When San Marino played its first official football match in 1990, its current coach Roberto Ćevoli started his senior career, and when this proud republic was celebrating its first triumph in history, Nico Sensoli was not even born...
The name of the boy, who is still a member of the San Marino Academy, is probably known to few in the world of football, but since last night he is part of the history of the country of thirty thousand inhabitants and officially the last (210) national team in the Fifa ranking.
Almost a century since the establishment of the Football Association in this country, 34 years since the first official match and two decades since the only victory so far, the "Republicans" have seen their first triumph in competitive matches.
Niko Sensoli shook the Liechtenstein net in the 53rd minute for a triumph at the start of the League of Nations, for a victory at the Seravale stadium, for a dream that finally became a reality.
Until the historic September 5, 2024, San Marino played 176 competitive matches, lost 171 (two also against Montenegro in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers), managed to draw in five, and lost 196 out of 205 matches in total.
The only victory before the unforgettable one in the League of Nations was recorded by the "sky blues" in 2004, also against Liechtenstein, but then in a friendly match.
The captain and record holder for the number of appearances for San Marino, Mateo Vitaioli, finally got to celebrate with his country after 17 years in the national team, although he was unable to help his teammates due to an injury.
"The love of country and the opportunity to play international matches - an honor that many professionals never get, and we have - is a sacrifice that always pays off," Vitajoli, a graphic designer, told the BBC.
How much all this means to San Marino is perhaps best illustrated by the words of coach Ćevoli, which were spoken before the historic victory.
"I want us to dream without limits".
And he succeeded - he and his boys finally achieved the dream of all generations in San Marino.
Bonus video:
