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Venezuela national football team

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Venezuela
Shirt badge/Association crest
NicknameLa Vinotinto (lit. 'The Red-Wine')[1]
AssociationFederación Venezolana de Fútbol (FVF)
ConfederationCONMEBOL (South America)
Head coachOswaldo Vizcarrondo
CaptainJon Aramburu
Most capsTomás Rincón (143)
Top scorerSalomón Rondón (50)
Home stadiumEstadio Monumental
Estadio Olímpico de la UCV
Estadio Metropolitano de Mérida
FIFA codeVEN
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 49 Decrease 2 (7 October 2026)[2]
Highest25 (November 2019)
Lowest129 (November 1998)
First international
 Panama 2–1 Venezuela 
(Panama City, Panama; 12 February 1938)
Biggest win
 Venezuela 7–0 Puerto Rico 
(Caracas, Venezuela; 16 January 1959)
Biggest defeat
 Argentina 11–0 Venezuela 
(Rosario, Argentina; 10 August 1975)
Copa América
Appearances20 (first in 1967)
Best resultFourth place (2011)

The Venezuela national football team (Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Venezuela), nicknamed La Vinotinto (lit. 'The Red Wine'), represents Venezuela in men's international football and is controlled by the Federación Venezolana de Fútbol (lit. 'Venezuelan Football Federation'), the governing body for football in Venezuela. Their nickname is a reference to the unique red wine team color that is used on their home jerseys. When playing at home in official games, they usually rotate between three stadiums: The Polideportivo Cachamay in Puerto Ordaz, the Estadio José Antonio Anzoátegui in Puerto La Cruz and the Estadio Pueblo Nuevo in San Cristóbal, though recent FIFA World Cup qualifying campaigns saw home games in other stadiums around the country, including the Estadio Monumental in Maturín. Likewise, in friendly matches, they tend to rotate between the rest of the stadiums in the country.

Unlike other South American nations, and akin to some Caribbean nations, baseball is extremely popular in Venezuela, which diverts athletic talent away from football, contributing to its historic lack of success in CONMEBOL competitions. They are the only CONMEBOL team to have never qualified for the World Cup. Often Venezuela would go through entire qualification tournaments without recording a single win, but this has not happened since 1998. Until Copa América 2011, their best finish at the tournament was fifth in their first entry, in 1967. It is only recently with the spread of the World Cup's popularity in nations where football was not the primary sport (such as Canada, Japan, the United States, and Australia) that the national team found incentives to increase player development and fan support. As of December 2019, Venezuela has the highest position on the FIFA World Ranking of any team that has not yet qualified for the World Cup, being ranked 25th.[3]

History

[edit]

20th century

[edit]

Venezuela did not participate in FIFA World Cup qualification until the 1966, in which they were drawn with Uruguay and Peru, but did not register a point in four games. In the 1970 qualifiers they managed to register a point, and after withdrawing from the 1974 series, repeated that in the 1978 qualifiers. The 1982 qualifiers saw them register their first win, over Bolivia. They wouldn't register another World Cup qualifying win until the 1994 series when they defeated Ecuador. A highlight of the 1998 qualifiers was goalkeeper Rafael Dudamel scoring against Argentina in a 5–2 defeat.

Despite poor results during the 1960s and 1970s, outstanding players like Luis Mendoza and Rafael Santana achieved recognition. Venezuela also managed to qualify for the 1980 Summer Olympics around this time, the first-ever major international football competition they participated in.

Richard Páez era

[edit]

After José Omar Pastoriza's resignation during the 2002 World Cup qualifying campaign, Richard Páez took over as head coach of the national team. In their remaining qualifiers, Venezuela achieved 4 victories in a row against Uruguay, Chile, Peru, and Paraguay. In terms of World Cup qualifying matches, this was the first time the team won more than one game in row and away from home as well as avoided finishing in last place in their entire history.

However, the team failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup, or the 2006 World Cup, gaining 16 and 18 points respectively. However, the team did achieve progression to the second round of the 2007 Copa America on home soil.

In November 2007, Páez resigned after disagreements with the media and supporters.[4]

César Farías era

[edit]

With a new coach César Farías, Venezuela national team improved their performances. At the beginning of 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification, Venezuela won its first game in the World Cup qualification against long-unbeaten Ecuador in Quito and received its first point against Brazil. Despite not reaching the final tournament, Venezuela achieved its best result in qualification. It finished this round with 22 points in 18 matches, surpassing Peru and Bolivia for eighth place in the region.

On 6 June 2008, Venezuela achieved its first-ever triumph over Brazil, defeating the Seleção 2–0 in a friendly match in Boston, United States. Venezuela obtained excellent results in the 2011 Copa América when they finished fourth, their highest finish in the tournament to date. With a squad composed mostly of footballers playing in Europe, they began 2014 World Cup qualification with a historic 1–0 victory against Argentina in Puerto La Cruz, beating it for the first time.

Noel Sanvicente era

[edit]

On 4 September 2014, Noel Sanvicente was made coach of the Venezuela national team.[5] The team's first match under Sanvicente was against South Korea in Bucheon on 5 September 2014, ending in a 3–1 defeat.[6]

Venezuela began the World Cup qualification campaign with a 1–0 defeat against Paraguay at home, and did not earn their first point until their match against Peru, a 2–2 draw in Lima where Venezuela led until the last minute of stoppage time. Their match with Chile ended in a disappointing 4–1 defeat. Sanvicente announced his resignation a week later after mutual consent with the FVF. At the time of Sanvicente's departure, Venezuela was last in the qualification standings with a sole point.

