Enduring Hardships as San Marino's Team: Insights into Being Part of the Globally Lowest-Ranked Soccer Nation
For San Marino, these are some of the hardest times in the nation's soccer history. That's because San Marino often loses – a lot. Since the country's first-ever match on March 28, 1986, of the 212 games the national team has played, it has only won 12 and lost all but 200 times.
The lowest rank in the FIFA world rankings that La Serenissima has ever held was world No. 210 in November 2021, and it has been a steady decline since then. It is, statistically, one of the weakest national soccer teams in the world.
"You try to give your best wherever you can, but if the opposition is having a good day, then they can do whatever they want to you," defender Dante Rossi told CNN Sport.
San Marino, a tiny microstate within Italy, is home to just 33,600 people. If it were a city in the US, it would be around the 1,400th-largest in the country by population.
It is known for its beautiful views, traditional cakes, and for being the world's oldest surviving republic. It is not, however, known for its soccer skills.
A double life
Marcello Mularoni is one of San Marino's most important players. He has made 45 appearances for his country, played in huge games against the likes of England and Italy, and captained the team in its most recent outing.
But most of the time, Mularoni is a business consultant.
The midfielder is semi-professional, like almost all of his national teammates. The San Marino squad is made up of office workers, personal trainers, students, a graphic designer, and one full-time professional – Nicola Nanni, who plays his club soccer for Torres in Serie C, the third tier in Italy.
"It's strange. During the day you're concentrating on your work, and then you have to switch to training," Mularoni told CNN Sport. "If you are tired, you still have to train. We do it for our love of the game. But it's also about the great opportunity that we have to face players like (Jude) Bellingham – our idols that we see on TV – like they are normal guys or friends."
"It's funny, but we have to work. We play a lot of matches during the year, which means we are away from work, so you have to show respect to the owner of the business."
According to Rossi, this double life is one of the reasons why San Marino has struggled over the years.
"We have a lot of people in the squad who work or study. That takes up a lot of time and definitely a lot of concentration," he said.
"We are not professionals who can dedicate our time and have financial stability for a lifetime and have our minds solely on football. We have a lot of problems, we have families, we have a lot of things to think of besides football. It gets really complicated because (other teams) are 100% dedicated to this."
According to Rossi, it is not easy to lose so heavily, so often. Between 2006 and 2023, San Marino held the unwanted record of suffering the biggest defeat in European Championship qualifying history – a 13-0 drubbing by Germany.
September 7, 2006, remains a dark day for anyone who follows San Marino. Two months earlier, Germany had been beaten by Italy in the last minute of a World Cup semifinal in Dortmund.
Believing San Marino to be essentially Italian, Die Mannschaft took revenge. German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann even had to be talked out of carrying out a penalty by the Sammarinese players who, already 12-0 down, had faced enough humiliation.
Rossi did not play in that game, but he did feature on another infamous day in the nation's soccer history, a 10-0 loss to England in November 2021.
"That game was the most difficult, on a personal level and as a group, that we have had to face," remembered Rossi. "It was painful. We did suffer after that game, to tell you the truth. We suffered a lot. But hey, it happens. That's football."
"We are San Marino, we always have to suffer!"
So frequent are the heavy defeats that Rossi has learned to take the positives wherever he can, including from another game against England that year.
"In 2021, we played at Wembley against England and lost 5-0," he said. "5-0 is obviously a big scoreline, but for us at Wembley, it was almost good. Maybe not good, but definitely acceptable."
The defender is philosophical about what it means to play for a team which only won one of its first 210 games, a 1-0 victory over Liechtenstein in an exhibition match in 2004.
"It's very difficult to understand it because football is a sport where the most important thing – the only thing, sometimes – is to win and become champions," he explained. "But I don't think it's one extreme or the other. Everyone has to look at their own reality and what they can do with it, even the small things."
San Marino's supporters have mastered the art of keeping positive, even when they can afford a bit of self-deprecation. The fan account @SanMarino_FA, with over 178,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter), has become incredibly popular with its humorous takes on supporting the team. In an interview with CNN Sport, its administrator, Martino Bastianelli, confessed with a laugh, "It's a hell of a ride! I always think, 'Maybe today is the day.' But then they start playing."
The main supporters' group, the Brigata Mai 1 Gioia, or the "Never One Joy Brigade," is even more tongue-in-cheek. Christian Santini, a member since 2018, told CNN Sport, "We are sick because we support San Marino. We support a team that never wins." He further explained that the group consists of people from different countries, including Italy, Austria, and Ireland, who make the journey to San Marino to support their team.
Despite the jesting tone, members of the Brigata have a genuine affection for the players. Santini explained, "I live near a Serie A team, but I travel three hours to go to San Marino to watch a football game. We support them for the unique reason that they are like us. They are people who work hard during the week but make us dream."
For 38 years, supporters like Santini and Bastianelli have dreamt of seeing San Marino win a competitive game, many having accepted that it would never happen. However, on September 5, their dream became a reality.
