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When we cover the San Marino national team here at The18, it's usually to report on players breaking down in tears after securing 0-0 draws with Gibraltar.
The squad has attracted a global following by virtue of being the worst international team on the planet — San Marino sits dead last (211th) in the FIFA Rankings with an all time record of 194 matches played, one win, eight draws and 185 defeats with a goal difference of negative 770.
To catch 210th-ranked Anguilla, San Marino obviously needs to develop a plan — one filled with foresight and grounded in the idea that the ravishes of time are the sweetest forms of revenge.
San Marino's path to Euro 2024 is destined for failure with Denmark, Finland, Northern Ireland and Slovenia all ready to run up the score (although Kazakhstan might be there for the taking), but the nation of 34,000 is plotting a clear course toward Euro 2044 with a clever initiative.
Beginning this month and lasting through 2023, every newborn in San Marino (roughly 300 births each year) will be given a national team kit so they can immediately dream of emulating the legendary Andy Selva (the program's all time leading scorer with eight goals in 73 games).
It's a nice jersey — fittingly baby blue and supplied by Italian sportswear company Erreà.
Photo: Footy Headlines
San Marino is flying high after recording friendly draws with Seychelles and Saint Lucia recently, and next up is a visit from Northern Ireland in Euro qualifying on Mar. 23, 2023.
