The Khmer football prize list, the official ranking
Cambodian football, or soccer as it is known in some parts of the world, is a popular sport that has a long and rich history in the country. Cambodia is one of the founding members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and has participated in various regional and international competitions since the 1950s. However, due to political and social turmoil, Cambodian football suffered a decline in the 1970s and 1980s, and only started to recover in the 1990s with the help of foreign coaches and sponsors.
In this article, we will provide an overview of the results of Cambodian football, both at the national team and club level. We will also highlight some of the most successful teams and players that have made a mark on the sport in Cambodia. We will use data from reliable sources such as FIFA, AFC, Transfermarkt and Wikipedia to support our analysis.
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The results of Cambodian national team
World Cup qualification
Cambodia has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup, which is the most prestigious tournament in international football. The closest they came was in 1974, when they reached the final round of the Asian zone qualification, but finished last in their group behind Iran, Australia and South Korea. Since then, Cambodia has struggled to advance past the early stages of the qualification process, often facing stronger opponents from Asia and other regions.
The most recent attempt was for the 2022 World Cup, which also doubled as the qualification for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. Cambodia was drawn in Group C with Iran, Iraq, Bahrain and Hong Kong. They managed to win two games against Hong Kong (1-0 at home and 2-0 away), but lost all their other matches, conceding 36 goals and scoring only three. They finished fourth in their group with six points, failing to qualify for either tournament.
AFC Asian Cup
The AFC Asian Cup is the second most important tournament in international football for Asian teams, after the World Cup. Cambodia has only qualified once for this tournament, in 1972, when they hosted it as part of the Khmer Republic. They finished third in their group behind Iran and Thailand, but ahead of Kuwait. They lost to Iran (0-2) and Thailand (0-5), but beat Kuwait (4-1) in their final match. They did not advance to the knockout stage, as only the top two teams from each group qualified.
Since then, Cambodia has failed to qualify for any edition of the AFC Asian Cup. Their best performance was in 2019, when they finished third in their group behind Jordan and Vietnam, but ahead of Afghanistan. They won one game against Afghanistan (1-0 at home), drew one game against Vietnam (1-1 away), and lost two games against Jordan (0-7 away and 0-1 at home). They finished with four points, but missed out on qualification due to their inferior goal difference.
AFF Championship
The AFF Championship, also known as the Suzuki Cup, is a biennial tournament that involves teams from Southeast Asia. It is considered as one of the most competitive and popular tournaments in the region, attracting large crowds and media attention. Cambodia has participated in every edition of this tournament since its inception in 1996, but has never reached the semifinals or finals.
The best result for Cambodia was in 2018, when they finished third in their group behind Vietnam and Myanmar, but ahead of Laos and Malaysia. They won two games against Laos (3-1 at home and 3-0 away), drew one game against Malaysia (1-1 at home), and lost two games against Vietnam (0-3 away and 0-2 at home). They finished with seven points, but missed out on qualification due to their inferior goal difference.
Other tournaments
Besides these major tournaments, Cambodia has also participated in other regional and international tournaments, such as:
- The Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), which is a multi-sport event that involves countries from Southeast Asia. Cambodia has won two bronze medals in football at this event, in 1965 and 1971.
- The Asian Games, which is a multi-sport event that involves countries from Asia. Cambodia has never won a medal in football at this event.
- The Solidarity Cup, which is a tournament that involves teams from the lower-ranked AFC members. Cambodia won this tournament in 2016, beating Macau (3-0), Brunei (3-2), Timor-Leste (3-2) and Northern Mariana Islands (4-1).
- The Challenge Cup, which was a tournament that involved teams from the lower-ranked AFC members. It was discontinued in 2014, and replaced by the Solidarity Cup. Cambodia never qualified for the final round of this tournament.
The results of Cambodian club football
Cambodian Premier League
The Cambodian Premier League, formerly known as the Cambodian League or the Metfone C-League, is the top division of club football in Cambodia. It was established in 1982, but became a professional league in 2005. It is currently contested by 10 clubs, who play each other twice in a round-robin format. The champion qualifies for the AFC Cup, which is the second-tier continental club competition in Asia.
The most successful club in the history of the Cambodian Premier League is Phnom Penh Crown, who have won eight titles, followed by Boeung Ket, who have won four titles. The current champion is Phnom Penh Crown, who won the 2022 season by beating Boeung Ket on goal difference. The 2023 season is currently underway, with Visakha leading the table as of October 2021.
