San Marino: Best in Europe?

If you're not aware, this site has a small, but oh so loyal following for the smallest nation in the world and their national team. San Marino are hardly setting the world on fire and are almost in Europe to make up the numbers. Nevertheless they are a side determined to show the world they aren't just a tiny republic in the middle of Italy. They are a nation that can play football, even if it is a struggle to pick up a result.

Since joining UEFA and becoming a FIFA member San Marino have the unenviable record of played 63, won 0, drawn 3, lost 60. Unfortunatly for San marino one of these results, a 0-0 draw with Turkey in March 1993, was just months before the current world rankings were brought into being and thus their result not counted as fully as they would have liked.

Currently San Marino sit in 158th position. Not the best and dead last out of the entire confederation of UEFA, but for San marino it's one of the highest positions it has been able to enjoy. This thanks to a 2-2 draw with fellow UEFA cellar dwellers Leichtenstein (April 2002). However there were added factors that made this result the best in the countries history. Not only were San Marino playing away from home but also pegged back a two goal deficit to take a point from the match.

Their Euro 2004 campaign isn't going as well for San marino but they have moved up five places in the past month making them the best movers in UEFA for August 2003. So does that make them the best team in Europe for August? Hardly, but it's an effort that hasn't gone unoticed here at Dave's World Cup and it's one we salute with pride

13 September, 2003

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