Cuba national football team
On the 16th of March 1930, Cuba played its first international football match at that year's Central American and Caribbean Games. The team beat Jamaica by a score of three to one in Havana. Four days later they defeated Honduras seven goals to none. José Tapia managed the squad during these early victories. He remained in charge until after the 1938 World Cup campaign.
The decision to stage the 1938 World Cup in France was poorly received across the Americas. All South American nations except Brazil withdrew from the tournament. Every CONCACAF nation except Cuba also declined to participate. This left Cuba and another team qualified by default for the finals. They drew their first round match against Romania on the 5th of June 1938 at Stade du T.O.E.C. in Toulouse. A replay followed on the 9th of June where Cuba won two goals to one. Hector Socorro scored the equalizer in the second half while Carlos Oliviera netted the winner six minutes later.
Cuba did not compete in World Cup qualification again until 1966 under Castro's regime. They returned to participation for the 1978 qualifiers but failed to advance. The 1982 qualifiers represented a significant breakthrough as the team reached the final round. They finished only two points short of reaching the 1982 World Cup. Since then the team has struggled to qualify for major tournaments consistently. Their best performance under the Gold Cup format remains reaching the quarter-finals three times between 2003 and 2015.
Regionally the team finished as runners-up in the NAFC Championship as hosts in 1947. They won the Caribbean Cup in 2012 organized by CFU. This marked their first title in that specific competition. During the 2003 Gold Cup they defeated Canada two goals to zero before losing to the United States in the quarter-finals. In 2010 they finished third in the Caribbean Cup to secure a spot in the 2011 Gold Cup. Recent years have seen an improvement in results compared to previous decades.
A number of football players have made the move to the United States during international competitions. During the 2002 Gold Cup in Los Angeles Rey Ángel Martínez and Alberto Delgado chose to remain there. Striker Maykel Galindo defected during the 2005 Gold Cup. Two more players Osvaldo Alonso and Lester Moré did so during the 2007 Gold Cup. In March 2008 seven players from the U-23 national football team including Yeniel Bermúdez defected while based in Tampa Florida. Another group of five players defected to Canada during the 2019, 20 CONCACAF Nations League matches.
José Tapia managed the team from 1930 until 1934 and then again from 1935 to 1938. Gavin Newton took charge between 1934 and 1935. Marcelino Minsal led the squad from 1947 to 1949. František Churda served as manager from 1963 to 1964. Karoly Kósa coached briefly in 1966 followed by László Mohácsi in 1967. Kim Yong-ha managed the team from 1970 to 1971. Sergio Padrón was in charge for a single year starting in 1976. Tibor Ivanics held the position from 1980 to 1981. Roberto Hernández managed the team from 1985 to 1988. Giovanni Campari took over from 1990 to 1996. William Bennett coached from 1996 to 2000. Miguel Company managed the team from 2000 to 2004. Luis Armelio Garcia served from 2004 to 2005. Raúl González coached from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2008 to 2012. Chandler González managed briefly in 2012. Walter Benítez led the squad from 2012 to 2015. Raúl González returned for another stint from 2015 to 2016. Julio Valero managed in 2016. Raúl Mederos coached from 2016 to 2019. Pablo Elier Sánchez served from 2019 to 2023. Yunielys Castillo took charge from 2023 to 2025. Pedro Pablo Pereira currently manages the team starting in 2025.
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Common questions
When did the Cuba national football team play its first international match?
The Cuba national football team played its first international match on the 16th of March 1930. This game took place at that year's Central American and Caribbean Games in Havana where they defeated Jamaica by a score of three to one.
How many goals did Cuba score against Honduras during their early victories under José Tapia?
Cuba scored seven goals when they defeated Honduras four days after their first match. José Tapia managed the squad during these early victories before remaining in charge until after the 1938 World Cup campaign.
What happened during the Cuba national football team match against Romania in 1938?
Cuba drew their first round match against Romania on the 5th of June 1938 at Stade du T.O.E.C. in Toulouse before winning the replay two goals to one on the 9th of June. Hector Socorro scored the equalizer while Carlos Oliviera netted the winner six minutes later.
Which players defected from the Cuba national football team during competitions in the United States between 2002 and 2008?
Rey Ángel Martínez and Alberto Delgado chose to remain in the United States during the 2002 Gold Cup while Maykel Galindo defected during the 2005 Gold Cup. Osvaldo Alonso and Lester Moré defected during the 2007 Gold Cup and Yeniel Bermúdez was among seven players who defected while based in Tampa Florida in March 2008.
Who currently manages the Cuba national football team as of 2025?
Pedro Pablo Pereira currently manages the Cuba national football team starting in 2025. He took charge after Yunielys Castillo held the position from 2023 to 2025.