Senya national football team

 Senya

Nickname(s)	The Green Army
Association	FADESS
FMF member	2012–
Confederation	AEFA
Head coach	Draco Sanchez
Captain	Barnaby Hands
Most caps	Barnaby Hands (84)
Top scorer	Barnaby Hands (37)
Home stadium	The Snakepit
FMF code	DES
First FMF intermicronational
Senya 0–3  North Antarctica
Biggest win
Senya 10–0  River Warriors Senya 10–0  Lucerne Senya 10–0  Ranentsi
Biggest defeat
Senya 0–4  Gerenia
FMF World Cup
Appearances	3 (first in 2014)
Best result	Runners-up
Copa Apollonia
Appearances	3 (first in 2013)
Best result	Winners

The Senya national football team is the football team which represents the micronation of Senya. It is a member of the AEFA, and is run by FADESS.

Having qualified for their first FMF World Cup in 2014, the team is seen as one of the strongest national sides on Micras, having since won the 2016 Copa Apollonia and reached the 2017 FMF World Cup final as hosts.

History

The team was founded in mid-2012 after Senya's Micrasian claim was successful. Soon afterwards, the team competed in the inaugural Zeeburg Tournaments, where they finished sixth with four points. Later in the year, Senya organised and competed in the first Senyan School International Tournament, where they finished third with ten points.

In early 2013, the team competed in the second edition of the Four Nations Internationals, where they finished in second place after losing the final 2–1 to Safiria. The team had a successful first World Cup qualifying campaign, finishing second in their five-team group with 16 points; a position which would have also qualified the team for the 2013 Copa Apollonia if Senya had not been awarded an automatic place as the tournament's hosts. Shortly after qualifying, the team played in the second Senyan School International Tournament, where they topped their group and won their semi-final without conceding a goal, before beating Amokolia 3–2 in the final. In the Copa Apollonia, the team's success continued as they advanced from their group with four points, ahead of North Antarctica on goals scored, before losing their semi-final on penalties to Novatainia. However, the team managed to beat Gerenia 4–2 in the third-place play-off to seal third on home soil. In late 2013, the team also competed in the inaugural Tianan Challenge Cup, where they received a bye to the final, which they lost 1–0 to hosts Tiana.

The Senyans' success continued into 2014 as the team topped their qualifying group with 27 points to reach the 2014 FMF World Cup finals. The team also qualified for the 2014 Copa Apollonia, where they advanced from their group with four points, and lost their semi-final to hosts Gerenia, but beat Safiria 2–0 to finish third. In their début World Cup, the team performed well, advancing from a tough group in second with six points before beating Tellia on penalties in the quarter-finals. However, they lost 1–0 in extra time to Mercury in the semi-finals and 3–1 to Craitland to finish in fourth place.

In the following year's qualifiers, Senya went unbeaten as they topped their five-team group with 22 points to qualify for their second finals. In the World Cup, the team advanced from their group with seven points to reach the play-off round, where they were beaten by eventual champions Hamland on penalties after a 2–2 draw.

The qualifying rounds for the 2016 Copa Apollonia saw Senya win their group with eight wins from as many matches to comfortably qualify for the finals. In the finals, the team advanced from their group in second place with six points before beating Gerenia in the semi-finals and Flanders in the final, both 3–1, to secure their first ever major trophy.

Senya successfully bid to host the 2017 FMF World Cup and therefore received automatic qualification to the tournament. In the finals, the team performed well, as they topped their group with nine points, finishing ahead of Tellia on goals scored, to advance to the quarter-finals, where they beat Birgeshir 3–1. After overcoming Mercury on penalties after a 1–1 draw in the semi-finals, they narrowly lost 2–1 to fellow group members Tellia in their first final appearance to finish as runners-up.