Rafael Dudamel era

[edit]
Match between Galicia (in white) and Venezuela (in burgundy).

Sanvicente was replaced by former Vinotinto goalkeeper Rafael Dudamel, who decided to revamp the entire national team, by injecting the team with the promising young generation of Venezuelan players that finished second at the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup that was dubbed as the country's first-ever football Golden Generation.[7] Under his management, La Vinotinto quickly improved and reached the quarterfinals in the Copa América Centenario, with two 1–0 victories against Jamaica and Uruguay and a 1–1 draw against Mexico in the group stage and then a 4–1 defeat against Argentina in the quarter-finals. In the seventh matchday of the 2018 World Cup qualifier, Venezuela lost against Colombia 2–0 in Barranquilla, the first loss against Los Cafeteros since 2009. Later, on matchday 11, Venezuela won for the first time in the qualification, 5–0 against Bolivia in Maturín with a hat-trick from Josef Martínez and goals from Jacobo Kouffati and Rómulo Otero.

On 2 January 2020, Dudamel resigned from the national team.

José Peseiro era

[edit]

Following Rafael Dudamel's resignation in January 2020, the Venezuelan Football Federation appointed Portuguese coach José Peseiro as the new head coach in February 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic subsequently disrupted the international football calendar, and Venezuela's 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign did not begin until October 2020.

Venezuela opened the qualifying campaign with defeats against Colombia, Paraguay and Brazil before defeating Chile 2–1 in Caracas for their first points of the campaign. The team subsequently participated in the 2021 Copa América in Brazil. Venezuela drew against Colombia and Ecuador but lost to Brazil and Peru, finishing last in their group and failing to reach the knockout stage.[8]

Peseiro resigned as head coach in August 2021, citing outstanding salary payments and financial difficulties affecting his coaching staff.[9]

Leonardo González and José Pékerman eras

[edit]

Former Venezuelan international Leonardo González took over as caretaker manager in September 2021. Under González, Venezuela continued its difficult World Cup qualifying campaign.

In November 2021, the Venezuelan Football Federation appointed Argentine coach José Pékerman as head coach. Pékerman oversaw the final four matches of the 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign, but Venezuela finished tenth and failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, recording 10 points from 18 matches.[10]

Pékerman remained in charge during the beginning of the next World Cup qualifying cycle, but left his position in March 2023. He was replaced by his former assistant Fernando Batista.[11]

Fernando Batista era

[edit]

Fernando Batista was appointed head coach of Venezuela in March 2023 after previously serving as an assistant to José Pékerman.[12]

Under Batista, Venezuela made an encouraging start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. In 2023, the team defeated Paraguay and Chile at home, drew with Brazil and Ecuador, and also drew away to Peru, while losing its opening match against Colombia.

At the 2024 Copa América in the United States, Venezuela won all three of its group-stage matches against Ecuador, Mexico and Jamaica, finishing first in Group B. It was the first time Venezuela had won all three of its group matches in a single Copa América.[13]

Venezuela was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Canada after a 1–1 draw, losing 4–3 in the penalty shoot-out.[14]

Venezuela's World Cup qualifying campaign subsequently declined. After a strong start in 2023, the team went through a difficult period in 2024, collecting three draws and three defeats in the second half of the year.[15]

In 2025, Venezuela remained in contention for a place in the 2026 World Cup intercontinental play-off. However, the team lost its final two qualifying matches and ultimately failed to qualify for the tournament.

Following the end of the qualifying campaign, the Venezuelan Football Federation ended Batista's tenure along with his coaching staff.[16]

Oswaldo Vizcarrondo era

[edit]

Following Batista's departure, former Venezuela international Oswaldo Vizcarrondo was appointed interim head coach in September 2025. He subsequently became the permanent head coach in January 2026 as part of a long-term project covering the 2026–2034 cycle.[17]

The Venezuelan Football Federation presented Vizcarrondo's appointment as part of an eight-year sporting project covering the men's national teams from 2026 to 2034, with an emphasis on continuity, development and coordination between the senior and youth national teams.[18]

Copa América history

[edit]

Venezuela first participated at the Copa América in 1967, and finished fifth after defeating Bolivia 3–0 with a team containing Mendoza and Santana. The 1975 tournament led Venezuela to be drawn in a group with Brazil and Argentina, and finished bottom with an 11–0 defeat against Argentina. In the 1979 edition, which would be the international swansong for Mendoza and Santana, they held a goalless draw against Colombia and 1–1 against Chile. A highlight of the 1989 tournament was midfielder Carlos Maldonado's four goals. In the 1993 series, Venezuela drew with Uruguay and the United States.

The team's overall Copa América record has been relatively poor (goal difference 33–145 before the 2011 Copa América), but the "Auge Vinotinto" (lit. 'Vinotinto Rise') period in the early 2000s (decade) brought increased attention to the sport in the country, which also brought increased support from both government and private institutions. Said support contributed perfectly to the "Vinotinto" rise in quality. In 2007, during the Copa América held in Venezuela, the team progressed to the quarterfinals for the first time in its history after finishing first in a group containing Peru, Bolivia, and Uruguay. Venezuela's 2–0 victory against Peru during the competition was its first Copa América victory since 1967.

