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Venezuela
Nickname(s)	La Vinotinto; (The Burgundy)
Association	Federación Venezolana; de Fútbol
Confederation	CONMEBOL (South America)
Head coach	César Farías
Captain	Juan Arango
Most caps	José Manuel Rey (108)
Top scorer	Giancarlo Maldonado (17)
Home stadium	Estadio José Antonio Anzoátegui, Polideportivo Cachamay
FIFA code	VEN
FIFA ranking	51
Highest FIFA ranking	48 (April 2004)
Lowest FIFA ranking	129 (November 1998)
Elo ranking	45
Highest Elo ranking	38 (April 2004)
Lowest Elo ranking	127 (1993, 1995, 1999)
Home colours	Away colours
First international
	Panama 3 - 1 Venezuela ; (Panama City, Panama; 12 February 1938)
Biggest win
	Venezuela 6 - 0 Puerto Rico ; (Barranquilla, Colombia; 26 December 1946)
Biggest defeat
	Argentina 11 - 0 Venezuela ; (Buenos Aires, Argentina; 10 August 1975)
Copa América
Appearances	14 (First in 1967)
Best result	5º 1967

The Venezuela National Football Team is the national football team of Venezuela and is controlled by the Federación Venezolana de Fútbol. It is nicknamed 'La Vinotinto' (The Burgundy), because of the traditional burgundy color of their shirts.

Venezuela is the only national team in CONMEBOL which has never qualified for a World Cup. Often Venezuela would go through entire qualification tournaments without recording a single win, although this has changed in the last two qualifying rounds. Their best finish in Copa América was fifth in their first entry, in 1967.

When playing at home in official games they usually rotate between two stadiums: the Estadio Polideportivo de Pueblo Nuevo, in San Cristóbal; the Estadio José Encarnación "Pachencho" Romero, in Maracaibo. In friendly matches they tend to rotate between the rest of the stadiums in the country.

The Unofficial Football World Championship, and the related Nasazzi's baton title, was briefly held by Venezuela in 2006.

Unlike other South American nations, baseball is extremely popular in Venezuela, which diverts athletic talent away from football, contributing to its historic lack of success in CONMEBOL competitions. It is only recently with the spread of the World Cup's popularity in nations where football was not the primary sport (Japan, the United States, Australia, etc.) that the national team found incentives to increase player development and fan support.

[edit] History

[edit] World Cup

Venezuela did not participate in World Cup qualifying until the 1966 qualifiers in which they were drawn with Uruguay and Peru, but failed to register a point in four games. In the 1970 qualifiers they managed to register a point, and after withdrawing from the 1974 series, repeated that in the 1978 qualifiers. The 1982 qualifiers saw them register their first win, over Bolivia. They wouldn't register another World Cup qualifying win until the 1994 series when they defeated Ecuador. A highlight of the 1998 qualifiers was goalkeeper Rafael Dudamel scoring against Argentina in a 5-2 defeat.

The 2002 and 2006 qualifiers have seen a tremendous improvement in Venezuela's fortunes, and they are now regarded as a competitive team. They started the 2010 qualifying round by historically beating Ecuador in Quito where the Ecuadorians had previously held a long unbeaten record.

Despite poor results during the 60s and 70s, outstanding players like not true Luis Mendoza and Rafael Santana achieved recognition.

[edit] Copa America

Venezuela first participated in the Copas America in 1967, and finished 5th after defeating Bolivia 3-0 with a side containing Mendoza and Santana. The 1975 tournament saw Venezuela drawn in a group with Brazil and Argentina, and finished bottom with an 11-0 defeat to Argentina. In the 1979 edition, which would be the international swansong for Mendoza and Santana, they drew 0-0 with Colombia and 1-1 with Chile. A highlight of the 1989 tournament was midfielder Carlos Maldonado's 4 goals. In the 1993 series, Venezuela drew with Uruguay and the United States.

The team's overall Copa América record has been pretty poor, but the "Auge Vinotinto" (Vinotinto Rise) period in the early 2000s brought increased attention to the sport in the country, which in turn brought increased support from both government and private institutions. Said support contributed greatly to the "Vinotinto's" rise in quality. In 2007, during the Copa América held in Venezuela, the team progressed to the quarterfinals for the first time in its history after finishing first in a group containing Peru, Bolivia and Uruguay. Venezuela's 2-0 victory over Perú during the competition was its first Copa América victory since 1967.

