=3|goals=0|club=Simurq PFC|clubnat=AZE}} |caps=15|goals=4|club=FK Qarabağ|clubnat=AZE}} |caps=13|goals=4 |club=FK Baku|clubnat=AZE}} |caps=4|goals=0|club=Khazar Lankaran|clubnat=AZE}} |caps=2|goals=0|club=Rubin Kazan|clubnat=RUS}} |caps=13|goals=1|club=Standard Sumgayit|clubnat=AZE}} |----- ! colspan="9" bgcolor="#B0D3FB" align="left" | |caps=25|goals=5|club=FC Twente|clubnat=NED}} |caps=26 |goals=1 |club=FK Qarabağ|clubnat=AZE}} |caps=2|goals=1|club=Standard Sumgayit|clubnat=AZE}}
|caps=1|goals=1|club=FK Qarabağ|clubnat=Azerbaijan|latest=25 February 2010, v Jordan}} |caps=2|goals=0|club=FK Baku|clubnat=Azerbaijan|latest=15 November 2009, v Iraq}} |caps=0|goals=0|club=Neftchi Baku|clubnat=Azerbaijan|latest=25 February 2010, v Jordan}} |caps=2|goals=0|club=FK Qarabağ|clubnat=Azerbaijan|latest=25 February 2010, v Jordan}}
Fixtures and results
Forthcoming fixtures
{| class="wikitable" text-align: center;" style="font-size: 90%" width=80%
|-
!width=15%|Date
!width=13%|Tournament
!width=13%|Location
!width=13%|Opponent
|-
|26 May, 2010
|Friendly
|Baku
| Moldova
|-
|29 May, 2010
|Friendly
|Vienna
| Macedonia
|-
|2 June, 2010
|Friendly
|Vienna
| Honduras
|-
|TBA, 2010
|Friendly
|Baku
| Iceland
|-
|}
Recent results===
{| class="wikitable" text-align: center;" style="font-size: 90%" width=80%
|-
!Date
!Tournament
!Location
!Home Team
!Score
!Away Team
!Azerbaijan Scorers
|-
|
Elvin Mammadov |- |
Ruslan Abushev |- |
Afran Ismayilov |- |
Elvin Mammadov |}
Most appearances (caps)
{| class="wikitable" cellpadding="3" style="text-align: center;"
!#
!Player
!Career period
!Caps
!Goals
|-
|1
|style="text-align: left;"|Aslan Kerimov
|1994–2007
|75
|0
|-
|2
|style="text-align: left;"|Tarlan Akhmedov
|1992–2005
|73
|0
|-
|3
|style="text-align: left;"|Makhmud Gurbanov
|1994–2008
|69
|1
|-
|4
|style="text-align: left;"|Emin Agaev
|1994–2005
|65
|1
|-
|5
|style="text-align: left;"|Gurban Gurbanov
|1992–2005
|65
|12
|-
|6
|style="text-align: left;"|Rashad Sadygov
|2001–Present
|61
|3
|-
|7
|style="text-align: left;"|Emin Guliyev
|2000–2008
|49
|3
|-
|8
|style="text-align: left;"|Kamal Guliyev
|2000–2005
|46
|0
|-
|9
|style="text-align: left;"|Vyacheslav Lichkin
|1995–2001
|45
|4
|-
|10
|style="text-align: left;"|Emin Imamaliev
|2000–2007
|44
|1
|-
|}
Top 10 goalscorers
{| class="wikitable" cellpadding="3" style="text-align: center;"
!#
!Player
!Career period
!Goals
!Caps
|-
|1
|style="text-align:left;"|Gurban Gurbanov
|1992–2005
|14
|65
|-
|2
|style="text-align:left;"|Branimir Subašić
|2007–2009
|6
|26
|-
|3
|style="text-align:left;"|Zaur Tagizade
|1997–2005
|6
|40
|-
|4
|style="text-align:left;"|Vagif Javadov
|2006–Present
|5
|28
|-
|5
|style="text-align:left;"|Farrukh Ismayilov
|1998–2006
|5
|32
|-
|6
|style="text-align:left;"|Vidadi Rzayev
|1992–2001
|5
|35
|-
|7
|style="text-align:left;"|Nazim Suleymanov
|1992–1998
|5
|24
|-
|8
|style="text-align:left;"|Samir Aliyev
|1997–2007
|4
|33
|-
|9
|style="text-align:left;"|Vyacheslav Lichkin
|1995–2001
|4
|45
|-
|10
|style="text-align:left;"|Fábio Luís Ramim
|2008–Present
|4
|12
|-
|11
|style="text-align:left;"|Elvin Mammadov
|2008–Present
|4
|18
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" cellpadding="3" style="text-align: center;" |- !Manager !Azerbaijan career !Played !Won !Drawn !Lost !Win % |- |style="text-align: left;"| |1992–1993 | | | | | |- |style="text-align: left;"| |1993–1994 | | | | | |- |style="text-align: left;"| |1994–1995 | | | | | |- |style="text-align: left;"| |1995–1997 | | | | | |- |style="text-align: left;"| |1997–1998 | | | | | |- |style="text-align: left;"| |1998–2000 | | | | | |- |style="text-align: left;"| |2000–2001 | | | | | |- |style="text-align: left;"| |2002 | | | | | |- |style="text-align: left;"| |2003–2004 |2 |1 |1 | | |- |style="text-align: left;"| |2004–2005 |18 |2 |6 |10 |11.11 |- |style="text-align: left;"| |2005 |5 |0 |1 |4 |0.00 |- |style="text-align: left;"| |2005–2007 |20 |4 |7 |9 |20 |- |style="text-align: left;"| |2007–2008 |3 |0 |1 |2 |0.00 |- |style="text-align: left;"| |2008–present |24 |6 |6 |12 |25 |- |}
Last updated November 18, 2009
- »Azerbaycan Futbol Federasiyaları Assosiasiyası
- »azerifootball.com
- »Archive of international results 1979–2004 from Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
- »UEFA match report on the first away win
- »Azerisport
- »Day.az