End Of The Dream
World Soccer|August 2019

The Champions League is already over for the best team in Europe’s worst league

San Marino
End Of The Dream

For the worst league in Europe, San Marino’s Campionato reached a thrilling conclusion last season. Trailing 1-0 to holders and overwhelming favorites La Fiorita in the play-off Final, Tre Penne equalised in the seven minutes of injury time with a goal from Stefano Fraternali.

As the club’s ultras, Tifosi Corretti Sambuca (TFC), used a loud hailer to broadcast support from a balcony on a building overlooking the Stadio Fonte Dell’Ovo, Tre Penne went on to win 3-1 and claim their place in this season’s Champions League preliminaries.

That was on May 25. A month later, Tre Penne were out of the Champions League, beaten 1-0 by FC Santa Coloma of Andorra.

Their exit was disappointing because, although the national team is one of the world’s weakest sides, Sammarinese clubs have been showing tentative signs of improvement – which makes watching their games more appealing than those of the national side.

“Sometimes it’s embarrassing to watch the national team,” sighs Tommaso Verzini, one of the TFC ultras’ leaders. “That’s why we don’t follow them. The players know they are going to lose. They are going to resist and maybe to score. “It makes me cry. You can feel the agony among the players.”

The agony has reduced somewhat for San Marino at club level, and those appearances in European competition which used to involve heavy defeats, even against clubs from other small countries, have mainly stopped.

In July 2013, Tre Penne became the first Sammarinese club to win a game in 1-0 in a Champions League qualifier, although they still went out, losing 3-1 on aggregate. In 2018, Tre Fiori became the first Sammarinese club to win a continental tie, beating Bala Town from Wales 3-1 on aggregate in a Europa League preliminary.

Denne historien er fra August 2019-utgaven av World Soccer.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra August 2019-utgaven av World Soccer.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA WORLD SOCCERSe alt
Going for Gold in Paris- There are plenty of candidates vying for the Olympic gold medal in the women's football tournament this summer
World Soccer

Going for Gold in Paris- There are plenty of candidates vying for the Olympic gold medal in the women's football tournament this summer

There are plenty of candidates vying for the Olympic gold medal in the women's football tournament this summer

time-read
5 mins  |
July 2024
Face to face - Tom Sainfiet- The final goal is to reach the World Cup and write history - The Belgian coach speaks to World Soccer
World Soccer

Face to face - Tom Sainfiet- The final goal is to reach the World Cup and write history - The Belgian coach speaks to World Soccer

The well-travelled Belgian coach speaks to World Soccer after taking charge of the Philippines-his 11th international coaching role

time-read
4 mins  |
July 2024
Inter cruise to title number 20
World Soccer

Inter cruise to title number 20

Simone Inzaghi's Internazionale shrug off all challengers before sealing the Serie A title in style against their biggest rivals

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2024
HAT-TRICK HERO
World Soccer

HAT-TRICK HERO

Ademola Lookman wrote his name into European football's history books with a hat-trick in the Europa League final

time-read
6 mins  |
July 2024
GOING UP
World Soccer

GOING UP

The story of Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres' career has been one of upward trajectory - and there's plenty more to come from the Sporting superstar

time-read
6 mins  |
July 2024
Palau soldier on alone
World Soccer

Palau soldier on alone

The isolated Pacific nation faces a long and lonely battle to improve football on the island

time-read
2 mins  |
July 2024
Brazilian clubs eye Copa number six
World Soccer

Brazilian clubs eye Copa number six

As the Copa Libertadores group stage concludes, a sixth consecutive Brazilian winner is looking likely

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2024
AI Hilal sweep to another Saudi crown
World Soccer

AI Hilal sweep to another Saudi crown

The first edition of the Saudi Pro League's glamorous new era ends with a familiar title winner

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2024
Disasters brewing
World Soccer

Disasters brewing

There is still a long way to go in World Cup qualifying, but dysfunction reigns at Cameroon, Congo and Nigeria after four matchdays in the group stage

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2024
Second round of World Cup qualifying underway
World Soccer

Second round of World Cup qualifying underway

Favourites perform largely as expected, yet Cayman Islands dominate the headlines

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2024