The Saint Helena football team represents the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean. Saint Helena is not affiliated with FIFA but is a member of the International Island Games Association.
Saint Helena played their first match in 1949 and made their international debut at the 2019 Inter Games Football Tournament. They also competed at the 2023 Island Games in Guernsey. They have only ever won one match â a 2âÂÂ0 win in a friendly against Holyhead Hotspur reserves.
The Saint Helena Football Association was formed in 1922. However, a football team representing the island wasn't picked until 1949. They played a friendly match in England against Lockheed Leamington in November 1949 and lost 15âÂÂ3.
The Saint Helena Island Games Association were founder members of the International Island Games Association in 1985 allowing the island to compete from the inaugural 1985 Island Games held on the Isle of Man. It would be another 70 years before a Saint Helena team would reappear. The team had hoped to compete at the 2011 Island Games held on the Isle of Wight but were unable to raise the funds needed. However, they were able to raise the ã80,000 needed to compete at the 2019 Inter Games Football Tournament.
In the build-up to the competition, the team played two friendlies, defeating Holyhead Hotspur reserves 2âÂÂ0 and losing 7âÂÂ2 to Ynys Môn. At the tournament, Saint Helena lost their twi group stage matches 6âÂÂ1 against Shetland and 9âÂÂ0 against Guernsey. Despite an equalising goal from Rico Benjamin, Saint Helena also lost their ninth-place play-off.
Saint Helena were finally able to make their Island Games debut at the 2023 Island Games in Guernsey. They lost all three of their group stage matches before losing 4âÂÂ2 to Frøya in the 15th-place play-off.
Saint Helena's score first.
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