Siovanija and Teusland national football team
| Nickname(s) | The Goldhorns | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Association | Siovanija and Teusland Football Association | ||
| Confederation | Atlantian Oceania | ||
| Head coach | Gavin Hughes  | ||
| Captain | Raphael Klopfer | ||
| Most caps | Thorsten Kramer (128) | ||
| Top scorer | Michael Ribbeck (62) | ||
| Home stadium | Nationalstadion, Stelburg | ||
| Code | STL | ||
| |||
| World ranking | |||
| Current | 53  4 | ||
| Highest | 53 (Pre-WC83) | ||
| Lowest | 156 (Pre-WC80) | ||
| First international | |||
 Siovanija and Teusland 3-1 The Cereal Isle (Baptism of Fire 67 Matchday 1, Eastern Stadium, Banija) | |||
| Biggest win | |||
| Siovanija and Teusland 5-1 Sticiano (AOCAF 58 Matchday 2, Star Field, Banija) | |||
| Biggest defeat | |||
Siovanija and Teusland 1-6 Kita-Hinode  Kita-Hinode (Cup of Harmony 72 Matchday 2, Turoki Community Centre, Vilita) | |||
| World Cup | |||
| Appearances | 1 (first in World Cup 84) | ||
| Best result | Group Stage (World Cup 84) | ||
| AOCAF | |||
| Appearances | 4 (first in AOCAF 56) | ||
| Best result | Quarterfinal (AOCAF 57), (AOCAF 58}, (AOCAF 59} | ||
| Cup of Harmony | |||
| Appearances | 4 (first in CoH 72) | ||
| Best result | Round of 16 Cup of Harmony 75 | ||
The Siovanija and Teusland national football team (Teus: Siowenien und Teusland Fussballnationalmannschaft; Siovanijan: Siovanija i Teusland nogometna reprezentanca) represents the nation of Siovanija and Teusland in international football competition, and is controlled by the Siovanija and Teusland Football Association (STFA). Siovanija and Teusland first entered international competition in the World Cup 80 cycle, and have risen on the international stage ever since.
History
Origins
Football is one of the most popular sports in the United Republics of Siovanija and Teusland, a distinction it shares with ice hockey and cricket. The sport consistently had high rates of viewership and participation within the country. For much of the nation's history, however, there was no national football league or football team. Instead, there were regional leagues and regional representative teams. The only truly national competition was the STFA President's Cup. Under the government of President Joachim Fleiss, however, the Ministry of Sport encouraged the STFA to form a national league and team to represent the nation. From this, the Republikaliga and the national football team were born. Shortly afterwards, the national football team sought to compete in World Cup Committee and AOCAF competition.
World Cup 80
The Goldhorns were quickly entered into Baptism of Fire 67, a tournament for newcoming nations in the football world. The national team received much fanfare at home as they jetted off to Banija for the tournament. The team was managed by Energija Chernovets manager Apostol Manevski on an interim basis for the first cycle. In the opening match of the tournament, the Goldhorns defeated The Cereal Isle 3-1. Captain Miroslav Dinev scored the first goal in the history of the national team. Three more wins and a draw followed in the Group Stage of the tournament, as the Goldhorns advanced to the playoff stage. In the Round of 16, it was a rematch with The Cereal Isle which the Goldhorns this time won 3-0. However, it was heartbreak in the Quarterfinal as the Commonwealth of Baker Park handed the Goldhorns their first loss, 3-1. Baker Park would go on to finish runner-up in the tournament and eventually qualify for World Cup 80.
The World Cup Qualification campaign saw the Goldhorns handed a tough group, including football heavyweights Mriin and Chromatika. The Goldhorns performed admirably, however, and in the second match of qualifiers earned their first home win, 2-1 over Luz de Libertadores and St Esther thanks to goals from Dinev and Theodor Aberbach. Other bright spots of the campaign included a 3-3 draw at the Nationalstadion with Chromatika, while the real highlight of the campaign was an upset 4-2 win away over Mriin. Miroslav Dinev's brace stood to represent the promise the national team had for the future. The Goldhorns finished the Qualifying campaign with a record of 6-5-7, good enough for 5th in the group. In addition to this, promising young midfielder Thorsten Kramer was recognized as a member of the Qualification XI, a team made of the best players from the qualification stage.
While the Goldhorns did not reach the finals, they earned an invitation to the Cup of Harmony tournament held in Vilita. The Cup serves as an alternate tournament for nations that missed out on the World Cup Finals. Alan Dzekov was appointed full-time manager of the national team for the 72nd Cup of Harmony, a promotion from the assistant role he played during the World Cup. While Dzekov's reign began with a 3-2 win over the higher-ranked Jeruselem, the Goldhorns didn't have the best of times at the Cup and lost 6-1 to Kita-Hinode in what stands as the national team's record defeat. The Goldhorns failed to defeat the Alpine Union on the final day, instead drawing 2-2, and failed to advance from the group.
