Galicia national football team

The Galicia national football team is the official football team of Galicia. It is organised by the Galician Football Federation. The team is not affiliated with FIFA or UEFA and is, therefore, only allowed to play friendly matches.

Galicia
Nickname(s)A Irmandiña[1][2] (The Fellowship)
AssociationGalician Football Federation
Head coachFran González and Míchel Salgado
CaptainÁlex Bergantiños
First colours
Second colours
First international
 Galicia 4–1 Central Spain
(Vigo, Galicia; 19 November 1922)
Biggest win
 Galicia 9–0 Deportivo Paraguayo
(Santiago de Compostela, Galicia; 26 December 2009)
Biggest defeat
 Galicia 1–7 Occitania 
(Lugo, Galicia; 28 December 2013)

History

Early years

The first game of the Galician national football team took place on 19 November 1922 in Coia, Vigo as part of official tournament Copa del Príncipe de Asturias organised by RFEF – This was at a time when there was no national club championship per se, Galician teams would play each other in the Galician Championship[3] and the winner would then go on to face the other regional champions in the Copa del Rey. However, later political developments in Spain made it impossible for Galicia national football team to take part at official competitions. Hence, after Copa del Príncipe de Asturias was discontinued all games were merely friendlies. The Galician national football team as such ceased all activity during the time of the Spanish Civil War and the subsequent dictatorship (1936–1975).

Revival in 2000s

The project was retaken in the early 1980s, although Galicia's first recent game only happened on 29 December 2005. It was a 3–2 win over Uruguay, and it was played at the packed stadium of San Lázaro, Santiago de Compostela. In December 2006, another game was contested against Ecuador, played in Riazor, A Coruña. The teams tied 1–1. Against Cameroon, on the next year, the result was the same, 1–1. Once again, in 2008, the Irmandiña played another friendly game, this time against Iran. The result was 3–2.

Amateur era

Changes in the composition of the Galician Government after the 2009 elections resulted in a lack of official support for the national team. However, the supporters' group Siareiros Galegos managed to organise a number of non-official international games involving Galician players from lower categories as a sign of protest, giving continuation to the project. These efforts were supported by a number of local governments, which would allow the use of their facilities. Galicia played teams representing Palestine, Western Sahara, Iraqi Kurdistan and Occitania in 2013. Siareiros Galegos announced at that time that it would be the last match until further notice due to the financial situation.[4] On 26 December 2015, however, Siareiros Galegos did set up yet another game, where Galicia faced players representing Senegal.[5]

Second revival
Galicia vs. Venezuela.

The current president of the FGF, Mr Louzán, days after the Senegal game, announced that the Federation would organise a first-level game again in 2016. It was mentioned that players from the top professional Galician teams, Deportivo and Celta, had lobbied in favour.[6][7] A game was eventually held on 20 May in Riazor, where Galicia met Venezuela to a 1–1 draw. After the game, the Galician coaches mentioned the keen interest expressed by players to continue with the project and play more games on a regular basis.[8]

Official matches
19 November 1922 Galicia  4–1 Central Spain Vigo
Ramón Polo
Pinilla (p)
Ramón González		 Monjardín Stadium: Coia
14 January 1923 Andalusia  1–4  Galicia Seville
Kinké Ramón González
Ramón Polo
Chiarroni 		Stadium: Reina Victoria
25 February 1923 Galicia  1–3  Asturias Vigo
Ramón Polo Report Zabala x3 Stadium: Coia
Referee: Leclerc
25 November 1923 Central Spain 1–0  Galicia Madrid
Stadium: Ciudad Lineal

Friendly matches
7 January 1923 Galicia  3–1 Lisbon XI Vigo
Ramón Polo
Reigosa 		Stadium: Coia
Referee: Ventura Lago
21 January 1923 Galicia  8–2  Royal Navy XI Vigo
Stadium: Coia
28 January 1923 Galicia  4–1 Pontevedra XI Vigo
Correa
Ramón Polo
Chiarroni 		Stadium: Campo de Bouzas
4 February 1923 Pontevedra XI 1–3  Galicia Pontevedra
Stadium: Pasarón
18 February 1923 Galicia  7–1 Ferrol/A Coruña XI Vigo
Stadium: Coia
27 May 1923 Lisbon XI 2–1  Galicia Lisbon
João Francisco
Jaime Gonçalves 		Pinilla Stadium: Campo Grande
1 June 1930 Galicia  4–2 Sporting CP Vigo
Stadium: Balaídos
8 June 1930 Central Spain 1–4  Galicia Madrid
Stadium: Chamartín
29 December 2005 Galicia  3–2  Uruguay Santiago de Compostela
Nano  9'
Deus  48'  79'		 Report Pereira  83'
Albín  91'		 Stadium: San Lázaro
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Bernardino González Vázquez (Galicia)
28 December 2006 Galicia  1–1  Ecuador A Coruña
Jonathan Pereira  68' Report Calle  63' Stadium: Riazor
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Bernardino González Vázquez (Galicia)
27 December 2007 Galicia  1–1  Cameroon Vigo
Julio Álvarez  73' Report Song  90' (pen.) Stadium: Balaídos
Attendance: 28,000
Referee: Ignacio Iglesias Villanueva (Galicia)
27 December 2008 Galicia  3–2  Iran A Coruña
20:45 Nacho Novo  23', 59'
Losada  66'		 Report Borhani  32'
Khalatbari  82'		 Stadium: Riazor
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Ignacio Iglesias Villanueva (Galicia)
20 May 2016 Galicia  1–1  Venezuela A Coruña
20:00 Aspas  36' Report Martínez  92' Stadium: Riazor
Attendance: 18,000
Referee: Ignacio Iglesias Villanueva (Galicia)

Matches organized by Siareiros Galegos
26 December 2009 Galicia  9–0 Deportivo Paraguayo Santiago de Compostela
Stadium: Santa Isabel
23 December 2010 Galicia  6–3  Palestine Ourense
Stadium: Os Remedios
23 December 2011 Galicia  2–1  Western Sahara Teo
Stadium: Cacherias
29 December 2012 Galicia  3–2  Kurdistan Region Pontevedra
Stadium: A Xunqueira
28 December 2013 Galicia  1–7  Occitania Lugo
20:00 Report Massaré  21', 59'
Bertini  29', 32', 49', 83'
Congré  85'		 Stadium: O Polvorín
Attendance: 600
26 December 2015 Galicia  1–0  Senegal Santiago de Compostela
Stadium: Santa Isabel

See also

References
  1. O camiño que trae de volta a selección
  2. A Irmandiña (nickname of the team)
  3. Spain – List of Champions of Galicia, RSSSF
  4. "2015 Nin amigábel nin partido pola oficialidade" (in Galician). Praza.gal. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  5. "Siareir*s Galeg*s recupera jogo da nossa selecçom nacional de futebol: Galiza-Senegal" (in Galician). diarioliberdade.org. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  6. "Louzán anuncia un partido de la selección gallega en el 2016" (in Spanish). lavozdegalicia.es. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  7. "Louzán anuncia que tamén haberá partido da selección galega feminina en 2016" (in Galician). crtvg.gal. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  8. "Os dous seleccionadores destacan a calidade do combinado galego" (in Galician). FGF. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
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