In June 6, 2008, Venezuela achieved its first-ever triumph over Brazil, winning the Seleção with a 2-0 score in a friendly match in Boston, USA.

[edit] Current team status

Venezuela is currently participating in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.

Main article: 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)

[edit] 2010 FIFA World Cup
Qualification Standings

Team v • d • e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Brazil	18	9	7	2	33	11	+22	34
Chile	18	10	3	5	32	22	+10	33
Paraguay	18	10	3	5	24	16	+8	33
Argentina	18	8	4	6	23	20	+3	28
Uruguay	18	6	6	6	28	20	+8	24
Ecuador	18	6	5	7	22	26	−4	23
Colombia	18	6	5	7	14	18	−4	23
Venezuela	18	6	4	8	23	29	−6	22
Bolivia	18	4	3	11	22	36	−14	15
Peru	18	3	4	11	11	34	−23	13


Argentina	–	3–0	1–3	2–0	1–0	1–1	1–1	2–1	2–1	4–0
Bolivia	6–1	–	2–1	0–2	0–0	1–3	4–2	3–0	2–2	0–1
Brazil	0–0	0–0	–	4–2	0–0	5–0	2–1	3–0	2–1	0–0
Chile	1–0	4–0	0–3	–	4–0	1–0	0–3	2–0	0–0	2–2
Colombia	2–1	2–0	0–0	2–4	–	2–0	0–1	1–0	0–1	1–0
Ecuador	2–0	3–1	1–1	1–0	0–0	–	1–1	5–1	1–2	0–1
Paraguay	1–0	1–0	2–0	0–2	0–2	5–1	–	1–0	1–0	2–0
Peru	1–1	1–0	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–2	0–0	–	1–0	1–0
Uruguay	0–1	5–0	0–4	2–2	3–1	0–0	2–0	6–0	–	1–1
Venezuela	0–2	5–3	0–4	2–3	2–0	3–1	1–2	3–1	2–2	–

[edit] Recent, last and next games

Recent games: see National team 2008–09 results and 2009–10
Last game: Venezuela 1 - 2 Paraguay - Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela October 10, 2009 - WCQ2010.
Next game: Venezuela 0 - 0 Brazil - Campo Grande, Brazil October 14, 2009 - WCQ2010.

KEY: F = Friendly match; WCQ2010 = 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification

[edit] Current Team

Squad for 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification games with Paraguay and Brazil

No.	Pos.	Player	DoB (Age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	GK	Renny Vega	July 4, 1979	37	0	Caracas
12	GK	Leonardo Morales	July 7, 1978	9	0	Deportivo Anzoátegui

	DF	Pedro Boada	May 26, 1977	10	0	Deportivo Anzoátegui
	DF	Grenddy Perozo	February 28, 1986	9	0	Deportivo Anzoátegui
3	DF	José Manuel Rey	May 20, 1975	108	10	Colo Colo
	DF	Oswaldo Vizcarrondo	May 31, 1984	12	0	Club Olimpia
13	DF	Juan Fuenmayor	April 19, 1979	16	0	Vålerenga
2	DF	Gerzon Chacón	October 27, 1980	17	0	Deportivo Táchira
	DF	Roberto Rosales	November 20, 1988	12	0	Gent
	DF	José Luis Granados	October 22, 1986	5	0	Deportivo Táchira

6	MF	Giacomo Di Giorgi	February 24, 1981	5	0	Deportivo Anzoátegui
8	MF	Tomás Rincón	January 13, 1988	18	0	Hamburg
	MF	Pedro Fernández	July 27, 1977	11	0	Deportivo Táchira
11	MF	César Eduardo González	October 1, 1980	18	1	San Luis
14	MF	Franklin Lucena	February 20, 1981	10	0	Caracas
17	MF	Luis Manuel Seijas	June 23, 1986	15	0	Independiente Santa Fe
18	MF	Juan Arango	May 16, 1980	85	17	Borussia Mönchengladbach
10	MF	Ronald Vargas	December 2, 1986	10	3	Club Brugge

7	FW	Nicolás Fedor	August 19, 1985	12	5	Valencia
9	FW	Giancarlo Maldonado	June 29, 1982	48	19	Xerez
	FW	Alexander Rondón	August 30, 1977	43	4	Deportivo Anzoátegui
15	FW	Alejandro Moreno	July 8, 1979	16	2	Philadelphia Union

[edit] Recent Call Ups

The following players have been recently called up in the 12 months.