Soon afterwards, the Goldhorns also participated for the first time in the AOCAF Cup. The 57th edition was hosted in fellow Southwestern AO nation the Equestrian States, and the Goldhorns joined in on regional competition. The Cup got off to a rocky start, however, as the Goldhorns were smashed 4-0 by Cosumar in the opener. The team quickly recovered, however, and wins over Novo Calania (2-1) and Qasden (4-2) saw them qualify for the playoff stage. The Goldhorns' first-ever playoff match saw them take on Mriin again. A repeat of the Goldhorns' upset during Qualifiers, however, was not to be and Mriin were 2-1 winners on the day. The tournament saw the emergence of young forward Michael Ribbeck, who scored 3 goals for the team as an 18 year old including the winners against Novo Calania and Qasden.
World Cup 81
After a strong showing at the AOCAF, there was a sense of excitement entering Qualification for World Cup 81. This was further stoked as the Goldhorns won 4 of their opening 5 matches. Further wins over the Alpine Union and Sargossa caused some fans to believe that the Goldhorns were on the verge of an unlikely success in Qualifiers. Things, however, came crashing down for the Goldhorns: they did not win one of the final 5 matches of the campaign. The team ended Qualifiers 5th in their group with a record of 9-3-6.
That meant another trip to the Cup of Harmony. This tournament, however, was a major failure for the national team. The Goldhorns failed to pick up a win in any of the 3 matches of the tournament, and were eliminated again from the group stage. The failure to win meant that Siovanija and Teusland had not won for 10 straight matches including friendlies, and complaints rose from the fanbase. Those complaints, as well as rumours of discontent between the squad and manager Dzekov, led to Alan Dzekov being sacked after the Goldhorns' elimination from the tournament.
Several candidates were considered for Dzekov's successor, including a possible return of Apostol Manevski. In the end, however, the Apoxian Gavin Hughes was selected as the new manager. His debut tournament came at the AOCAF, hosted in Mriin, and he brought the Goldhorns back to winning ways in his very first match. A 2-1 win over the Busoga Islands was followed by a draw with the Sultanate of Oontaz and a hard-fought 3-2 loss to the Equestrian States. Due to other group results, however, the Goldhorns still managed to qualify for the playoff stage.
The road was not easy, however, and the Round of 16 match saw the Goldhorns pitted against the reigning World Champions, the combined team of Vilita and Turori. On a rainy night that saw the teams go back and forth, eventually it was Michael Ribbeck's stoppage time goal that won the match for the Goldhorns. This victory was seen as a real turning point for the national team, a sign of what could be in the future. It became the 2nd most watched sports program in the history of the nation (behind the World Cup of Hockey 35 Quarterfinal against Mercedini), and was cause for national celebration. The media quickly declared it 'Das Wunder von Northbrush,' or 'The Miracle of Northbrush' after the city the match was played in. The celebrations ended quickly, however, as the Goldhorns were defeated days later by neighbours to the west and another heavyweight football nation, Valanora, 1-0.
World Cup 82
There was an even greater excitement surrounding the national team as they headed into Qualifiers for World Cup 82. The Goldhorns were, however, a mixed bag in the early part of Qualifiers. They earned important wins against Damukuni and Ko-oren, but slumped to defeats against lower-ranked Spokane and the Euran Oceanian Territories. At the halfway point, the Goldhorns were still in with a shout at Qualification, but a series of draws at home killed any chance at that dream. In the end, the Goldhorns finished 5th in the group. That led to another trip to the Cup of Harmony.
Cup of Harmony 74, however, was another poor showing from the Goldhorns. Losses to Kita-Hinode and Velestria had eliminated the Goldhorns before the final day even occurred, where a goal from Krasimir Kynev gave the Goldhorns a meaningless win over Zwangzug.
The Goldhorns were back in action at AOCAF 58, however, in the tournament that they have so far seen the most success. This edition was hosted by subregional neighbours Banija and Baker Park. The Goldhorns started things off with a massive 4-4 draw with Valanora, that opened things up in the group. The next matchday, 2 goals from Michael Ribbeck were part of a 5-1 win over Sticiano that stands as the national team's all-time biggest win. Then, on the last day, the Goldhorns got a bit of revenge on the Euran Oceanian Territories in a 2-1 win that secured the first-place seed in the group and qualification to the Round of 16. Mario Kogler's first goal for his country was the winner in a 3-1 win over the Sultanate of Oontaz, but it was disappointment again in the Quarterfinal as the Goldhorns were thrashed 6-2 by Cosumar.
World Cup 83
By World Cup 83, the Goldhorns had moved up to be ranked 53rd in the world, becoming true underdog competitors in their group. The Qualifying campaign was overall solid from the national team. A massive win on the road on Matchday 2 against the Squornshelan Remnant States gave Siovanija and Teusland the upper hand in the fight for a playoff spot, and while the Goldhorns struggled in a few matches afterwards: 2 draws and a 6-3 defeat to the Holy Empire, but recovered after the halfway point. A home draw with the SRS was key in the campaign, as was the win over Anollasia thanks to a last-minute goal from Miroslav Dinev. Back at home in their final match of Qualifiers, the Goldhorns faced off against Quakmybush. Down 2-0 at halftime, the team recovered in a dramatic second half to win 3-2. This forced the SRS to get a result away to the Holy Empire. The Holy Empire defeated the Squornshelan Remnant States 4-1 on the final day, confirming Siovanija and Teusland as second place in the group and advancing to the Playoff stage.
