Trinidad and Tobago at the 2006 FIFA World Cup
Encyclopedia
The only participation of Trinidad and Tobago
in the final stages of the FIFA World Cup
came in 2006, when they qualified for the tournament
in Germany, but failed to win any match and were eliminated at the group stage.
, and therefore participated in a playoff with the fifth place Asian team Bahrain
for a chance to enter the 2006 World Cup. After a 1–1 draw in Port of Spain
, the team beat Bahrain 1–0, with a Dennis Lawrence
header in Manama
, to clinch their first ever qualification for the World Cup, becoming the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup finals.
Silvio Spann
was originally in the squad, but had to drop-out after sustaining a hamstring
injury in the run-up to the tournament. He was replaced by Evans Wise
.
Head coach of Trinidad and Tobago's 2006 World Cup squad was Leo Beenhakker
.
along with England
, Sweden
, and Paraguay
.
In their first match, Trinidad and Tobago held a strong Swedish
side to a 0–0 draw, despite having Avery John
sent off less than 30 seconds into the second half. Team captain Dwight Yorke
won Man of the Match honours.
Trinidad and Tobago lost their second game of the group stage to England
2–0. Late goals from Peter Crouch
and Steven Gerrard
secured England a place in the second round.
Trinidad had hoped for a draw between Paraguay
and Sweden
for their best chances of getting second place but Sweden defeated Paraguay 1–0.
Trinidad and Tobago lost their third and final game of Group B to Paraguay
2–0. An own goal from Brent Sancho
put them behind early in the game, and Paraguay scored a second goal late in the match from Nelson Cuevas.
Trinidad and Tobago finished last in Group B with one point, and were eliminated from the 2006 World Cup. They were the only team in the 2006 World Cup not to score a goal.
, plus TT$
1,000,000 (one quarter in cash, the rest in unit trusts). As captain, Dwight Yorke was awarded TT$1,250,000, while players who had participated in qualification but not in Germany were awarded TT$250,000. Ten members of the teams' technical staff were also later awarded TT$250,000.
On 6 October 2006, thirteen of the players in the 2006 World Cup squad indicated their intention to retire from international football after friendly matches against St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Panama
on 7 October and 11 October, respectively. The players alleged that the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation had reneged on various contractual commitments to the team. This was upheld by the Trinidadian High Court in March 2011, who ordered that an interim payment of $1.14m should be made.
Trinidad and Tobago national football team
The Trinidad and Tobago national football team, nicknamed The Soca Warriors, is the national team of Trinidad and Tobago and is run by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation. It reached the first round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals...
in the final stages of the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
came in 2006, when they qualified for the tournament
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
in Germany, but failed to win any match and were eliminated at the group stage.
Qualification
On 12 October 2005, Trinidad and Tobago secured fourth place in the CONCACAF final qualification round2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)
Listed below are the dates and results for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for North, Central America and the Caribbean. A total of 34 teams took part , competing for 3.5 places in the World Cup.The qualification process was divided in three stages...
, and therefore participated in a playoff with the fifth place Asian team Bahrain
Bahrain national football team
The Bahrain national football team is the national team of the Kingdom of Bahrain and is controlled by the Bahrain Football Association; it was founded in 1951 and joined FIFA in 1966. They have never reached the finals of the World Cup, but have twice come within one match of doing so...
for a chance to enter the 2006 World Cup. After a 1–1 draw in Port of Spain
Port of Spain
Port of Spain, also written as Port-of-Spain, is the capital of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the country's third-largest municipality, after San Fernando and Chaguanas. The city has a municipal population of 49,031 , a metropolitan population of 128,026 and a transient daily population...
, the team beat Bahrain 1–0, with a Dennis Lawrence
Dennis Lawrence
Dennis Lawrence is a former Trinidad and Tobago football player who is currently part of the coaching staff for Wigan Athletic in the Premier League.- Club career :...
header in Manama
Manama
Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 155,000 people.Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population...
, to clinch their first ever qualification for the World Cup, becoming the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup finals.
Squad
Silvio Spann
Silvio Spann
Silvio Spann is a Trinidad and Tobagan footballer who is currently playing for W Connection.Spann is a midfielder, known for his hard work and stamina as well as his ability to shoot from long distance...
was originally in the squad, but had to drop-out after sustaining a hamstring
Hamstring
In human anatomy, the hamstring refers to any one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the...
injury in the run-up to the tournament. He was replaced by Evans Wise
Evans Wise
Evans Wise is a former Trinidadian football player who played for the Tampa Bay Mutiny in MLS and German football club SV Waldhof Mannheim....
.
Head coach of Trinidad and Tobago's 2006 World Cup squad was Leo Beenhakker
Leo Beenhakker
Leo Beenhakker is an international Dutch football coach, who is the current Sports Director of Újpest FC.- Coaching career :...
.