2011 Copa América

[edit]

At the 2011 Copa América championship, Venezuela reached the semi-finals round for the first time by defeating Chile in the quarter-final, 2–1. Despite their commanding presence against Paraguay in their semifinal, Venezuela was unable to convert their chances into goals. They eventually lost 5–3 against Paraguay in a penalty shootout after remaining scoreless in normal and extra time. Venezuela and Peru played for third place at the Estadio Ciudad de La Plata, where Venezuela would suffer their biggest loss of the tournament, losing 4–1 against Peru and falling into fourth place overall. Nonetheless, it was their best-ever finish at the competition.

Group B:

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Brazil 312064+25
 Venezuela 312043+15
 Paraguay 30305503
 Ecuador 301225−31

Results:

3 July 2011 Group stages Brazil  0–0  Venezuela La Plata, Argentina
16:00 UTC-3 Report Stadium: Estadio Ciudad de La Plata
Referee: Raúl Orosco (Bolivia)
9 July 2011 Group stages Venezuela  1–0  Ecuador Salta, Argentina
18:30 UTC-3 C. González 61' Report Stadium: Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena
Referee: Wálter Quesada (Costa Rica)
13 July 2011 Group stages Paraguay  3–3  Venezuela Salta, Argentina
19:15 UTC-3 Alcaraz 32'
Barrios 62'
Riveros 85'		 Report Rondón 5'
Miku 89'
Perozo 90+2'		 Stadium: Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena
Referee: Enrique Osses (Chile)
17 July 2011 Quarterfinals Chile  1–2  Venezuela San Juan, Argentina
19:15 UTC-3 Suazo 69' Report Vizcarrondo 34'
Cichero 80'		 Stadium: Estadio del Bicentenario
Referee: Carlos Vera (Ecuador)
23 July 2011 Third-place match Peru  4–1  Venezuela La Plata, Argentina
16:00 UTC-3 Chiroque 41'
Guerrero 63', 89', 90+2'		 Report Arango 77' Stadium: Estadio Ciudad de La Plata
Referee: Wilmar Roldán (Colombia)

Team image

[edit]

Venezuela made its international debut in the Central American and Caribbean Games held in Panama in 1938, wearing the vinotinto (burgundy) color. The burgundy color originated from the uniform of the Venezuelan National Guard.[19] In the 1967 Copa América Venezuela also wore the Peñarol shirt v Chile to avoid colors clash, as Venezuela had arrived in the Estadio Centenario (Peñarol's frequent venue) with no alternate shirts.[20]

In 1993, a vertical band with the colors of the National flag was added to the left side of the jersey, which changed its colors to a more traditional red tone. This lasted until 1996 when Venezuela returned to the vinotinto tone.[21]

In 1998, Venezuela adopted a yellow/blue/red scheme, similar to their flag colors, by Mexican manufacturer "ABA Sports".[21] The national team returned to the traditional color in 2000. It has been remaining (with few changes)[22] as the main uniform up to present days.

Uniform and coat of arms

[edit]

Uniform

[edit]

In October 2018, the Venezuelan Football Federation announced that the national team would end its thirteen-year relationship with Adidas and switch to uniforms made by the Italian company Givova starting in 2019. Givova supplied the Venezuelan national teams from 2019 through 2023.

In June 2023, the Venezuelan Football Federation announced that Adidas would return as the official kit supplier of all Venezuelan national football teams beginning in 2024. The agreement covers the men's and women's field football teams, as well as futsal and beach soccer teams, at all age levels.[23]

Adidas unveiled the new Venezuelan national team kits in February 2024. The home kit returned to the traditional Vinotinto colour, while the away kit incorporated the yellow, blue and red colours of the Venezuelan flag.[24]

In November 2025, Adidas and the Venezuelan Football Federation presented a new home shirt inspired by the tepuis of Venezuela. The design retained Vinotinto as its predominant colour and incorporated the colours of the Venezuelan flag in the Adidas shoulder stripes.[25]

In March 2026, Adidas and the Venezuelan Football Federation presented the new away shirt for 2026. The shirt features a historical version of the federation's emblem, based on the emblem used between 1961 and 1967.[26]

Kit providers

[edit]

Source:[27]

Adidas jersey worn during the 2014 World Cup qualifying
Manufacturer Period
Germany Adidas 1981–1991
Venezuela Forte 1992–1995
United States Score 1995–1996
Peru Polmer 1996–1997
Mexico Aba Sport 1998–1999
Mexico Atlética 2000–2004
Germany Adidas 2005–2018
Italy Givova 2019–2023
Germany Adidas 2024–

Coat of arms

[edit]

The emblem of the Venezuelan national football team is derived from the insignia of the Federación Venezolana de Fútbol (FVF). The current emblem incorporates the national identity of Venezuela and is used by the country's national football teams.

The federation has used different emblems throughout its history. The 2026 Adidas away kit features a historical emblem based on the insignia used by the federation between 1961 and 1967, with the word "VENEZUELA" prominently displayed. The design was introduced as a historical reference connecting the current national teams with the origins of Venezuelan football.[28]

Results and fixtures

[edit]

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixture

2025

[edit]
14 November 2025 Friendly Venezuela  1–0  Australia Houston, United States
20:30 UTC−6
Report Stadium: Shell Energy Stadium
Attendance: 500
Referee: Armando Villarreal (United States)
18 November 2025 Friendly Venezuela  0–2  Canada Fort Lauderdale, United States
20:30 UTC−5 Report
Stadium: Chase Stadium
Attendance: 4,200
Referee: Rubiel Vazquez (United States)