The Playoff stage of World Cup 84 brought disappointment for the Goldhorns, however, as they lost game 1 3-2 against Recuecn before defeating 95X 3-2. Michael Ribbeck would add a brace on the final day of the round against Abahnfleft, but it wouldn't be enough as the Goldhorns failed to qualify, heading back to the Cup of Harmony. The Goldhorns started the tournament, held in Eastfield Lodge and Damukuni, quite well, with a 3-2 win over Eraman and 3-1 win over Flavovespia in their opening matches. It was disappointment again, however, from that point on, as the Goldhorns failed to win another game at the tournament. They lost 4-1 to eventual champions Main Nation Ministry, 3-2 to Brusseldorf, and then were eliminated from the tournament thanks to a 2-1 loss A.E.T against Saltstead.
So, it was back to the AOCAF championship instead, this edition using a home-and-away round robin format. The Goldhorns struggled in this tournament as well, and there was even talk of manager Gavin Hughes getting the sack due to the poor performances that seemed to be ongoing since the Recuecn loss. There were some good moments, such as opening the campaign with a 2-1 win over Qasden at the Nationalstadion off a brace from Ribbeck, or the 3-2 away win in Hapilopper. That win, however, was the only one in the final 5 matches of the campaign. The Goldhorns, on a 4-0-6 record, did manage, however, to qualify for the Round of 16, where they would face Vilita and Turori for the first time since 'Das Wunder.'
Vilita and Turori were certainly heavy favourites against a sputtering Goldhorns side, but that evening at RCK Field in Chromatika, there was a new fire to be found in the side from Siovanija & Teusland. The Eel Cat Things took a 1-0 lead early in the second half, before Michael Ribbeck evened things up shortly after. The sides played on 1-1, the Goldhorns being inspired by the substitution of Todor Mihailov. It was quickly becoming a 'next goal wins' scenario, and when Krasimir Kynev knocked in a second chance opportunity to make it 2-1, there was a new confidence in the Goldhorns. They would hold on, to knock out Vilita and Turori for the second time. The Quarterfinal saw the Goldhorns face a tough Valanora side, who they battled hard against for a 3-3 draw before losing on penalties. While the tournament ended in the Quarterfinal again, those playoff matches meant something more. Much of the optimism of the early days of the national team, which grew out of the 'miracle' win over V&T had started to erode in recent times: no World Cup Qualification, and dismal performances elsewhere. Now, though, that optimism was back: the fight was back in this team. The question would be if they could carry it over to World Cup 84.
World Cup 84
Going into their 5th World Cup tournament, the Goldhorns were ranked 51st in the world - not favourites to qualify, but a possibility for sure. The national team entered a tricky qualifying group, featuring Nephara and The Macabees as the top seeds. The Goldhorns managed near-perfection against the lower ranked sides, however, to put themselves in a great position for their matches with the top seeds. Nephara cruised past the Goldhorns 4-1 in Stahlberg, but it was the Goldhorns' day on the road in The Macabees: Thorsten Kramer's early goal, backed up by Michael Ribbeck's brace and a Viktor Dimitrov free kick, gave the Goldhorns a 4-1 win of their own. In the second half of qualifying, Nephara defeated the Goldhorns 4-2 in Sabrefell, but it was a happy day for the Goldhorns anyway: due to results elsewhere, Siovanija & Teusland were going to the World Cup. Other memorable moments included FC Felsenkirchen 1879 forward Johannes Mandl scoring a hat-trick on his debut, a 4-2 win over Aquitlia, as well as Krasimir Kynev's late goal to secure a win against Bolgano that would end up being massive for qualification.
So, the Goldhorns headed to Baker Park - co-hosts of the World Cup alongside Cassadaigua - as one of 3 newcomers (the others being Huelavia and Port Ember). The first match of the World Cup tournament, against Sargossa, became the second-most watched sporting TV broadcast of all time in the country, surpassing the Miracle of Northbrush, and 2nd only to the World Cup of Hockey Quarterfinal against Valanora. The millions of fans back home were treated to a surprise as well, with Michael Ribbeck getting the Goldhorns' first-ever World Cup goal to secure a 1-0 win. In the second match, eventual runners-up Vilita defeated the Goldhorns 2-0, and the national team headed into its final match against Audioslavia needing a win to advance to the Round of 16. The Goldhorns came out to play on the day: Michael Ribbeck scoring to give the Goldhorns an early lead. Thorsten Kramer, the star of Audioslav Champion's League winners 1830 Cathair, also had a goal, but the Bulls pulled it back to secure a 2-2 draw that sent them through instead. Having done well in a difficult group, the World Cup campaign served as a new beginning for the squad.