Tahiti national football team

Tahiti

Nickname(s)	Toa Aito (Les guerriers de fer / Iron Warriors)
Association	Tahitian Football Federation
Confederation	OFC (Oceania)
Head coach	Eddy Etaeta
Captain	Nicolas Vallar
Most caps	Angelo Tchen (30)
Top scorer	Félix Tagawa (14)
Home stadium	Stade Hamuta
FIFA code	TAH
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	196 (May 2016)
Highest	111 (August 2002)
Lowest	196 (April–May 2016)
Elo ranking
Current	140 (8 July 2015)
Highest	45 (September 1983)
Lowest	156 (September 2010)
First international
French Polynesia 2–2 New Zealand  (Papeete, Tahiti; September 21, 1952)
Biggest win
Tahiti 36–0 F.S. Micronesia  (Papeete, Tahiti; September 2, 1971)
Biggest defeat
New Zealand 10–0 Tahiti  (Adelaide, Australia; June 4, 2004)  Spain 10–0 Tahiti  (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; June 20, 2013)
OFC Nations Cup
Appearances	8 (First in 1973)
Best result	Winners, 2012
Confederations Cup
Appearances	1 (First in 2013)
Best result	Group stage

The Tahiti national football team is the national team of French Polynesia^[1][2][3][4] and is controlled by the Fédération Tahitienne de Football. The team consists of a selection of players from French Polynesia, not just Tahiti, and has competed in the Oceania Football Confederation since 1990. They are the current Oceanian football champions, having won the 2012 edition of the OFC Nations Cup, their first victory in the competition.

Tahiti is traditionally one of the stronger footballing nations of the Pacific Islands, with the second best record at the football section of the South Pacific Games, with five victories. They were runners-up in the first three instalments of the Nations Cup (1973, 1980, and 1996). The nation went through a period of less success, but showed promise when it qualified for the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt. This success was followed up with the title of 2012 OFC Nations Cup, becoming the first team other than Australia and New Zealand to win the competition.

History

Tahiti played its first full match on 21 September 1952, at home against New Zealand, and drew 2–2. Seven days later the two teams played again and New Zealand won 5–3. On 30 September they played each other for a third time, and Tahiti gained its first victory, by 2–0. However, it is unknown whether this was a full international.^[5]

In September 1953, Tahiti played three matches in New Caledonia against its national side, losing the first 5–0 and the later two 4–1. They then travelled to the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) and beat its national side 4–2 twice. In 1989, under the leadership of Napoleon Spitz, the official federation was created.

Tahiti entered its first World Cup qualification with the aim of reaching the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States. They were placed in Group A with Australia and the Solomon Islands, and played their first match away to the Solomon Islands in Honiara on 11 July 1992. Eric Etaeta equalised for Tahiti to make it 1–1 in the 76th minute. On 11 September Tahiti hosted Australia in Papeete and lost 3–0. The next fixture was again against Australia, and resulted in a 2–0 away defeat in Brisbane on 20 September. On 9 October in Papeete, Tahiti beat the Solomon Islands 4–2. Tahiti's first goal was scored as an 8th-minute penalty from Reynald Temarii, a politician and current president of the Oceania Football Confederation. However, Tahiti finished second to Australia in the group and did not advance.

2012 OFC Nations Cup

In 2012, the new edition of the tournament occurred in the Solomon Islands with the host country, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Tahiti, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Samoa (winner of the qualifying tournament) playing the competition. Tahiti defeated New Caledonia in the final in Lawson Tama Stadium 1–0 with a goal by Steevy Chong Hue and became the first team other than Australia (no longer part of OFC) and New Zealand to be crowned Oceania champions.^[6]

2013 Confederations Cup

By winning the 2012 OFC Nations Cup, Tahiti qualified for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil for the first time.^[7] On 17 June 2013, even though, Tahiti lost 1–6 to Nigeria in the 2013 Confederations Cup in Belo Horizonte in Brazil, with Jonathan Tehau getting the goal for Tahiti in the second half with a header from a corner, Tahiti fans still rejoiced in the prospect of scoring a goal in an international tournament.^[8] On 20 June 2013, Tahiti lost 10–0 against Spain equalling their biggest ever loss against New Zealand nine years earlier.^[9] On 23 June 2013, Tahiti was beaten 8–0 by Uruguay.