2026

[edit]
27 March 2026 2026 FIFA Series Venezuela  4–1  Trinidad and Tobago Tashkent, Uzbekistan
15:00 UTC+5
Report
Stadium: Pakhtakor Stadium
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Rustam Lutfullin (Uzbekistan)
30 March 2026 2026 FIFA Series Uzbekistan  0–0
(5–4 p)		  Venezuela Tashkent, Uzbekistan
19:00 UTC+5 Report Stadium: Milliy Stadium
Attendance: 29,225
Referee: Mederbek Taichiev (Kyrgyzstan)
Penalties
6 June 2026 Friendly Venezuela  1–2  Turkey Fort Lauderdale, United States
19:00 UTC−4
Report
Stadium: Inter Miami CF Stadium
Attendance: 14,000
Referee: Daniel Quintero (Mexico)
9 June 2026 Friendly Venezuela  2–0  Iraq Bridgeview, United States
20:00 UTC−5
Report Stadium: SeatGeek Stadium
Referee: Filip Dujic (Canada)
28 September 2026 Kirin Challenge Cup 2026 Japan  2–1  Venezuela Hiroshima, Japan
19:25 UTC+9
Report
Stadium: Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima
Attendance: 27,882
Referee: Tim Danaskos (Australia)
2 October 2026 Friendly South Korea  0–0  Venezuela Ulsan, South Korea
20:00 UTC+9 Report Stadium: Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium
Attendance: 35,911
Referee: Alireza Faghani (Australia)
6 October 2026 Friendly Jordan  0–0  Venezuela Amman, Jordan
20:00 UTC+3 Report Stadium: King Abdullah II Stadium
Referee: Mohanad Qasim Sarray (Iraq)
14 November 2026 Friendly Basque Country  v  Venezuela Bilbao, Spain
20:00 UTC+1 Stadium: San Mamés Stadium
17 November 2026 Friendly Russia  v  Venezuela Krasnodar, Rusia
20:00 UTC+2

Coaching staff

[edit]
Position Name
Head coachVenezuela Oswaldo Vizcarrondo
Assistant coachBrazil Cleber Xavier
Assistant coachVenezuela Fernando Aristeguieta
Physical trainerUruguay Óscar Ortega
Goalkeeper coachColombia Mario Marín

Coaching history

[edit]
Caretaker managers are listed in italics.

Players

[edit]

Current squad

[edit]

The following players were called up to the friendly matches against Basque Country and Rusia on 14 and 17 November 2026, respectively.[29]

  • Caps and goals are correct as of 6 October 2026, after the match against Jordan.
  • Friendlies not recognized by FIFA are not counted.
No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK José Contreras (1994-10-20) 20 October 1994 (age 32) 14 0 Ecuadorian Football Federation Barcelona
1GK Cristopher Varela (1999-11-27) 27 November 1999 (age 26) 2 0 Venezuelan Football Federation Deportivo La Guaira
1GK Miguel Silva (2000-07-28) 28 July 2000 (age 26) 0 0 Venezuelan Football Federation Carabobo
1GK Frankarlos Benítez (2004-05-03) 3 May 2004 (age 22) 0 0 Venezuelan Football Federation Caracas
2DF Nahuel Ferraresi (1998-11-19) 19 November 1998 (age 27) 47 1 Brazilian Football Confederation Botafogo
2DF Yordan Osorio (1994-05-10) 10 May 1994 (age 32) 38 0 Colombian Football Federation Tolima
2DF Jon Aramburu (2002-07-23) 23 July 2002 (age 24) 24 1 Royal Spanish Football Federation Real Sociedad
2DF Christian Makoun (2000-03-05) 5 March 2000 (age 26) 16 0 Bulgarian Football Union Levski Sofia
2DF Teo Quintero (1999-03-02) 2 March 1999 (age 27) 8 0 Royal Dutch Football Association Sparta Rotterdam
2DF Luis Balbo (2006-03-28) 28 March 2006 (age 20) 6 0 Austrian Football Association Sturm Graz
2DF Adrián Cova (2001-02-13) 13 February 2001 (age 25) 2 0 Bulgarian Football Union Lokomotiv Plovdiv
2DF Adrián Palacios (2004-06-07) 7 June 2004 (age 22) 0 0 Royal Belgian Football Association Genk
3MF Cristian Cásseres (2000-01-20) 20 January 2000 (age 26) 50 1 French Football Federation Toulouse
3MF Yangel Herrera (captain) (1998-01-07) 7 January 1998 (age 28) 47 3 Royal Spanish Football Federation Real Sociedad
3MF Telasco Segovia (2003-04-02) 2 April 2003 (age 23) 20 2 United States Soccer Federation Inter Miami
3MF Daniel Pereira (2000-07-14) 14 July 2000 (age 26) 13 0 Canadian Soccer Association Montréal
3MF Marco Libra (2008-03-21) 21 March 2008 (age 18) 4 0 Italian Football Federation Bologna Primavera
4FW Yerson Chacón (2003-06-04) 4 June 2003 (age 23) 1 0 Cyprus Football Association AEK Larnaca
3MF Sebastián Mendoza (2005-10-29) 29 October 2005 (age 21) 1 0 Venezuelan Football Federation Carabobo
3MF Jeferson Caraballo (2002-05-08) 8 May 2002 (age 24) 0 0 Venezuelan Football Federation Deportivo Táchira
4FW Jefferson Savarino (1996-11-11) 11 November 1996 (age 29) 51 4 Brazilian Football Confederation Fluminense
4FW Eduard Bello (1995-08-20) 20 August 1995 (age 31) 26 4 Colombian Football Federation Deportivo Cali
4FW Gleiker Mendoza (2001-12-08) 8 December 2001 (age 24) 11 1 Ukrainian Association of Football Shakhtar Donetsk
4FW Jesús Ramírez (1998-05-04) 4 May 1998 (age 28) 8 2 Turkish Football Federation Çorum
4FW Kevin Kelsy (2004-07-27) 27 July 2004 (age 22) 8 1 Scottish Football Association Rangers
4FW Matías Lacava (2002-10-24) 24 October 2002 (age 24) 3 0 Portuguese Football Federation Vizela
4FW Robinson Flores (1998-04-14) 14 April 1998 (age 28) 0 0 Venezuelan Football Federation Puerto Cabello
4FW Luifer Hernández (2001-04-28) 28 April 2001 (age 25) 0 0 Mexican Football Federation Puebla