A dream come true
Preparing for a UEFA Nations League game against Liechtenstein, midfielder Mularoni sensed something different in his teammates' eyes. "Before the Liechtenstein game, I could see in my teammates' eyes that they believed," he said. "We were thinking, 'Yes, today is the day.'"
Opportunities to play against teams of a similar level are not common, Mularoni explained. "About four years ago, we faced Gibraltar and Liechtenstein, and there was pressure – like, 'We have to win,'" he said. "But this time against Liechtenstein, we didn't have those kinds of thoughts. It was like, 'We can win,' not 'We have to win.'"
Knowing that they needed to play flawlessly, the team was determined to win. "We knew that to win the game, or to have a chance of winning the game, we would have to do everything perfectly," Rossi said. "There was no other way – if we made mistakes, we would lose."
The game itself was far from spectacular. A second-half goal from Nicko Sensoli was enough to secure the victory. But for Rossi, the emotion was unforgettable. "It was an emotion that I will never forget for the rest of my life," he said. "When the referee blew the whistle to end the game, everything stopped, like in a movie. I couldn't hear anything."
Back in the locker room, Rossi was embraced by his teammates, and the messages of congratulations poured in. Mularoni experienced a similar reaction, with his colleagues and colleagues congratulating him at work the next day.
With this victory, San Marino had finally won a competitive game after trying 176 times. Mularoni joked, "The Brigata Mai 1 Gioia – 'Never One Joy,' – they should change the name!"
The paraphrased text is as follows:
Fans of San Marino have learned to maintain a positive attitude, even if they can afford a little self-deprecation. The popular fan account @SanMarino_FA, which boasts over 178,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter), delights readers with its humorous take on supporting the team. In an interview with CNN Sport, its administrator, Martino Bastianelli, chuckled, "It's a wild journey! I always think, 'Maybe today is the day.' But then they start playing."
The main supporters' group, the Brigata Mai 1 Gioia, or the "Never One Joy Brigade," is known for its irreverent humor. Christian Santini, a member since 2018, told CNN Sport, "We are insane because we support San Marino. We support a team that has never won." He further explained that the group consists of individuals from various countries who travel great distances to cheer on their team.
Despite the lighthearted tone, members of the Brigata harbor genuine affection for the players. Santini explained, "I live near a Serie A team, yet I travel three hours to go to San Marino to watch a football game. We support them for the singular reason that they resemble us. They are individuals who work hard during the week but inspire dreams."
For 38 years, supporters like Santini and Bastianelli have dreamt of witnessing San Marino triumph in a competitive game, many having come to terms with the notion that it would never happen. However, on September 5, their dreams materialized.
The moment of triumph
Preparing for a UEFA Nations League game against Liechtenstein, midfielder Mularoni noticed something different in the eyes of his teammates. "Before the Liechtenstein game, I could see in my teammates' eyes that they believed," he said. "We were thinking, 'Yes, today is the day.'"
Opportunities to compete against teams of similar caliber are not common, Mularoni explained. "About four years ago, we faced Gibraltar and Liechtenstein, and there was pressure – like, 'We have to win,'" he said. "But this time against Liechtenstein, we didn't have those kinds of thoughts. It was like, 'We can win,' not 'We have to win.'"
Understanding that they needed to play flawlessly, the team was determined to win. "We knew that to win the game, or to have a chance of winning the game, we would have to do everything perfectly," Rossi said. "There was no other way – if we made mistakes, we would lose."
The match itself was far from extraordinary. A second-half goal from Nicko Sensoli was all that was required to secure the victory. However, for Rossi, the emotion was indelible. "It was an emotion that I will never forget for the rest of my life," he said. "When the referee blew the whistle to end the game, everything stopped, like in a movie. I couldn't hear anything."
Back in the locker room, Rossi was surrounded by his teammates, and congratulatory messages poured in. Mularoni experienced a similar reaction, with his colleagues and colleagues congratulating him at work the next day.
With this victory, San Marino had finally triumphant in a competitive game after attempting 176 times. Mularoni joked, "The Brigata Mai 1 Gioia – 'Never One Joy,' – they should change the name!"
After 176 attempts, the San Marino national soccer team finally tasted victory in a competitive match against Liechtenstein. The team's determination to play flawlessly and the belief in their abilities were key factors in securing the 1-0 victory, a moment that midfielder Marcello Mularoni and defender Dante Rossi will never forget.
Despite the numerous heavy defeats, the fans of San Marino have maintained a positive attitude, often using humor to cope with the team's struggles. The fan account @SanMarino_FA and the supporters' group, the Brigata Mai 1 Gioia, or the "Never One Joy Brigade," are known for their irreverent humor but harbor genuine affection for the players.
The midfielder Mularoni plays semi-professionally and works as a business consultant, while most of his teammates have day jobs as office workers, personal trainers, students, or graphic designers. According to Rossi, their dual roles might be one of the reasons behind San Marino's difficulties over the years.
