The is the national team of
Cuba and is controlled by the
Asociación De Fútbol De Cuba . They were the first Caribbean team to make the
World Cup , which they did in
1938 . There, they defeated
Romania in a replay 2-1 after tying them 3-3. They were then eliminated in the quarterfinals by
Sweden , 8-0. The Cuban team has not returned to the World Cup since.
Football (soccer) is not followed as strongly in Cuba as it is in many other countries, as
Baseball is the national sport. Nevertheless, the sports discipline common to
Communist countries is a vital part of the team, and recent showings in the Caribbean region may signal a rise in the team's futures.
Cuba finished second in the
Caribbean Cup in
1996 ,
1999 ,
2005 , and was in the top two in
2003 , where there was no single winner. During the
2002 Gold Cup in
Los Angeles , Cuban players
Alberto Delgado and
Rey Ángel Martínez Defected to the
United States .
- 1930 - ''Did not enter''
- 1934 - ''Did not qualify''
- 1938 - Quarterfinals
- 1950 - ''Did not qualify''
- 1954 to 1962 - ''Did not enter''
- 1966 - ''Did not qualify''
- 1970 to 1974 - ''Did not enter''
- 1978 to 1982 - ''Did not qualify''
- 1986 - ''Did not enter''
- 1990 - ''Did not qualify''
- 1994 - ''Withdrew''
- 1998 to 2006 - ''Did not qualify''
- 1991 - ''Withdrew''
- 1993 - ''Did not enter''
- 1996 - ''Did not qualify''
- 1998 - Round 1
- 2000 - ''Did not qualify''
- 2002 - Round 1
- 2003 - Quarterfinals
- 2005 - Round 1