Recent call-ups

[edit]

The following players have been called up for the team in the last 12 months.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Wuilker Faríñez (1998-02-15) 15 February 1998 (age 28) 42 0 Colombia Inter Bogotá v.  Basque Country, 14 November 2026 PRE
GK Joel Graterol (1997-02-13) 13 February 1997 (age 29) 14 0 Venezuela Puerto Cabello v.  Basque Country, 14 November 2026 PRE
GK Javier Otero (2002-11-18) 18 November 2002 (age 23) 1 0 United States Orlando City v.  Iraq, 9 June 2026
GK Eduardo Bores (2002-10-28) 28 October 2002 (age 24) 0 0 Ecuador Emelec v.  Turkey, 6 June 2026 PRE
GK Jesús Camargo (1997-12-12) 12 December 1997 (age 28) 1 0 Colombia Once Caldas v.  Uzbekistan, 30 March 2026
GK Jorge Sánchez (2006-09-30) 30 September 2006 (age 20) 0 0 Venezuela Deportivo La Guaira Training module, 15–19 February 2026
DF Ronald Hernández (1995-10-18) 18 October 1995 (age 31) 35 1 United States Portland Timbers v.  Basque Country, 14 November 2026 PRE
DF Andrusw Araujo (2003-06-05) 5 June 2003 (age 23) 2 0 Ukraine Polissya Zhytomyr v.  Basque Country, 14 November 2026 PRE
DF Alessandro Milani (2005-06-14) 14 June 2005 (age 21) 3 0 Italy Inter Milan U23 v.  Basque Country, 14 November 2026 INJ
DF Juan Camilo Pérez (1998-12-22) 22 December 1998 (age 27) 0 0 Venezuela Carabobo v.  Basque Country, 14 November 2026 PRE
DF Román Davis (2008-08-01) 1 August 2008 (age 18) 1 0 Spain Valencia U19 v.  Basque Country, 14 November 2026 PRE
DF Carlos Vivas (2002-04-04) 4 April 2002 (age 24) 5 0 Colombia Inter Bogotá v.  Jordan, 6 October 2026
DF Delvin Alfonzo (2000-04-09) 9 April 2000 (age 26) 4 2 Venezuela Deportivo Táchira v.  Jordan, 6 October 2026
DF Juan David Sánchez (2005-10-06) 6 October 2005 (age 21) 1 0 Venezuela Deportivo Táchira v.  Jordan, 6 October 2026
DF Bianneider Tamayo (2005-01-13) 13 January 2005 (age 21) 0 0 Chile Universidad de Chile v.  Jordan, 6 October 2026
DF Marcos Maitán (2008-04-18) 18 April 2008 (age 18) 0 0 Venezuela Monagas v.  Japan, 28 September 2026 WD
DF Luis Quero (2004-06-28) 28 June 2004 (age 22) 0 0 Venezuela Portuguesa Training module, 23–27 August 2026
DF Isaac Ramírez (2001-07-18) 18 July 2001 (age 25) 0 0 Venezuela Metropolitanos Training module, 23–27 August 2026
DF Carlos Rojas (2004-01-23) 23 January 2004 (age 22) 0 0 Venezuela Deportivo La Guaira Training module, 23–27 August 2026
DF Isaí Valladares (2005-02-12) 12 February 2005 (age 21) 0 0 Venezuela Zamora Training module, 23–27 August 2026
DF Diego Osío (1997-01-03) 3 January 1997 (age 29) 2 0 Iraq Al-Zawraa v.  Iraq, 9 June 2026
DF Franco Provenzano (2005-02-15) 15 February 2005 (age 21) 0 0 Venezuela Deportivo Táchira v.  Turkey, 6 June 2026 PRE
DF Yiandro Raap (2006-07-25) 25 July 2006 (age 20) 0 0 Finland Ilves v.  Turkey, 6 June 2026 PRE
DF Thomas Gutiérrez (2000-05-01) 1 May 2000 (age 26) 1 0 Paraguay Nacional v.  Turkey, 6 June 2026 WD
DF Ángel Azuaje (2004-09-25) 25 September 2004 (age 22) 0 0 Mexico UNAM v.  Turkey, 6 June 2026 WD
DF Luis Casimiro Peña (2002-03-07) 7 March 2002 (age 24) 0 0 Venezuela Deportivo La Guaira v.  Turkey, 6 June 2026 WD
DF Luis Mago (1994-09-15) 15 September 1994 (age 32) 19 2 Turkey Muğlaspor Training module, 15–19 February 2026
DF Yohan Cumana (1996-03-08) 8 March 1996 (age 30) 9 0 Venezuela UCV Training module, 15–19 February 2026
DF Eduardo Fereira (2000-09-20) 20 September 2000 (age 26) 0 0 Venezuela Caracas Training module, 15–19 February 2026
DF Andrés Kinsler (2005-01-25) 25 January 2005 (age 21) 0 0 Venezuela Rayo Zuliano Training module, 15–19 February 2026
DF Kendrys Silva (1993-12-17) 17 December 1993 (age 32) 0 0 Venezuela UCV Training module, 15–19 February 2026
DF Jonathan Bilbao (1999-07-29) 29 July 1999 (age 27) 0 0 Venezuela Carabobo Training module, 15–19 February 2026 WD
DF Franyer Oliveros (2004-10-14) 14 October 2004 (age 22) 0 0 Venezuela Carabobo Training module, 15–19 February 2026 WD
DF Jesús Yendis (1998-03-18) 18 March 1998 (age 28) 0 0 Venezuela Caracas v.  Canada, 18 November 2025
MF Wikelman Carmona (2003-02-24) 24 February 2003 (age 23) 5 0 Canada Montréal v.  Basque Country, 14 November 2026 PRE
MF Jorge Yriarte (2000-03-04) 4 March 2000 (age 26) 4 1 Poland Śląsk Wrocław v.  Basque Country, 14 November 2026 PRE
