The Madagascar national football team, nicknamed Barea after the island's zebu, is the national team of Madagascar and is controlled by the Malagasy Football Federation. It has never qualified for the finals of the World Cup. It took part in its first Africa Cup of Nations in 2019. Among its biggest wins was a 1–0 home victory over Egypt in the qualification rounds of the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations until being surpassed by a recent 2–0 win over Nigeria in the group stage of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. Reflecting the official name of the country at the time, the team was known as the Malagasy Republic national football team between 1958 and 1975.
History Madagascar made its debut in 1947 in a home match against Mauritius which was lost 2–1. The game was part of a Triangulaire tournament between Madagascar, Mauritius and Reunion. Madagascar's second match was at home to Reunion and saw their first ever win, 4–2. The triangular tournament was staged every year until 1958, and Madagascar's highest-scoring game was on 13 July 1953 when they beat Reunion 6–4 at home. Their worst loss was on 31 July 1952 when they lost 7–0 to Mauritius in Reunion.
Madagascar played against opposition different from Mauritius or Reunion for the first time in 1960, as part of a tournament between French-speaking nations held on the island. In their first match on 15 April 1960 they beat the Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) 6–1. The second game was a quarter-final against France's amateur side on 17 April and was lost 2–1. On 19 April Madagascar beat the Congo 8–1 in the third-place play-off.
In April 1963, Madagascar entered another competition for French-speaking countries, this time in Senegal, and was placed in a group with Dahomey (now Benin), Liberia and Chad. They opened with a 1–0 win over Dahomey on 11 April, and then beat Chad 2–1 on 13 April and Liberia 3–1 on 15 April. In the semi-finals, Madagascar were beaten 2–1 by Tunisia on 19 April, and then lost 4–1 to France's amateur team in the third-place play-off on 21 April.
In September 1963 the Triangulaire between Madagascar, Reunion and Mauritius was reinstated for the first time since 1958. On 15 September they beat Reunion 6–1 at home, and on 18 September drew 1–1 to Mauritius in a home game which was abandoned.
On 16 October 2018, Madagascar qualified to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in their history, after they won 1–0 against Equatorial Guinea. During their debut match against Guinea on 22 June 2019, Anicet Abel scored Madagascar's first-ever AFCON goal and secured their first point of the competition with a 2–2 draw against Guinea. The team defeated Burundi in their second match and followed it up with a 2–0 victory over the Super Eagles of Nigeria to top Group B. Then Madagascar advanced to quarter-finals after beating DR Congo in the round of 16. The team's successful performance was coined by pundits as the Iceland of Africa, resembling the shockingly successful debut of Iceland in UEFA Euro 2016. However, Madagascar's dream ended abruptly after suffering a 0–3 defeat at the hand of another former champion, Tunisia.
Results and fixtures The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
2025
2026
2027
Coaching staff Head coach Corentin MartinsAssistant coaches Andry Razakandrianaina Hervé AndrianasimbolaGoalkeeping coach Nirina RakotobololonaFitness coach Michel RajaonarinantenainaMatch analyst Flavien AndriamanomenjanaharyPerformance coach Alphonse RakotomanatsinoroTeam doctors Dr. Stéphane Rajaonaribololona Dr. Hugo RakotomalalanantenainaPhysiotherapists Gaël Njivarabesananteinaina Christophe Rakotonantenaina Philippe Ravelonomenjanahary Razakaniaina AndriarakotobololonaTeam coordinator Faneva AndriatsimaTechnical director Éric Rabésandratana
Coaching history
Peter Schnittger (1978–1985)FIFA.com Justin Rasoloharimahefa (1994) Claude "Ntsoa" Ravelomanantsoa (–2001)FIFA.com Vincent Randriamirado (2001)FIFA.com Jeremia Randriambololona (2001) Hans Heiniger (2002–2003) Hervé Arsène (2007–2008) Mickael Nivoson Andrianasy (2008) Jeremia Randriambololona (2008) Jean-Paul Rabier (2010–2011) Mosa (2011) Frank Rajaonarisamba (2011–2012) Auguste Raux (2012–2014) Frank Rajaonarisamba (2014–2016) Auguste Raux (2016–2017) Nicolas Dupuis (2017–2021) Éric Rabésandratana (2021–2022) Nicolas Dupuis (2022–2023) Romuald Rakotondrabe (2023-present)
Players
Current squad The following players were called up for the friendly match against Morocco on 2 June 2026, respectively.
Caps and goals updated after the match against Morocco on 2 June 2026.
Recent call-ups The following players have been called up for Madagascar in the last 12 months and are still eligible to represent.
DEC Player refused to join the team after the call-up. INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury. PRE Preliminary squad. RET Player has retired from international football. SUS Suspended from the national team.
Records
Players in bold are still active with Madagascar.
