The Mauritania national football team

The Mauritania national football team (French: Equipe de Mauritanie de football; Arabic: منتخب موريتانيا لكرة القدم‎) nicknamed Al-Murabitun in reference to Almoravid dynasty, represents Mauritania in men's international football and it is controlled by the Federation de Football de la Republique Islamique de Mauritanie and is a member of the Confederation of African Football. They have not qualified for the FIFA World Cup. However, in the Amilcar Cabral Cup, a regional tournament for West Africa, Mauritania came fourth in 1980 on hosting the competition. The national football team of Mauritania were later runners-up in 1995, losing on penalties to Sierra Leone after the final finished 0–0. On 18 November 2018, Mauritania qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in their history, after they won 2–1 against Botswana to seal a spot in the 2019 tournament.

History

1963–80

Mauritania played its first match after independence from France on 11 April 1963, against Congo Kinshasa (also making their debut) and lost 6–0. The match was held in Dakar, Senegal as part of the L'Amitie tournament between African sides. It also saw the debuts of Chad, Liberia and Niger. Mauritania lost its three other matches in the tournament: 2–0 to the Ivory Coast, 4–0 to Tunisia and 7–0 to Congo Brazzaville.

Mauritania's first goal and avoidance of defeat came four years after their debut, in 1967 with a 1–1 draw away in Tanzania. This was their first match since the L'Amitie tournament in 1963.

Mauritania entered their first African Games qualification campaign, in an aim to reach the 1973 finals in Nigeria. They were drawn in a group against Mali and Guinea in Guinea. The first game was lost 11–0 to Mali, and on 20 May Mauritania lost 14–0 to Guinea. Mauritania did not qualify.

In May 1976 Mauritania entered qualification for the football at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Canada. They were drawn against neighbouring Mali in a two-legged qualifier. The