In all, Tahiti conceded 24 goals and scored one. They ended with a goal differential of −23, the worst of any national team in any major competition.^[10] But even with the bad record and heavy defeats, Tahiti's underdog qualities gathered huge respect from the people of Brazil, who always cheered for them in every match.^[11] Spanish coach Vicente Del Bosque, and strikers Fernando Torres and David Villa - who scored four and three goals respectively against Tahiti - complimented the team's fair play.^[12]

Tahiti  v  Nigeria

17 June 2013	Tahiti	1–6	Nigeria	Estádio Mineirão, Belo Horizonte
16:00	J. Tehau  54'	Report	Vallar  5' (o.g.) Oduamadi  10', 26', 76' J. Tehau  69' (o.g.) Echiéjilé  80'	Attendance: 20,187 Referee: Joel Aguilar (El Salvador)

Spain  v  Tahiti

20 June 2013	Spain	10–0	Tahiti	Estádio do Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro
16:00	Torres  5', 33', 57', 78' Silva  31', 89' Villa  39', 49', 64' Mata  66'	Report		Attendance: 71,806 Referee: Djamel Haimoudi (Algeria)

Uruguay  v  Tahiti

23 June 2013	Uruguay	8–0	Tahiti	Arena Pernambuco, Recife
16:00	Hernández  2', 24', 45+1', 67' (pen.) Pérez  27' Lodeiro  61' Suárez  82', 90'	Report		Attendance: 22,047 Referee: Pedro Proença (Portugal)

Competitive Record

FIFA World Cup

• 1930 to 1950: Did not exist
• 1954 to 1990: Did not enter
• 1994 to 2014: Did not qualify

FIFA Confederations Cup FIFA Confederations Cup Record Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA 1992 No OFC Representative Invited 1995 1997 Did Not Qualify 1999 2001 2003 2005 2009 2013 Group Stage 8th 3 0 0 3 1 24 2017 To Be Determined 2021 Total 1/9 0 Titles 3 0 0 3 1 24

OFC Nations Cup OFC Nations Cup Record Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA 1973 Runners-Up 2nd 5 2 2 1 7 4 1980 Runners-Up 2nd 4 3 0 1 23 9 1996 Runners-Up 2nd 4 2 0 2 3 12 1998 Fourth Place 4th 4 1 0 3 8 10 2000 Group Stage 5th 2 0 0 2 2 5 2002 Third Place 3rd 5 3 0 2 8 9 2004 Group Stage 5th 5 1 1 3 2 24 2008 Did Not Qualify 2012 Champions 1st 5 5 0 0 20 5 2016 To Be Determined Total 1 Title 8/9 34 17 3 14 73 78

Pacific Games Pacific Games Record Year Round Position Pld W D * L GF GA 1963 Third Place 3rd 2 1 0 1 19 2 1966 Champions 1st 4 4 0 0 14 3 1969 Runners-Up 2nd 5 3 1 1 19 7 1971 Third Place 3rd 4 2 1 1 41 5 1975 Champions 1st 5 4 0 1 12 6 1979 Champions 1st 5 5 0 0 33 2 1983 Champions 1st 5 5 0 0 25 2 1987 Runners-Up 2nd 5 3 1 1 9 4 1991 Group Stage 6th 3 1 0 2 15 5 1995 Champions 1st 6 6 0 0 35 2 2003 Fourth Place 4th 6 3 0 3 25 7 2007 Group Stage 6th 4 1 1 2 2 6 2011 Third Place 3rd 6 3 1 2 28 9 2015 Runners-Up 2nd 5 3 1 1 34 4 Total 13/13 5 Titles 65 44 6 15 311 64