Most appearances
RankPlayerCapsGoalsCareer 1 Paulin Voavy 67 15 2007–2022 2 Mamisoa Razafindrakoto 63 0 1998–2011 3 Njiva Rakotoharimalala 57 14 2014–present 4 Gervais Randrianarisoa 52 0 2005–20225 Carolus Andriamatsinoro 49 12 2009–2024 Jimmy Radafison 49 0 2000–2011 Rayan Raveloson 49 9 2019–present8 Ibrahim Amada 47 4 2008–2024 Faneva Imà Andriatsima 47 14 2003–2019 Lalaina Nomenjanahary 47 5 2006–2021 Eric-Julien Rakotondrabe 47 0 1999–2011
Top goalscorers
RankPlayerGoalsCapsRatioCareer 1 Paulin Voavy 15 67 2007–20222 Faneva Imà Andriatsima 14 47 2005–2019 Njiva Rakotoharimalala 14 57 2014–present 4 Carolus Andriamatsinoro 12 49 2009–2024 5 Harry Randrianaivo 11 21 1990–2003 6 Ruphin Menakely 10 25 1998–2003 7 Rayan Raveloson 9 49 2019–present8 Sarivahy Vombola 8 30 2011–2017 Rado Rasoanaivo 8 40 1992–2003 10 Tsiry Randriantsiferana 6 31 2022–present
Competitive record FIFA World Cup FIFA World Cup recordQualification recordYearRoundPosition*1930 to 1958Part of Part of as as 1962Not a FIFA memberNot a FIFA member1966 and 1970Did not enterDid not enter 1974WithdrewWithdrewas as 1978Did not enterDid not enter 1982Did not qualify201134details 1986210111details 1990Did not enterDid not enter 1994Did not qualify430173details 1998201134details 200210307716details 2006201134details 20108332129details 2014210123details 2018412177details 2022611449details 2026106131712details 2030To be determinedTo be determineddetails 2034detailsTotal–––––––521910236672–
Africa Cup of Nations
Africa Cup of Nations recordQualification recordYearRoundPosition** 1957Part of Part of 1959 1962Not affiliated to CAFNot affiliated to CAF 1963 1965Did not enterDid not enter 1968 1970 1972Did not qualify210135details 1974210134details 1976WithdrewWithdrew 1978Did not enterDid not enter 1980Did not qualify210136details 1982421147details 1984411234details 1986200226details 1988210123details 1990WithdrewWithdrew 1992Did not qualify522132details 1994Did not enterDid not enter 1996Withdrew during qualifiersWithdrew during qualifiers 1998Banned for withdrawal in 1996Banned for withdrawal in 1996 2000Did not qualify8233912details 2002822478details 2004420228details 2006201134details 20084004014details 20108332129details 20126015414details 2013200217details 2015210122details 20176033512details 2019Quarter-finals6th52217785121210details 2021Did not qualify622299details 2023603319details 2025602448details 2027To be determinedTo be determined 2029TotalQuarter-finals1/355221779926254894163–
African Nations Championship African Nations Championship recordQualification recordYearRoundPosition** 2009Did not enterDid not enter 2011Did not qualify210102Details 2014Did not enterDid not enter 2016 2018Did not qualify632163Details 2020420245Details 2022Third place3rd540193431061Details 2024Runners-up2nd732297210121DetailsTotalRunners-up2/71270318101810351812—
African Games African Games recordQualification recordYearResultPldWDLGFGAPldWDLGFGAGR 19658th3003013210163details 1973WithdrewWithdrew 1978 19876th310245210133details 1991 to 2015U-23 TournamentU-23 Tournament 2019 – presentU-20 TournamentU-20 TournamentTotal2/46105418420296—
Indian Ocean Island Games Indian Ocean Island Games recordYearRoundPosition* 1979Did not enter 1985Fourth place4th210123 1990Champions1st4310121 1993Champions1st4400102 1998Runners-up2nd4310103 2003Group stage5th201124 2007Runners-up2nd422070 2011Group stage7th201123 2015Fourth place4th511368 2019Group stage5th202022 2023Champions1st431073Total3 Titles10/1133171066029
COSAFA Cup COSAFA Cup recordYearRoundResultPldWDLGFGA2000Excluded20012002Quarter-finals5th2110322003Quarter-finals7th2101232004Round 111th1001022005Round 110th1001022006Round 113th2002042007Round 18th210151 2008Fourth place4th622267 2009Did not enter 2013 2015Third place3rd6411117 2016Group stage11th311111 2017Group stage9th321061 2018Fourth place4th622244 2019Did not enter 2021Did not enter 2022Quarter-finals5th200241 2023Did not enter 2024Did not enter 2025Fourth place4th411236TotalThird place13/2440159164541
Honours Continental African Nations Championship Runners-up (1): 2024 Third place (1): 2022
Regional COSAFA Cup Third place (1): 2015 Indian Ocean Island Games Gold medal (3): 1990, 1993, 2023 Silver medal (2): 1998, 2007 Indian Ocean Games Triangulaire Champions (3): 1955, 1958, 1963 Runners-up (7): 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1956 Third place (3): 1950, 1954, 1957
Summary Competition TotalCAF African Nations Championship0112Total0112
References
External links
Malagasy Football Federation Madagascar at CAF Madagascar at FIFA Madagascar national football team picture