San Marino, Football Daily’s favourite underdogs, have actually won a game

RARE W

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, keep toiling for 34 years, and try again. In another 23 years such a statement might be apt for a still-title-searching Manchester United as they conduct yet another cultural reset, presumably under a bespectacled 52-year-old Bruno Fernandes, but for now let it apply to San Marino, population circa 34,000 and Football Daily’s favourite underdogs. Shout it from the rooftops: the team ranked 210th and last in the Fifa world rankings have won a competitive football match for the first time in their history, beating 199th-ranked, lofty Liechtenstein 1-0 in a Nations League doozy on Thursday night. Dreamland.

Let’s start with the stats, which are crazy enough in isolation. San Marino’s goalscorer and matchwinner in Serravalle, Nicko Sensoli, was not even born the last time they won a game – and even that was only a friendly, also 1-0 against Liechtenstein in 2004. Back then, Cristiano Ronaldo was on nine career goals for club and country. Just 891 CR7 strikes, five San Marino draws and 171 losses later, and the mountainous microstate is back on the winning podium. And this time, it’s competitive.

Many have been sniffy about the reaction that has followed, which included wild celebrations on the pitch, a beaming Sensoli dedicating the win to his family and the official X account of San Marino Football completely losing the run of itself. One doubter on some Social Media Disgrace or other asked: “Why are you celebrating like you won a trophy?” Another responded: “They wrote history. They will be remembered forever as legends, as the golden generation of Sammarinese football.” And this is an entirely natural reaction, arguably far more organic and genuine than, say, a planned Erling Haaland routine after netting another hat-trick. When you win so rarely, aren’t you obliged to party like it’s 1999 … or should that be 2004?

For making it possible, the much-maligned Nations League deserves some credit in all this. In an era of over-stacked schedules and Bernardo Silva complaining every three days about playing football every three days, some say it’s a competition we could all do without. The Nations League allows the likes of San Marino to play the likes of Liechtenstein and Gibraltar (they’re top of that mini-league now, by the way and on course for promotion) rather than act as cannon fodder for the goal-hungry big boys, a la Ronaldo et al. San Marino’s victory was more than legitimate, as were their celebrations, and they ought to be left well alone to bask in their moment. Who knows when their next moment will come? Let’s hope it’s sooner than 2058.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Within 10 days or so of his funeral, I’m being offered the job I dreamed of getting. I don’t think I’ve given myself time to grieve at all … I was having to do a job where you’re in the public eye, you’re the spokesperson for the sport, you’re running a team and a club that expects to win. I found that really, really hard to live with” – Emma Hayes talks to Suzanne Wrack about saying goodbye to Chelsea and taking on the US women’s head coach job while grieving the death of her father, Sid.

MEET THE NEW BOSSES

England’s post-Southgate era begins in Dublin on Saturday, with Lee Carsley the (interim) man in the dugout. The Under-21 coach is in charge for the upcoming Nations League campaign, which sees England drop into League B. Carsley’s audition for the big gig will depend on results against Greece, the Republic of Ireland and Finland: the 27th, 28th and 29th best teams in Europe. What could possibly go wrong? Well, there’s a new man in charge of Ireland too: Heimir Hallgrímsson, who was Iceland co-manager for that Euro 2016 defeat. A quick glance at the home dugout tomorrow evening should remind Carsley to take nothing for granted.

It’s also a fresh start for Wales as Craig Bellamy takes charge for the first time tonight, against Euro 2024 funsters Turkey. Bellamy has promised a more expansive style than predecessor Robert Page, saying: “Without the ball, I’m non-negotiable. But with the ball, I am quite caring and all about love. I need my players to feel free.” How’s it going so far, Harry Wilson? “There’s been a lot of mistakes in the first couple of days, but that’s just the lads getting used to it.” Ah.

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