Cook Islands national football team explained

Cook Islands
Badge:Cook Islands FA.svg
Badge Size:200px
Nickname:Soka Kuki Airani
Association:Cook Islands
Football Association
Confederation:OFC (Oceania)
Captain:Grover Harmon
Coach:Jess Ibrom
Most Caps:Tony Jamieson (22)
Top Scorer:Taylor Saghabi (7)
Home Stadium:Avarua Tereora Stadium
Fifa Trigramme:COK
Fifa Max:166
Fifa Max Date:October 2015
Fifa Min:207
Fifa Min Date:April–July 2015
Elo Max:170
Elo Max Date:1971
Elo Min:224
Elo Min Date:2015
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Pattern B1:_COK2022H
Pattern Ra1:_COK2022H
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Socks1:FFFFFF
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First Game:
(Papeete, Tahiti; 11 September 1971)
Largest Win: 3–0
(Papeete, Tahiti; 12 June 2000)
4–1
(Apia, Samoa; 1 September 2007)
3–0
(Boulari, New Caledonia; 1 September 2011)
0–3
(Nukuʻalofa, Tonga; 31 August 2015)
Largest Loss: 30–0
(Papeete, Tahiti; 13 September 1971)
Regional Name:OFC Nations Cup
Regional Cup Apps:2
Regional Cup First:1998
Regional Cup Best:Group stage (1998, 2000)
2Ndregional Cup Apps:5
2Ndregional Name:Pacific Games
2Ndregional Cup First:1971
2Ndregional Cup Best:Sixth place (1971)
3Rdregional Cup Apps:2
3Rdregional Name:Polynesia Cup
3Rdregional Cup First:1998
3Rdregional Cup Best:Runners-up (1998, 2000)

The Cook Islands men's national football team is the men's football team that represents the Cook Islands in international competition since 1971. It is governed by the Cook Islands Football Association which is part of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) and FIFA.

The nation has participated in seven FIFA World Cup qualification attempts since their first attempt back in 1998. They have qualified for the OFC Nations Cup twice in 1998 and 2000 OFC Nations Cup with both appearances seeing no wins from their four games that they have played.

History

Beginnings (1971–1995)

Despite being absent from the first three editions of the South Pacific Games, the geographical proximity of the Cook Islands with French Polynesia, host of the 1971 South Pacific Games, allowed the Cookian team to take part in the tournament. In the first round they were defeated 16–1 by Papua New Guinea and 30–0 by Tahiti, while in the match for fifth place, they fell to Fiji 15–1.

They next played a match in 1995 when proximity allowed them to participate again in the 1995 South Pacific Games. During the tournament they earned their first win, a 2–1 win over Wallis and Futuna, but lost their other four clashes resoundingly.

The two OFC Nations Cup (1996–2001)

The Cook Islands qualified for their first Oceania Nations Cup after finishing second in the 1998 Polynesia Cup, which they hosted. They faced Australia and Fiji in Group B, in what proved to be a tough draw. Australia crushed the Cook Islands 16–0 in their first match, scoring eight goals either side of the interval. In their next match against Fiji, however, the Cook Islands acquitted themselves much better, losing only 3–0, but with two defeats from two matches they failed to make the semi-finals.

In finishing 2nd at the 2000 Polynesia Cup, the Cook Islands also qualified for the OFC Nations Cup. They were drawn in Group A along with the Solomon Islands, and again, Australia. After their heavy defeat at the hands of Australia in the previous tournament, the Cook Islands hoped to avoid a repeat performance. However, they were powerless to prevent their opponents from running rampant, this time to the tune of 17–0. The Solomon Islands were up next, and in this game the Cook Islands had the consolation of scoring their first goal at the Oceania Nations Cup – the only bright spot in an otherwise bleak 5–1 defeat. After two defeats, then, the Cooks Islands again went out at the group stage.

Decline (2002–present)

They next entered qualification for the 2004 tournament however they lost all four matches and failed to progress.

They returned to the South Pacific Games for the 2007 competition where they could only beat Tuvalu 4–1. Four years later, at Nouméa 2011, they defeated Kiribati 3–0, but lost their other three meetings; while in 2012 OFC Nations Cup qualification they drew with American Samoa and fell to Samoa and Tonga.

In the 2016 OFC Nations Cup qualifiers, they beat Tonga 3–1 and Samoa 1–0, but fell in the last game against American Samoa 2-0, which relegated the Cook Islands to third place, surpassed on goal difference by both Samoas.

