Look at a map and pick any Asian nation. Give yourself a little test: Do I know anything about football in this country? Would I be able to roughly guess this nation's FIFA World Ranking, or know the name of the domestic league? Would I be able to name even one player from this country?
Well, I did exactly that. Picking up a map, I scratched my head thinking about football in one East Asian nation in particular. Mongolia. Perched in between Russia and China, Mongolia covers a vast land and is known for its extremely low population density, its nomad culture, and the Gobi Desert.
But who would know anything about football in Mongolia, a land whose sporting successes are perhaps limited to archery or even sumo wrestling?
So, I've decided to do a bit of digging around the internet for some information about football in Mongolia, if for no other reason than I'm highly curious about just how popular football may or may not be in this beautiful nation of rolling plains and a revered history of nomadic traditions.
Football is a global game, and its strength is derived from the fact that it can act as a sporting and cultural link for every nation in the world. People write about Barcelona, or Manchester United, or Brazil ad nauseum. Given the super level at which they play and their achievements, that's understandable. But there are football stories all around the world, each which reinforce the unbelievable value of this game in a globalised world. Consider a viewing of the arresting football documentary, The Other Final, which brought together two unlikely opponents, Bhutan and Montserrat, for a game of football in the dreamy surroundings of the Bhutanese capital, Thimphu.
So what is the Mongolian contribution to the global tapestry of football? How strong is football in Mongolia, and what are the prospects and dreams for the future?
Let's see how I fare on my own little blind test about Mongolian football:
Do I know Mongolia's FIFA World Ranking? - I'm guessing it's somewhere about 175-180. Mongolia would definitely be one of the weaker Asian footballing nations. (Answer: Mongolia is 172nd in the global standings, 38th in Asia between Cambodia and Palestine)
Do I know the name of the national league? - Yes, I do actually. The league is called the 'Mongolia Premier League', however I could not name a club although I'm guessing most play out of the capital, Ulaanbaatar.
Can I name one player from Mongolia? - Nope, none at all.
Apart from Wikipedia and the very odd article from the UB Post's website, I've been unable to find, well, just about any reliable sources of continuous and up-to-date information about football in Mongolia in English. Of course, there are Mongolian FA profiles on the AFC, FIFA, and EAFF websites. I think the IT man must be on holiday though, as the link to the Mongolian FA's website does not even work anymore.
Mongolia have been a member of FIFA for just over a decade, and have only won seven matches against three opponents (Guam, Macau, and the Northern Mariana Islands). Their most recent fixture seems to have been a friendly against Macau in Ulaanbaatar in April 2009, which the Mongolians emerged victorious from 3-1. Mongolia entered the first playoff stage of qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and were promptly dismantled by eventual qualifiers North Korea 9-2 over two legs. Khoromkhon striker Ganbaatar Togsbayar is the current top scorer for the national team, and according to an admittedly dated UB Post article is the team's star player.
Development of football in Mongolia is hindered by the nation's harsh climate, with the Mongolia Premier League only able to be played from July-September. Ulaanbaatar's climate, at its worst the coldest of any capital city in the world, is for most months evidently not conducive to good player welfare or indeed good football pitches. Future prospects are encouraging however, with funds from FIFA's Goal Programme allowing the construction of some much-needed football infrastructure, including a futsal hall in Ulaanbaatar which will allow year-round football to be played. As the FA's mantra states, however, "the progress of football now depends on the passion of those who love football in Mongolia."
I'm dangling a line out there to anyone who might know more about the Mongolian game. If you are blessed with knowledge or know someone who can help with the gathering of more information, please feel free to contact me. Or, if you have watched some football in Mongolia and have some insights to share, also feel free to get in touch.
An entertaining insight, albeit from 2007, into Mongolian football is offered in a UB Post article, entitled The Beautiful Game - Mongolian Style.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Although Mongolia did defeat Macau 3-1 in there last actual game (over a year now!!), they still lost on the away goal rule in the Challenge Cup qualifier.
ReplyDeleteThey don't seem to take part in many games, friendlies are non-existant, but they do take part in the EAFF Cup's and the AFC Challenge Cups, which not all nations at there level does.
There biggest rivalry at the moment does seem to be against Macau where both sides have won at home and Mongolia also won on neutral soil in Guam.
Good blog my friend.
Hi druryfire,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments, really appreciate it that someone out there is reading! Hope to have some new posts up soon.