Polynesia Cup Polynesia Cup Record Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA 1994 Champions 1st 3 3 0 0 10 1 1998 Champions 1st 4 4 0 0 27 1 2000 Champions 1st 4 4 0 0 30 2 Total 3/3 3 Titles 11 11 0 0 67 4 Coupe de l'Outre-Mer Coupe de l'Outre-Mer Record Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA 2008 Group Stage 7th 3 0 0 3 0 3 2010 Group Stage 6th 3 0 2 1 3 6 2012 Sixth Place 6th 4 2 0 2 6 7 Total 3/3 0 Titles 10 2 2 6 9 16

List of coaches

• F. Vernaudon (1973)
• Umberto Mottini (1995–1996)
• Gerard Kautai (1996)
• Richard Vansam (1997)
• Alain Rousseau/Eddy Rousseau (1997–1998)
• Leon Gardikiotis (1999–2000)
• Patrick Jacquemet (2001–2002)
• Gérard Kautai (2004–2007)
• Eddy Etaeta (2010–present)
• Patrice Flaccadori (at 2015 Pacific Games)

Players

Current squad

Match Dates: 3, 5 and 7 July 2015
Competition: 2015 Pacific Games

Caps and goals correct as of the start of the competition

0#0	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	GK	Tom Teriinohopuaiterai		0	0
2		Tevaimoana Meslien		0	0
3		Raimana Tipahaehae		0	0
4	DF	Rainui Aroita	January 25, 1994	1	0	A.S. Tamarii Faa'a
5		Teheiarii Taupotini		0	0
6		Louis Petitgas		0	0
7		Tauatua Lucas	November 23, 1994	0	0	AS Tefana
8		Manuarii Hauata		0	0
9	FW	Fred Tissot		0	0
10	MF	Yohann Tihoni	July 20, 1994	2	0	AS Roniu
11		Mauarii Tehina		0	0
12	GK	Raiamanu Tetauira	8 March 1986	21	0
13		Raumatahi Noho		0	0
14		Tevairoa Tehuritaua		0	0
15		Rayan Petitgas	December 26, 1998	0	0	AS Pirae
16		Temauiarii Crolas		0	0
17		Tumarangi Tiatoa		0	0
18		Heremoana Hoata	April 18, 1993	0	0	AS Tefana
19		Tamatoa Tetauira		0	0
20		Raimana Dhalluin		0	0
21		Thibaut Pito		0	0
22		Michel Maihi	March 6, 1998	0	0	AS Pirae
23		Vaiarii Halligan	March 18, 1998	0	0	AS JT

References

1. "Trophies in paradise". The Football Ramble. 2 October 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
2. "Tahiti ready for Confederations Cup". The Scotsman. 9 June 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
3. "IN THE LAND OF GIANTS – Tahiti set for Confederations Cup adventure". Football Republika. 14 June 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
4. "Tahiti national football team". Road To Brazil. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
5. "Tahiti International Matches". Rsssf.com. Retrieved 2013-06-23.
6. "Glorious Tahiti claim maiden Oceania crown". FIFA.com. 10 June 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2012.
7. "Proud Tahiti No1 aims to enjoy Brazil challenge". FIFA.com. 14 March 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
8. "Nigeria 6 Tahiti 1". BBC Sport. 17 June 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
9. "Spain 10 Tahiti 0". BBC Sport. 20 June 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
10. "Uruguay 8 Tahiti 0". BBC Sport. 23 June 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
11. "Técnico confirma 'carisma' do Taiti e cumprimenta jornalistas na despedida". UOL Esporte (in Portuguese). 23 June 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
12. "Nada de pancadaria: ‘fair play’ do Taiti em goleada arranca elogios da Fúria". Globo Esporte (in Portuguese). 21 June 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2013.

External links

• FIFA Profile