Finals Matches
Trinidad and Tobago were drawn in Group B2006 FIFA World Cup - Group B
Play in Group B of the 2006 FIFA World Cup completed on 20 June 2006. England won the group, and advanced to the second round, along with Sweden. Paraguay and Trinidad & Tobago failed to advance.Detailed results of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Group B...
along with England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
, Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
, and Paraguay
Paraguay national football team
The Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association and represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup on four occasions . The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the...
.
In their first match, Trinidad and Tobago held a strong Swedish
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
side to a 0–0 draw, despite having Avery John
Avery John
Avery John is a Trinidadian soccer player.-Youth and College:John attended Vessigny [Antilles] Government Secondary School and then Presentation College, and played college soccer for Yavapai College in Arizona and American University in Washington, DC...
sent off less than 30 seconds into the second half. Team captain Dwight Yorke
Dwight Yorke
Dwight Eversley Yorke is a Trinidad and Tobago former football player. He played for Aston Villa for most of his career, followed by stints with Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City, Sydney FC and Sunderland...
won Man of the Match honours.
Trinidad and Tobago lost their second game of the group stage to England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
2–0. Late goals from Peter Crouch
Peter Crouch
Peter James Crouch is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Stoke City and the England national team.Crouch started his career as a trainee with Tottenham Hotspur...
and Steven Gerrard
Steven Gerrard
Steven George Gerrard MBE is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool. He also has 89 caps for the England national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfielder role, but he has also been used as a second striker and right winger...
secured England a place in the second round.
Trinidad had hoped for a draw between Paraguay
Paraguay national football team
The Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association and represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup on four occasions . The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the...
and Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
for their best chances of getting second place but Sweden defeated Paraguay 1–0.
Trinidad and Tobago lost their third and final game of Group B to Paraguay
Paraguay national football team
The Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association and represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup on four occasions . The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the...
2–0. An own goal from Brent Sancho
Brent Sancho
Brent Sancho is a Trinidadian soccer player who currently plays for Rochester Rhinos in the USL First Division.-College:Sancho spent his college years playing for St...
put them behind early in the game, and Paraguay scored a second goal late in the match from Nelson Cuevas.
Trinidad and Tobago finished last in Group B with one point, and were eliminated from the 2006 World Cup. They were the only team in the 2006 World Cup not to score a goal.
Group B
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 7 | ||
| 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | ||
| 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | |
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | −4 | 1 |
| Team #1 | Score | Team #2 |
|---|---|---|
| Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago national football team The Trinidad and Tobago national football team, nicknamed The Soca Warriors, is the national team of Trinidad and Tobago and is run by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation. It reached the first round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals...  |
0–0 |  SwedenSweden national football team The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first... |
| England England national football team The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...  |
2–0 | Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago national football team The Trinidad and Tobago national football team, nicknamed The Soca Warriors, is the national team of Trinidad and Tobago and is run by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation. It reached the first round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals... |
| Paraguay Paraguay national football team The Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association and represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup on four occasions . The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the...  |
2–0 | Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago national football team The Trinidad and Tobago national football team, nicknamed The Soca Warriors, is the national team of Trinidad and Tobago and is run by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation. It reached the first round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals... |
Support
- The Tartan ArmyTartan ArmyThe Tartan Army is a name given to fans of the Scotland national football team. They have won awards from several organisations for their friendly behaviour and charitable work...
, supporters of Scottish football, lent their support to Trinidad and Tobago, partly since they were opponents to England and in part six of the squad members played for Scottish clubs.
Aftermath
On their return from Germany, the government awarded Leo Beenhakker and each member of the squad the country's second highest honour, the Chaconia Medal, GoldNational Awards of Trinidad and Tobago
The National Awards of Trinidad and Tobago consist of:* The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago - the country's highest award.* The Chaconia Medal of the Order of the Trinity - in Gold, Silver or Bronze...
, plus TT$
Trinidad and Tobago dollar
The dollar is the currency of Trinidad and Tobago. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively TT$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. It is subdivided into 100 cents...
1,000,000 (one quarter in cash, the rest in unit trusts). As captain, Dwight Yorke was awarded TT$1,250,000, while players who had participated in qualification but not in Germany were awarded TT$250,000. Ten members of the teams' technical staff were also later awarded TT$250,000.
On 6 October 2006, thirteen of the players in the 2006 World Cup squad indicated their intention to retire from international football after friendly matches against St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Panama
Panama national football team
The Panama national football team is the national team of Panama and is controlled by the Panamanian Football Federation. Panama reached the 2006 World Cup CONCACAF Final Round in the qualifiers and finished as runners-up at the final game of the 2005 Gold Cup...
on 7 October and 11 October, respectively. The players alleged that the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation had reneged on various contractual commitments to the team. This was upheld by the Trinidadian High Court in March 2011, who ordered that an interim payment of $1.14m should be made.