In March 2022, the Cook Islands played their first match in seven years when they lost 2–0 to the Solomon Islands in qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. However, they had to withdraw from their remaining matches due to a COVID-19 outbreak.[1] [2]

On 28 August 2023, Cook Islands resumed their international matches playing against Tahiti but suffered a 9–1 heavy defeat to Tahiti at the Stade Pater Te Hono Nui in Pirae.

Kit sponsorship

Kit supplierPeriod
2002–2004
2007–2012
Onu Football 2015–2020
KPI Sports2020–
Source:[3] [4]

Results and fixtures

See main article: Cook Islands national football team results. The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

2024

Coaches

Current squad

The following players were called up for the 2023 Pacific Games.[5]

Caps and goals are correct as of 30 November 2023, after the match against Samoa.

Player records

[6]

Players in bold are still active with Cook Islands.

Most appearances

width=25 Rankwidth=150 Namewidth=50 Capswidth=50 Goalswidth=100 Career
1Tony Jamieson2202000–2011
2John Pareanga2021998–2011
3Taylor Saghabi1772011–present
4Paavo Mustonen1502007–present
5Joseph Chambers1401996–2004
Grover Harmon1412009–present
7Mark Jamieson1312000–2004
Christian Tauira1301998–2004
9Tahiri Elikana1202011–present
Joseph Miitamariki1202007–2011
Stenter Mani1221996–2001
James Nand1201996–2001
Daniel Shepherd1212000–2007
Nikorima Te Miha1221998–2011

Top goalscorers

width=25 Rankwidth=150 Namewidth=50 Goalswidth=50 Capswidth=50 Ratiowidth=100 Career
1Taylor Saghabi7172011–present
2Joseph Ngauora382009–2011
Campbell Best3112009–2015
4Teariki Mateariki262004–2007
Stenter Mani2121996–2001
Nikorima Te Miha2121998–2011
John Pareanga2201998–2011

Competition record

FIFA World Cup

FIFA World CupQualification
YearHostRound
1930 to 1994Not a FIFA memberNot a FIFA member
1998 FranceDid not qualifyFirst round200214
2002
Japan
First round4004225
2006 GermanyFirst round4004117
2010 South AfricaFirst round410349
2014 BrazilFirst round301246
2018First round320142
2022 QatarWithdrewWithdrew
2026 Canada
Mexico
United States
To be determinedFirst roundTBD
2030 Morocco
Portugal
Spain
To be determined
2034 Saudi Arabia
Total2031171665

OFC Nations Cup

Oceania Cup / OFC Nations Cup recordQualification record
width=100Yearwidth=95Roundwidth=60Positionwidth=20width=20width=20width=20width=20width=20Squad
1973Did not enterDid not enter
1980
1996
1998Group stage6th2002019Squad4211811
20006th2002122Squad430185
2002WithdrewWithdrew
2004Did not qualify4004117
2008410349
2012301246
2016320142
2024210111
TotalGroup stage2/1140041412492132051

Pacific Games

Pacific Games record
YearRoundPosition
1963 to 1969did not enter
1971Group Stage6th3003261
1975 to 1991did not enter
1995Group stage7th4103237
2003did not enter
2007Group stage8th410349
20119th4103415
2015N/A – tournament was U23
2019did not enter
2023Group stage8th210129
Total5/160 Titles17401314131

Polynesia Cup

Polynesia Cup record
YearRoundPosition
1994did not enter
1998Runners-up2nd4211811
2000Runners-up2nd430185
Total2/30 Titles85121616

Historical kits

Sources:[7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cook Islands vs Solomon Islands . Elevensports . 23 March 2022 . 24 March 2022.
  2. Web site: Update on FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Oceania Qualifiers . Oceania Football Confederation . 23 March 2022 . 24 March 2022 . 23 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220323211813/https://www.oceaniafootball.com/update-on-fifa-world-cup-qatar-2022-oceania-qualifiers/ . live .
  3. Web site: Antigo(a) Cook Islands camisas de futebol . 4 April 2020 . 14 June 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170614132636/http://www.oldfootballshirts.com/pt/teams/c/cook-islands/old-cook-islands-football-shirts-t2505.html . live .
  4. Web site: KPI Sports. https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/614148995370083/3268651196586503 . 2022-02-26 . limited. 2020-10-01. www.facebook.com. en.
  5. Web site: Match report . OFC.
  6. Web site: Cook Islands . National Football Teams.
  7. Web site: 1999.
  8. Web site: 1999.
  9. Web site: 2001.
  10. Web site: 2007.
  11. Web site: 2007.
  12. Web site: 2011.
  13. Web site: 2015.
  14. Web site: 2015.
  15. Web site: 2022.
  16. Web site: 2022.