Cambodian League 2
The Cambodian League 2, formerly known as the Cambodian Second League or the Hun Sen Cup Division A1, is the second division of club football in Cambodia. It was established in 2005, and is currently contested by 12 clubs, who play each other twice in a round-robin format. The top two clubs are promoted to the Cambodian Premier League, while the bottom two clubs are relegated to the Cambodian League 3.
The most successful club in the history of the Cambodian League 2 is Electricite du Cambodge, who have won three titles, followed by Soltilo Angkor and Siem Reap United, who have won two titles each. The current champion is Siem Reap United, who won the 2021 season by beating Soltilo Angkor on goal difference. The 2022 season is currently underway, with Life FC leading the table as of October 2021.
Cambodian League 3
The Cambodian League 3, formerly known as the Cambodian Third League or the Hun Sen Cup Division A2, is the third division of club football in Cambodia. It was established in 2005, and is currently contested by 16 clubs, who are divided into two groups of eight. The top two clubs from each group advance to a knockout stage, where the winner and runner-up are promoted to the Cambodian League 2.
The most successful club in the history of the Cambodian League 3 is Svay Rieng B, who have won two titles, followed by six clubs who have won one title each. The current champion is Svay Rieng B, who won the 2021 season by beating Kirivong Sok Sen Chey B in the final. The 2022 season is yet to start.
Cambodian domestic cups
Besides these league competitions, there are also two domestic cup competitions in Cambodia:
- The Hun Sen Cup, which is named after the Prime Minister of Cambodia. It was established in 2007, and is open to all clubs from all levels of Cambodian football. The winner qualifies for the AFC Cup.
- The Cambodian Super Cup, which is a one-off match between the winner of the Cambodian Premier League and the winner of the Hun Sen Cup. It was established in 2015.
The most successful club in both cup competitions is Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng, who have won six Hun Sen Cups and three Cambodian Super Cups. The current holders are Phnom Penh Crown, who won both cups in 2021.
The most successful teams and players in Cambodian football
Teams
Based on their achievements and results in both national team and club football, we can identify some of the most successful teams in Cambodian football history:
- Phnom Penh Crown: The most decorated club in Cambodia, with eight league titles, two Hun Sen Cups and three Super Cups. They also reached the quarter-finals of the AFC President's Cup in 2010 and 2011.
- Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng: The second most decorated club in Cambodia, with three league titles, six Hun Sen Cups and three Super Cups. They also reached the semi-finals of the AFC Cup in 2019, becoming the first Cambodian club to do so.
- Cambodia national team (1972): The only Cambodian national team to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup, where they finished third in their group. They also reached the final round of the World Cup qualification in 1974, but failed to qualify.
- Cambodia national team (2016): The Cambodian national team that won the Solidarity Cup, beating four other teams in the process. They also achieved their highest FIFA ranking of 156 in September 2016.
Players
Based on their individual skills, performances and awards, we can identify some of the most successful players in Cambodian football history:
- Keo Sokngon: The all-time top scorer for the Cambodia national team, with 16 goals in 36 appearances. He also played for several clubs in Cambodia and Thailand, winning two league titles and one Hun Sen Cup with Phnom Penh Crown.
- Chan Vathanaka: The current captain and star player of the Cambodia national team, with 15 goals in 60 appearances. He also played for several clubs in Cambodia, Malaysia, Japan and India, winning two league titles and one Hun Sen Cup with Boeung Ket.
- Prak Mony Udom: The current vice-captain and playmaker of the Cambodia national team, with 10 goals in 50 appearances. He also played for several clubs in Cambodia and Malaysia, winning one league title and one Hun Sen Cup with Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng.
- Hok Sochetra: The former captain and legend of the Cambodia national team, with nine goals in 39 appearances. He also played for several clubs in Cambodia and Singapore, winning three league titles and one Hun Sen Cup with Phnom Penh Crown. He was named as the AFC Player of the Year in 1999.
- Thierry Chantha Bin: The former midfielder and fan favorite of the Cambodia national team, with four goals in 51 appearances. He also played for several clubs in Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia, winning one league title and one Hun Sen Cup with Boeung Ket. He was named as the AFF Best Midfielder in 2016.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Cambodian football is a sport that has a long and rich history, but also faces many challenges and opportunities. The results of Cambodian football show that there have been some achievements and successes, both at the national team and club level, but also some disappointments and failures. The most successful teams and players in Cambodian football have demonstrated their skills, performances and awards, but also their passion, dedication and pride for their country.