Goalkeepers

Name	Date of birth	Club	Caps (goals)	Most Recent Call up
Rafael Romo	February 25, 1990	Udinese	5 (0)	v. Bolivia, June 6, 2009

Defenders

Name	Date of birth	Club	Caps (goals)	Most Recent Call up
Carlos Salazar	May 15, 1989	Deportivo Anzoategui	3 (0)	v. Uruguay, June 10, 2009
José Manuel Velásquez	September 8, 1990	Deportivo Anzoátegui	7 (1)	v. Uruguay, June 10, 2009
Gabriel Cichero	April 25, 1984	Caracas FC	14 (1)	v. Colombia, March 31, 2009

Midfielders

Name	Date of birth	Club	Caps (goals)	Most Recent Call up
Carlos Fernández	September 1, 1990	Deportivo Anzoátegui	2 (0)	v. Costa Rica, May 13, 2009
Louis Angelo Peña	December 25, 1989	S.C. Braga	5 (0)	v. Colombia, March 31, 2009
Jorge Alberto Rojas	January 10, 1977	New York Red Bulls	90 (3)	v. Colombia, March 31, 2009
Rafael Acosta	February 13, 1989	Cagliari Calcio	4 (0)	v. Colombia, March 31, 2009

Strikers

Name	Date of birth	Club	Caps (goals)	Most Recent Call up
José Salomón Rondón	September 16, 1989	UD Las Palmas	3 (1)	v. Guatemala, February 11, 2009
Emilio Rentería	October 9, 1984	Columbus Crew	3 (0)	v. Colombia, August 12, 2009

[edit] Competitive record

[edit] World Cup record

Year	Round	Position	GP	W	D	L	GS	GA
1930 to 1954	Did not enter
1958	Withdrew
1962	Did not enter
1966 to 1970	Did not qualify
1974	Withdrew
1978 to 2010	Did not qualify

[edit] Copa América record

1916 to 1963 - Did not enter
1967 - 5th
1975 - Round 1
1979 - Round 1
1983 - Round 1
1987 - Round 1
1989 - Round 1
1991 - Round 1
1993 - Round 1 (overall 11th place)
1995 - Round 1 (overall 12th place)
1997 - Round 1 (overall 12th place)
1999 - Round 1 (overall 12th place)
2001 - Round 1 (overall 12th place)
2004 - Round 1 (overall 11th place)
2007 - Quarterfinals (overall 6th place)

[edit] Pan American Games record

1951 - Fourth place
1955 - Fourth place
1959 to 1979 - Did not compete
1983 - Round 1
1987 to 2003 - Did not compete

[edit] Head to head

Main article: Venezuela national football team head to head

[edit] Most Venezuela caps

Player	National team career	Caps (Goals)
José Manuel Rey	1997-present	108 (11)
Jorge Alberto Rojas	1999-present	91 (3)
Juan Arango	1999-present	85 (17)
Miguel Ángel Mea Vitali	1999-present	81 (1)
Gabriel Urdaneta	1996-2005	77 (9)
Luis José Vallenilla	1996-2007	77 (1)
Ruberth Morán	1996-present	65 (14)
Leopoldo Jiménez	1999-2005	64 (0)
Ricardo David Páez	2000-2007	64 (7)
Rafael Dudamel	1993-2007	56 (1)
Leonel Vielma	2000-2007	56 (4)

[edit] Top Venezuela goalscorers

Player	National team career	Goals (Caps)
Giancarlo Maldonado	2003-present	19 (48)
Juan Arango	1999-present	17 (85)
Ruberth Morán	1996-2007	14 (65)
José Manuel Rey	1997-present	11 (108)
Gabriel Urdaneta	1996-2005	9 (77)
Daniel Arismendi	2006-present	9 (24)
Juan Garcia	1993-2004	7 (47)
Ricardo David Páez	2000-2007	7 (64)
José Luis Dolgetta	1993-1997	6 (21)

[edit] External links

(Spanish) Federacion Venezolana De Fútbol The Venezuelan soccer federation website.
(Spanish) La Vinotinto - The last news about Venezuelan professional soccer and more.
(Spanish) Vinotintos en el exterior The last news about Venezuelan players abroad.
(Spanish) ForoVinotinto The Unofficial Forum.
RSSSF archive of most capped players and highest goalscorers

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