Mauritania national football team

Mauritania

Nickname(s)	Al-Murabitun (الْمُرَابِطُون) Lions of Chinguetti
Association	Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania
Confederation	CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation	WAFU (West Africa)
Head coach	Amir Abdou
Captain	Aly Abeid
Most caps	Souleymane Diallo (76)
Top scorer	Bessam (13)
Home stadium	Stade Olympique de Nouakchott
FIFA code	MTN
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	112 7 (20 June 2024)[1]
Highest	81 (July 2017)
Lowest	206 (November 2012 – January 2013)
First international
Malagasy Republic 5–1 Mauritania  (Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire; 25 December 1961)
Biggest win
Somalia 2–8 Mauritania  (Beirut, Lebanon; 27 December 2006)
Biggest defeat
Guinea 14–0 Mauritania  (Guinea; 20 May 1972)
Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances	3 (first in 2019)
Best result	Round of 16 (2023)
FIFA Arab Cup
Appearances	2 (first in 1985)
Best result	Group stage (1985, 2021)

The Mauritania national football team (Arabic: منتخب مُورِيتَانْيَا لِكُرَةِ الْقَدَم), nicknamed Al-Murabitun in the reference to Almoravid dynasty, represents Mauritania in men's international football. It is controlled by the Féderation de Football de la République Islamique de Mauritanie, and is a member of the Confederation of African Football. They have not qualified for the FIFA World Cup. However, in the Amílcar Cabral Cup, a regional tournament for West Africa, Mauritania came fourth in 1980 on hosting the competition. The national football team of Mauritania later runners-up in 1995, losing on penalties to Sierra Leone after the final finished 0–0.

On 18 November 2018, Mauritania qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in history, after they won 2–1 against Botswana to seal a spot in the 2019 tournament.