Chronological competitive participation

• 2012 Zeeburg Tournaments
• 2012 Senyan School International Tournament (hosts)
• 2013 Four Nations Internationals
• 2013 FMF World Cup qualification
• 2013 Senyan School International Tournament (co-hosts)
• 2013 Copa Apollonia (hosts)
• 2013 Tianan Challenge Cup
• 2014 FMF World Cup qualification
• 2014 Copa Apollonia
• 2014 FMF World Cup
• 2015 FMF World Cup qualification
• 2015 FMF World Cup
• 2016 Copa Apollonia qualification
• 2016 Copa Apollonia
• 2017 FMF World Cup (hosts)
• 2018 FMF Confederations Cup
• 2018 Copa Apollonia

Kit

Senya's traditional home colours are those used on the nation's flag, and the home strip is usually green with a white trim, along with white shorts and green socks. The away kit is usually white, although on some previous occasions the away strip has been yellow, whilst goalkeepers tend to wear either dark brown or maroon.

Past kits

Used during:
2012 Zeeburg Tournaments
2012 SSIT
2013 Four Nations
2013 qualification

Used during:
2013 Copa Apollonia
2013 SSIT

Used during:
2013 Challenge Cup

Used during:
2014 qualification
2014 Copa Apollonia
2014 FMF World Cup
2015 qualification

Used during:
2015 FMF World Cup
2016 qualification

Used during:
2016 Copa Apollonia

Used during:
2017 FMF World Cup
2018 Confederations Cup

Coaching staff

Head Manager	Draco Sanchez
Assistant Manager	David Morter
Goalkeeping Coach	Bɏenkos Validarnos
Technical Director	Enrikaza Aldin
Team Doctor	Dr. Jam Penfas
Physician	Dr. Gatkan Krelin
Chief Press Officer	Robert Sernov

Managerial history

Appointed	Dismissed	Manager	P	W	D	L	Win %
25 June 2012	25 July 2012	Alan Gozling	9	1	2	6	11.1%
30 July 2012	17 September 2013	Kris Hɏöten	38	23	6	9	60.5%
17 September 2013	20 August 2015	Ëker Kasëana	57	36	13	8	63.2%
12 September 2015	present	Draco Sanchez	21	18	0	3	85.7%

Rivalries

Senyan supporters view Gerenia and North Antarctica as their main rivals. However, games with Safiria and Tiana can also be heated affairs. Due the longstanding political distrust between them, Senya also view Sirocco as a rival. However, as Senya are regarded as a better team and due to Sirocco's affiliation to the EMUFA, they are unlikely to play against each other competitively. Senya recorded their first win against a rival nation on 14 June 2013, when they defeated Tiana 2–0 in the semi-finals of the 2013 Senyan School International Tournament. The win came after 11 previous failures against rivals.

Fans

Naldas supporters during a World Cup qualifier against rivals North Antartcica in 2013.

Naldas supporters setting off smoke bombs during the 2016 Copa Apollonia semi-final against rivals Gerenia.

Senyan fans are considered some of the loudest, yet least aggressive, football supporters on Micras. During tournaments such as the World Cup qualifiers and the Copa Apollonia, the supporters are known to become very vocal on match days, and it is not unusual for fans to stand for the duration of games, except in areas where standing is prohibited. Senyan fans are divided into two main groups, the Komovoren, who generally wear the national team's shirt and casual clothing, and sometimes chant, and the more numerous Naldas, who wear green "morphsuits", occasionally with the team's shirt over the top, continuously chant in Senyan and let-off flares. These fans can make football matches in Senya intimidating places to visit. However, after matches, Senyan fans, even the Naldas, will be happy to socialise with opposing fans. Rival supporters are treated less hospitably, but even during rival matches there is usually little violence between the fans.

Additionally, there are two further supporter groups, DIS Senya, which is for disabled supporters, and Young Greens, for families and children.

Honours

• FMF World Cup: 0
  • 2017 – Runners-up
  • 2014 – Fourth place
• Copa Apollonia: 1
  • 2016
  • 2013, 2014 – Third place
• Four Nations Internationals: 0
  • 2013 – Runners-up
• Senyan School International Tournament: 1
  • 2013
  • 2012 – Third place
• Tianan Challenge Cup: 0
  • 2013 – Runners-up

Flag

Senya has used the following flag during the entirety of its FMF affiliation:

2012–

See also

• Senya B national football team