Courtesy: FIFA.com


Cubans look to add substance to the illusion of success

(FIFA.com) 05 Nov 2004

Despite a quarter-final finish at the FIFA World Cup in France in 1938 and a handful of small steps forward, little Cuba are still one of the world's footballing backwaters. Now set to take part in their third consecutive FIFA Futsal World Championship in Chinese Taipei, the islanders are still hunting for their first win on the five-a-side game's biggest stage - despite being the Caribbean nation with the most overall appearances at FIFA finals.
Though the Marxist nation - once a haven for American tourists and industry - has qualified for the last two FIFA Futsal World Championships, their overall results have been disappointing. After finishing CONCACAF runners-up in both 2000 and 1996, they lost all six matches at both the finals at Spain 96 and Guatemala four years ago.

Twice thrashed at the finals

In Spain in 1996, it was clear the islanders were well out of their depth despite a respectable second-place finish in the continental championship as they conceded 31 goals while scoring only four in their three group matches. Their humiliation culminated in an 18-0 hammering at the hands of eventual finalists Brazil.

Four years later and hoping for better things the Cubanos again were not up to the task, losing all three matches, scoring only one goal and conceding 20. The poor record is something of a telltale statistic for Cuban football in general, making for a rather harsh footnote in their 'record-breaking' history.

They become the first Caribbean nation to reach a FIFA World Cup in 1938. And their quarter-final finish was by far the high-water mark of the baseball-mad country's footballing history as they never reached the finals again. Though they have been crowned Central American champions four times, they have never returned to the FIFA World Cup finals in an unlucky 13 tries. But with the one FIFA World Cup finals, two appearances at the Olympics and the three FIFA Futsal World Championships, Cuba has somehow become the most 'successful' team in the Caribbean Sea in a strictly statistical way.

Hoping for change in the arena

But with big lessons learned at the last two FIFA Futsal World Championship, the Cubans will be heading to the Orient with high hopes of setting the record straight and showing the world they are more than mere minnows on the global scene.

"We are going into Chinese Taipei having learned our lessons well," said head coach Clemente Reinoso after finishing behind the U.S. in runner's up spot again. "It is time for us to step up and show what we can do." The boss, who also held the reins four years ago in Guatemala, will hopefully know what to expect this time around and adjust his side accordingly.

And with the wildly talented Juan Carlos Portal running the show in the centre of the arena, perhaps 2004 could be the island's time to shine. The Havana native was voted best player at the CONCACAF championship in Costa Rica in June and July, and still has a bad taste in his mouth as a veteran of the side which was soundly humiliated in Guatemala four years ago.

"We have a team with a great rapport between experienced players and young, extremely talented ones," the number 10 said after the CONCACAF championship.

Hopefully, for the excited islanders, that rapport - and the memory of some rather humbling defeats - will help to add some substance to Cuba's statistically vaunted status in the Caribbean region.