MF Keiber Lamadrid (2003-11-18) 18 November 2003 (age 22) 2 0 England West Ham United v.  Basque Country, 14 November 2026 PRE
MF Jesús Bueno (1999-04-15) 15 April 1999 (age 27) 1 0 United States Philadelphia Union v.  Basque Country, 14 November 2026 PRE
MF Henrry Díaz (2008-03-03) 3 March 2008 (age 18) 0 0 Venezuela Monagas v.  Basque Country, 14 November 2026 PRE
MF Marcos Maitán (2008-04-18) 18 April 2008 (age 18) 0 0 Venezuela Monagas v.  Basque Country, 14 November 2026 PRE
MF Nicola Profeta (2006-02-27) 27 February 2006 (age 20) 0 0 Brazil Santos U20 v.  Jordan, 6 October 2026
MF Gustavo González (1996-02-20) 20 February 1996 (age 30) 1 0 Venezuela Puerto Cabello Training module, 23–27 August 2026
MF Juan Castellanos (1995-10-30) 30 October 1995 (age 31) 0 0 Venezuela Deportivo La Guaira Training module, 23–27 August 2026
MF Wilfred Correa (2005-12-12) 12 December 2005 (age 20) 0 0 Venezuela Caracas Training module, 23–27 August 2026
MF José Correa (2006-03-25) 25 March 2006 (age 20) 0 0 Venezuela Deportivo La Guaira v.  Turkey, 6 June 2026 WD
MF Luis González (1990-12-22) 22 December 1990 (age 35) 11 0 Venezuela Monagas v.  Uzbekistan, 30 March 2026
MF Carlos Faya (2002-01-18) 18 January 2002 (age 24) 2 0 Venezuela Deportivo La Guaira v.  Uzbekistan, 30 March 2026
MF Ángel Figueroa (2005-05-29) 29 May 2005 (age 21) 0 0 Venezuela Caracas Training module, 15–19 February 2026
MF Jhon Marchán (1998-09-02) 2 September 1998 (age 28) 0 0 Venezuela Puerto Cabello Training module, 15–19 February 2026
MF Daniel Saggiomo (1998-07-02) 2 July 1998 (age 28) 0 0 Venezuela Puerto Cabello Training module, 15–19 February 2026 INJ
MF José Chávez (1996-08-02) 2 August 1996 (age 30) 2 0 Venezuela Puerto Cabello v.  Canada, 18 November 2025
MF Juan Pablo Añor (1994-01-24) 24 January 1994 (age 32) 29 1 Costa Rica Alajuelense v.  Australia, 14 November 2025 WD
FW David Martínez (2006-02-07) 7 February 2006 (age 20) 7 0 Denmark Midtjylland v.  Basque Country, 14 November 2026 INJ
FW Alejandro Marqués (2000-08-04) 4 August 2000 (age 26) 5 0 Spain Granada v.  Basque Country, 14 November 2026 PRE
FW Ender Echenique (2004-04-02) 2 April 2004 (age 22) 3 0 United States Cincinnati v.  Basque Country, 14 November 2026 WD
FW Bryan Castillo (2001-05-14) 14 May 2001 (age 25) 2 0 Venezuela Carabobo v.  Basque Country, 14 November 2026 PRE
FW Jesús González (2008-10-08) 8 October 2008 (age 18) 0 0 Venezuela Deportivo La Guaira v.  Basque Country, 14 November 2026 PRE
FW Yerwin Sulbarán (2008-03-03) 3 March 2008 (age 18) 2 0 Austria Liefering v.  Basque Country, 14 November 2026 PRE
FW Jovanny Bolívar (2001-12-16) 16 December 2001 (age 24) 4 0 Greece Kalamata v.  Jordan, 6 October 2026
FW Edson Tortolero (1998-02-05) 5 February 1998 (age 28) 4 0 Colombia América de Cali v.  Jordan, 6 October 2026
FW Jhonder Cádiz (1995-07-29) 29 July 1995 (age 31) 19 2 China Wuhan Three Towns v.  Jordan, 6 October 2026 WD
FW Jean Franco Castillo (2002-10-04) 4 October 2002 (age 24) 0 0 Venezuela Puerto Cabello v.  Japan, 28 September 2026 PRE
FW Loureins Martínez (2005-04-16) 16 April 2005 (age 21) 0r 0 Venezuela Carabobo v.  Japan, 28 September 2026 PRE
FW Carlos Sosa (1995-08-02) 2 August 1995 (age 31) 2 0 Venezuela Deportivo Táchira Training module, 23–27 August 2026
FW Ronald Rodríguez (2005-04-05) 5 April 2005 (age 21) 0 0 Venezuela Monagas Training module, 23–27 August 2026
FW Eric Ramírez (1998-11-20) 20 November 1998 (age 27) 12 2 Venezuela Carabobo v.  Turkey, 6 June 2026 WD
FW Sergio Córdova (1997-08-09) 9 August 1997 (age 29) 19 0 Turkey Batman Petrolspor v.  Turkey, 6 June 2026 INJ
FW Salomón Rondón (1989-09-16) 16 September 1989 (age 37) 122 50 Mexico Pachuca v.  Uzbekistan, 30 March 2026
FW Daniel De Sousa (2004-02-13) 13 February 2004 (age 22) 0 0 Venezuela UCV Training module, 15–19 February 2026
FW Edwuin Pernía (1995-02-12) 12 February 1995 (age 31) 0 0 Venezuela Puerto Cabello Training module, 15–19 February 2026
FW Cristian Romero (2005-02-18) 18 February 2005 (age 21) 0 0 Venezuela Rayo Zuliano Training module, 15–19 February 2026
FW José Balza (1997-06-15) 15 June 1997 (age 29) 0 0 Venezuela Deportivo Táchira Training module, 15–19 February 2026 WD
  • INJ Withdrew due to injury
  • PRE Preliminary squad
  • SUS Suspended
  • WD Withdrew from the squad

