The Oman national football team is the national team of Oman. Although the team was officially founded in 1978, the squad was formed long before, and has established a proper football association in only December, 2005. The team is controlled by the Oman Football Association.
Prior to the turn of the 21st century, Oman's senior team have generally finished in last place in all competitions in which competed in. Oman nowadays sports players from England to Belgium, and Saudi Arabia, to Qatar. Former Omani captain, Hani Al-Dhabit was awarded the RSSSF 2001 World Top Scorer, with 22 goals;[1] the most goals scored by a player who won the World Top Scorer award to date, and also being the third Arab to win the award, as well as being the first Omani.[2]
The U-16, and U-17 national teams have generally had more success than the senior team on international level, winning 3rd place in the 1994 AFC U-17 Championship, and winning twice the competition in 1996, and 2000 editions. The team has also qualified for the 1995 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Ecuador, finishing in a record 4th place, and qualifying for the 1997 edition in Egypt again having an exciting run through the competition, but was eliminated in the final 8. During these U-17 World Championships, many great talents were exposed to international light, such as Hashim Saleh, Hani Al-Dhabit, and 1995 U-17 World Championship top scorer, Mohammed Al-Kathiri. The U-17 team has also qualified for the third time for the 2001 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Trinidad and Tobago. They currently have qualified for the 2010 AFC U-16 Championship.
The senior team has never qualified for the World Cup, but has qualified for the Asian Cup in the years 2004 and 2007, and reached the Gulf Cup of Nations final three times, and won it on its' third attempt as hosts
Prior to the new millennium, Oman generally struggled in the Gulf Cup of Nations, usually finishing in 6th or 7th place, even when the cup was held in Oman. It was about 1998 when the national team began to increase its' performance, and in the 2003/2004 Gulf Cups new talent emerged like the familiar names of Imad Al-Hosni, Ali Al-Habsi, Badr Al-Maimani, and Khalifa Ayil which made the team more successful.
In the 2002 Gulf Cup of Nations held in Saudi Arabia, Oman had once again finished in an unimpressive 5th place, but under the captaincy of Dhofar F.C.'s Hani Al-Dhabit, Oman had accomplished something never before done in the history of Oman in the Gulf Cup, defeating 9-time winners,[3] Kuwait. The match ended 3-1 with captain Hani Al-Dhabit scoring a hat-trick. As well as the three goals on Kuwait, Al-Dhabit netted a goal on Bahrain, and a consolation goal against a 2-1 Qatar.[4] At the end of the competition, Hani Al-Dhabit was the only Omani to score any goals, and was awarded the "Top Goal Scorer" of the competition, with a total of 5 goals.[5]
During the 2004 Gulf Cup in Doha Oman reached the final for the first time in the team's history, which was eventually lost to Qatar in a penalty shootout. Imad Al-Hosni was awarded the "Top Goal Scorer" of the competition with a total of 4 goals.[6]
In the 2007 Gulf Cup, the national team reached the final for a second consecutive time and lost to hosts, U.A.E. 1-0 in Abu Dhabi. Although losing to the Emirates in the final, Oman had maintained an undefeated record throughout the competition dis-including the final.[7] Once again Ali Al-Habsi had received the "Best Goalkeeper of the Gulf Cup"[8] for the third consecutive time in a row; the most won by a goalkeeper in the 40 years of the Gulf Cup tournament. Oman had tied U.A.E. in goalscoring with 9 goals each after the competition.[9]
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