San Marino made history by securing their first-ever competitive victory with a win against Liechtenstein in the Nations League. This triumph not only marked a milestone for the world’s lowest-ranked team by FIFA but also ended football’s longest winless streak, which spanned two decades and 140 games. Their last win, a friendly in 2004, was also against Liechtenstein and with the same scoreline.
San Marino's victory over Liechtenstein was only their second-ever win in history. The decisive goal came from 19-year-old Nicko Sensoli, who plays in Italy’s fourth tier. Remarkably, Sensoli wasn’t even born when San Marino last won a match. In the 53rd minute, he lobbed goalkeeper Benjamin Buchel, igniting wild celebrations among the players.
San Marino defended valiantly to secure the historic victory after enduring years of heavy defeats. The football minnows have lost 196 of the 206 matches they've played, including a 10-0 thrashing by England in a World Cup qualifier in November 2021.
San Marino has shown signs of progress since their heavy defeats. In October last year, they scored their first competitive goal in two years, narrowly losing 2-1 to Denmark in a Euro 2024 qualifier. In March, they earned a 0-0 draw against Caribbean side Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Nestled within Italy and overlooked by the stunning Mount Titano, San Marino is home to just 33,000 people and spans only 61 square kilometers—about half the size of Manchester.
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