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19 Nigeria’s Super Eagles will take on the Mediterranean Knights of Libya in a Group D double-header in the AFCON 2025 qualifiers.
The first leg will be played on Friday, 11 October, in Uyo, while the second leg is scheduled for Benghazi on Tuesday, 15 October.
After two rounds of games in the qualifiers, the Super Eagles, with four points, top their group, while the Mediterranean Knights are bottom with just one point.
Ahead of the qualifiers, Completesports.com’s JAMES AGBEREBI highlights 10 interesting facts about the Mediterranean Knights’ as they look to get their faltering campaign back on track.
1. Libya’s men’s national team was formed in 1918
The Libyan senior men’s national team was formed in 1918, with Masoud Zantouny appointed as the first head coach, while Englishman James Bingham was the first foreign coach.
Bingham was in charge of the team that participated in the 1961 Arab Games in Casablanca, Morocco.
2. First international match was played in 1953
The Libyan senior men’s national team played their first-ever international match on 3 August 1953 against Palestine in the inaugural Arab Games.
The game, played in Alexandria, Egypt, saw Libya defeat Palestine 5-2.
3. Biggest ever win was a 21-0 scoreline against Muscat and Oman
Libya’s biggest win in international football was a 21-0 thrashing of Muscat and Oman.
The memorable win for the Mediterranean Knights took place on 6 April 1966 in Baghdad, Iraq.
4. Biggest defeat was a 10-2 trouncing by Egypt
Libya’s biggest ever defeat was inflicted by fellow North Africans and the most successful team on the continent, Egypt.
The match, played in Alexandria on 6 August 1953, saw the Egyptians triumph 10-2 against Libya.
5. Only three AFCON appearances
Libya has only featured at the Africa Cup of Nations on three occasions: in 1982 as hosts, in 2006 held in Egypt, and in 2012 co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
From 1957 to 1965, Libya was not affiliated with the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
6. AFCON runners-up as hosts in 1982
Libya’s first-ever appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations was in 1982 when they hosted the 13th edition.
They topped a group that included Ghana, Cameroon, and Tunisia, reached the semi-finals, and beat Zambia 2-1.
Their impressive run ended after they lost 7-6 on penalties to Ghana, following a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
7. 2014 CHAN winners
Libya’s biggest achievement in football to date was winning the 2014 African Nations Championship held in South Africa.
It was their second appearance in the tournament after debuting in the 2009 edition in Côte d’Ivoire.
Placed in Group C, Libya finished second behind Ghana and progressed to the quarter-finals, where they edged Gabon on penalties.
In the semi-finals against Zimbabwe, they once again emerged winners via a penalty shootout to reach the final.
They faced Ghana for the second time in the competition (their group stage match ended 1-1) and again relied on a penalty shootout to win, following a goalless draw after extra time.
8. The Mediterranean Knights have never qualified for the FIFA World Cup
Despite several attempts, the Libyan men’s national team has never managed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.
While fellow North Africans like Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco have featured at the global showpiece, Libya is still searching for their first-ever ticket.
They are currently second behind Cameroon in Group D of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Other teams in the group include Cape Verde, Angola, Mauritania, and Eswatini.
9. Came closest to qualifying for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico
Since Libya began participating in World Cup qualifiers, the closest they’ve come to securing a spot was for the 1986 tournament in Mexico.
They eliminated Sudan and Ghana in the earlier rounds to reach the play-offs, where they faced Morocco.
In the first leg, Morocco won 3-0, while Libya edged the second leg 1-0, ending their hopes of a first-ever appearance.
10. Defeated Nigeria in their first-ever meeting
The first time Libya faced Nigeria was in the 2004 LG four-nation invitational tournament held in Tripoli.
After 90 minutes of football, the Libyans defeated Nigeria 2-1 and went on to beat Jordan 1-0 in the final to emerge champions.
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