Player records

[edit]
As of 6 October 2026[30]
Players in bold are still active with Venezuela.

Most appearances

[edit]
Midfielder Tomás Rincón is the most capped player with 143 appearances.
Rank Player Caps Goals Career
1Tomás Rincón14312008–2025
2Juan Arango129221999–2015
3Salomón Rondón122502008–present
4José Manuel Rey115101997–2011
5Roberto Rosales9612007–present
6Jorge Rojas8731999–2009
7Miguel Mea Vitali8411999–2012
8Oswaldo Vizcarrondo8072004–2016
9Gabriel Urdaneta7791996–2005
10Luis Vallenilla7601996–2007

Top goalscorers

[edit]
Salomón Rondón is the nation's all-time top goalscorer.
Rank Player Goals Caps Ratio Career
1Salomón Rondón501220.412008–present
2Giancarlo Maldonado22650.342003–2011
Juan Arango221290.171999–2015
4Josef Martínez15700.212011–present
5Ruberth Morán14630.221996–2007
6Miku11500.222006–2015
Darwin Machís11520.212011–present
8Daniel Arismendi10300.332006–2011
José Manuel Rey101150.091997–2011
10Gabriel Urdaneta9770.121996–2005

Competitive record

[edit]

FIFA World Cup

[edit]
FIFA World Cup record Qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA
Uruguay 1930 Not a FIFA member Not a FIFA member
Italy 1934
France 1938
Brazil 1950
Switzerland 1954 Did not enter Declined participation
Sweden 1958 Withdrew Withdrew
Chile 1962 Did not enter Declined participation
England 1966 Did not qualify 4 0 0 4 4 15
Mexico 1970 6 0 1 5 1 18
West Germany 1974 Withdrew Withdrew
Argentina 1978 Did not qualify 4 0 1 3 2 8
Spain 1982 4 1 0 3 1 9
Mexico 1986 6 0 1 5 5 15
Italy 1990 4 0 0 4 1 18
United States 1994 8 1 0 7 4 34
France 1998 16 0 3 13 8 41
South Korea Japan 2002 18 5 1 12 18 44
Germany 2006 18 5 3 10 20 28
South Africa 2010 18 6 4 8 23 29
Brazil 2014 16 5 5 6 14 20
Russia 2018 18 2 6 10 19 35
Qatar 2022 18 3 1 14 14 34
Canada Mexico United States 2026 18 4 6 8 18 28
Morocco Portugal Spain 2030 To be determined To be determined
Saudi Arabia 2034
Total 0/19 176 32 32 112 152 376

Copa América

[edit]

  Champions    Runners-up    Third place    Fourth place  

South American Championship / Copa América record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad
Argentina 1916No national representative
Uruguay 1917
Brazil 1919
Chile 1920
Argentina 1921
Brazil 1922
Uruguay 1923
Uruguay 1924
Argentina 1925Not a CONMEBOL member
Chile 1926
Peru 1927
Argentina 1929
Peru 1935
Argentina 1937
Peru 1939
Chile 1941
Uruguay 1942
Chile 1945
Argentina 1946
Ecuador 1947
Brazil 1949
Peru 1953Did not participate
Chile 1955
Uruguay 1956
Peru 1957
Argentina 1959
Ecuador 1959
Bolivia 1963
Uruguay 1967Fifth place5th5104716 Squad
1975Group stage10th4004126 Squad
197910th4022112 Squad
198310th4013110 Squad
Argentina 198710th200218 Squad
Brazil 198910th4013411 Squad
Chile 199110th4004115 Squad
Ecuador 199311th3021611 Squad
Uruguay 199512th3003410 Squad
Bolivia 199712th300305 Squad
Paraguay 199912th3003113 Squad
Colombia 200112th300307 Squad
Peru 200411th301225 Squad
Venezuela 2007Quarter-finals6th412156 Squad
Argentina 2011Fourth place4th623178 Squad
Chile 2015Group stage9th310223 Squad
United States 2016Quarter-finals6th421145 Squad
Brazil 20197th412133 Squad
Brazil 2021Group stage9th402226 Squad
United States 2024Quarter-finals5th431072 Squad
TotalFourth place20/277411184559182—

Pan American Games

[edit]
Pan American Games record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA
Argentina 1951 Fourth place 4th 4 1 0 3 5 14
Mexico 1955 Fourth place 4th 6 1 2 3 9 20
United States 1959 Did not participate
Brazil 1963
Canada 1967
Colombia 1971
Mexico 1975
Puerto Rico 1979
Venezuela 1983 Group stage 7th 2 1 0 1 3 3
United States 1987 Did not qualify
Cuba 1991
Argentina 1995
Since 1999See Venezuela national under-23 football team
TotalFourth place3/12123271737

Honours

[edit]

Regional

[edit]
  • Bolivarian Games
    • 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal (5): 1947–48s, 1951, 1965, 1970, 1977
    • 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal (2): 1961, 1981
Friendly
Notes
  • s Shared titles.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "Venezuela: ¿Por qué la 'vinotinto'?". Culturizando (in Spanish). Venezuela. 6 July 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  2. ↑ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking". 7 October 2026. Retrieved 7 October 2026.
  3. ↑ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. Archived from the original on 15 July 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  4. ↑ "Venezuela se quedó sin DT: renunció Richard Páez". Emol.com (in Spanish). 26 November 2007. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  5. ↑ "Match Centre". FIFA. Archived from the original on 31 July 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  6. ↑ "Korea Republic 3–1 Venezuela". Goal. 9 May 2014. Archived from the original on 10 October 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  7. ↑ "Jóvenes – Where Are Venezuela's Golden U20 Generation Now?". Football Paradise. 11 June 2019. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  8. ↑ "Venezuela coach Peseiro resigns over unpaid wages". Reuters. 20 August 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
  9. ↑ "Venezuela coach Peseiro resigns over unpaid wages". Reuters. 20 August 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
  10. ↑ "Venezuela Men's National Team Stats and History". FBref. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
  11. ↑ "The Coaches of the CONMEBOL Copa América: Fernando Batista". CONMEBOL. 5 June 2024. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
  12. ↑ "The Coaches of the CONMEBOL Copa América: Fernando Batista". CONMEBOL. 5 June 2024. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
  13. ↑ "The Unforgettable CONMEBOL Copa América 2024 of Venezuela". CONMEBOL. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
  14. ↑ "Venezuela vs. Canada". CONMEBOL. 6 July 2024. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
  15. ↑ "Year in Review: Venezuela's National Team in 2024". CONMEBOL. 5 December 2024. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
  16. ↑ "Fernando Batista dejó de ser técnico de Venezuela". ESPN. 10 September 2025. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
  17. ↑ "La FVF presenta al cuerpo técnico de la Selección Absoluta y junto al proyecto deportivo de las selecciones masculinas 2026–2034". Federación Venezolana de Fútbol. 20 January 2026. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
  18. ↑ "La FVF presenta al cuerpo técnico de la Selección Absoluta y junto al proyecto deportivo de las selecciones masculinas 2026–2034". Federación Venezolana de Fútbol. 20 January 2026. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
  19. ↑ "¿Por qué le dicen la Vinotinto a la Selección venezolana? | Goal.com". www.goal.com (in Spanish). 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 16 March 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  20. ↑ Redacción Aguanten Che. "Vinotinto aurinegra". aguantenche.com.uy (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 23 January 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  21. 1 2 "La evolución de la camisa vinotinto desde 1938". Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  22. ↑ La Vinotinto estrenará uniforme Archived 2 July 2017 at the Wayback Machine on La Patilla website
  23. ↑ "La Vinotinto volverá a vestir adidas". Federación Venezolana de Fútbol. 20 June 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
  24. ↑ "Adidas y la Selección Venezolana de Fútbol te invitan a conocer la nueva piel". Federación Venezolana de Fútbol. 27 February 2024. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
  25. ↑ "Nacida de nuestra tierra: la camiseta que nos conecta con el origen y la identidad de ser Vinotinto". Federación Venezolana de Fútbol. 5 November 2025. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
  26. ↑ "Un tributo a nuestras raíces: Adidas y la FVF presentan la nueva camiseta de visitante de nuestras selecciones". Federación Venezolana de Fútbol. 20 March 2026. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
  27. ↑ Las marcas que han vestido a la Vinotinto Archived 20 August 2019 at the Wayback Machine on Meridiano.com
  28. ↑ "Un tributo a nuestras raíces: Adidas y la FVF presentan la nueva camiseta de visitante de nuestras selecciones". Federación Venezolana de Fútbol. 20 March 2026. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
  29. ↑ @selevinotinto; (3 November 2026). "📋 Convocatoria - 𝗙𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮 𝗙𝗜𝗙𝗔 Noviembre 2026". Retrieved 3 November 2026 – via Instagram.
  30. ↑ Mamrud, Roberto. "Venezuela - Record International Players". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 30 March 2009. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  31. ↑ "New Zealand net four as quartet win shootouts". FIFA. 30 March 2026. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
[edit]
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