Hong Kong national football team


The Hong Kong national football team represents Hong Kong in international football and is controlled by the Hong Kong Football Association, the governing body for football in Hong Kong.

History

Establishment and pre-WWII era

Before Hong Kong became a member of FIFA in 1954, Hong Kong began playing in the Hong Kong–Macau Interport tournament in 1937, which was one of the oldest competitions co-held by Hong Kong as well as continuously played. There were other interport tournaments in the past, such as the Shanghai-Hong Kong Interport which was first held in 1908. At that time the team was composed of ethnic Chinese as well as western expatriates, as in the 1935 and 1937 edition of Shanghai-Hong Kong Interport. There was another Interport tournament against Saigon. The aforementioned Macau, Shanghai, and Saigon were not a member of FIFA nor a sovereign nation at that time, with Hong Kong and Macau only having joined FIFA in 1954 and 1978 respectively. The China national football team that participated in 1936 and 1948 Summer Olympics, were mainly composed of ethnic Chinese players from Hong Kong, most famously Lee Wai Tong.
After WWII, a number of Shanghai-based players began representing Hong Kong, such as Chang King Hai and Hsu King Shing. Hong Kong played its first international match after World War II in 1949, against South Korea. Its first victory came in 1953, a 4–0 win against South Korea.

FIFA member (1954–present)

Hong Kong FA became a member of FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation since 1954. Since then Hong Kong played their first FIFA-recognized international match against other countries. HKFA also sent a scratch team for 1957 Merdeka Tournament, which was composed of players from Eastern due to their proximity, plus few players from other clubs. The club was having a pre-season tour in South Asia, thus the HKFA invited the club to represent Hong Kong. However, some of the players were in fact ineligible to play for Hong Kong, as they were ROC international players.
Hong Kong qualified for three of the first four editions of the Asian Cup, including a third-place finish in the 1956 edition as host. At that time, most Hong Kong players represented Republic of China ; they finished third in the Asian Cup in the 1960 edition, leaving more inferior players to the proper Hong Kong team. The Republic of China team also won the Football at the 1954 Asian Games and Football at the 1958 Asian Games.
Hong Kong has never qualified for the World Cup. However, its most celebrated victory happened during 1986 World Cup qualifying. On 19 May 1985, in Beijing, Hong Kong faced China in the final match of the first qualifying round, where Hong Kong needed a win to advance while China needed only a draw. Hong Kong, led by coach Kwok Ka Ming, produced a 2–1 upset win, with goals from Cheung Chi Tak and Ku Kam Fai, thereby winning the group and advancing to the knockout stage, where it subsequently lost to Japan.
The year 2009 was a turning point in the diminishing football standards of Hong Kong. On 12 December, Hong Kong defeated Japan and took their first East Asian Games football gold medal, the first major competition Hong Kong football team have won. This unexpected and surprising result raised the belief that the Hong Kong football team could perform in major competition. The Hong Kong football team also won the 2010 Long Teng Cup and 2011 Long Teng Cup.
A short football fever appeared during 2018 World Cup qualifying in Hong Kong, as Hong Kong had drawn into the same group with their fierce rival, China. Due to the tensions built up from Hong Kong–Mainland China conflict, many local citizens became interested in this year's campaign; all four home matches were recorded as a sellout. Hong Kong ended the campaign with 4 victories against Bhutan and Maldives, 2 scoreless draws against China, and 2 losses against Qatar. Qatar and China occupied the top two positions of the group and qualified for the next round.

Stadium

For some of the friendly matches and the minor qualification matches, the Hong Kong team plays most often at the Mong Kok Stadium in Kowloon, which was re-opened in 2011 after a renovation. Moreover, the 2018 edition of the Lunar New Year Cup was held in Mong Kok. The cup was a local tradition to celebrate Chinese New Year, which was held in Government Stadium in the past.
The Jockey Club HKFA Football Training Centre is currently the main training ground for the Hong Kong national and youth teams.

Recent results and fixtures

2020

Players

Current squad

The following players have been selected to the 23 players squad for the 2019 EAFF E-1 Football Championship to be held in South Korea in December 2019.
Caps and goals as of 18 December 2019, after the match against China.
Players shown below are listed descendingly on their position, caps, goals and age.

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up for the team within the previous 12 months.
;Notes
INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury

PRE Preliminary squad

RET Player retired from international football

Coaching staff

Records

Players in bold are still active at international level.

Most capped

#PlayerChinese NameCareerPositionCapsGoals
1Yapp Hung Fai葉鴻輝2010–GK760
2Lee Chi Ho李志豪2000–2017DF700
3Lee Wai Man李偉文1993–2006DF682
3Chan Siu Ki陳肇麒2004–2017FW6837
5Chan Wai Ho陳偉豪2000–2017DF656
6Poon Yiu Cheuk潘耀焯1998–2010DF624
7Huang Yang黃洋2012–MF571
8Cheung Sai Ho蔣世豪1995–2007MF568
9Leung Chun Pong梁振邦2006–2018MF541
10Lo Kwan Yee盧均宜2007–2017DF539
10Jaimes McKee麥基2012–2019FW5312
12Wu Kwok Hung胡國雄1971–1986MF5210
13Lam Ka Wai林嘉緯2005–2018MF518
14Chan Fat Chi陳發枝1977–1989MF507
14Au Wai Lun歐偉倫1989–2005FW5026
16Cheung Chi Tak張志德1981–1997DF481
16Lee Kin Wo李健和1987–2003FW4811
18Kwok Ka Ming郭家明1968–1979FW4712
19Tsang Ting Fai曾廷輝1973–1980DF460
19Leung Sui Wing梁帥榮1980–1989DF461

Top Goalscorers

Goalscorers with an equal number of goals are ranked with the highest to lowest goals per game ratio.
#PlayerChinese NameCareerPositionGoals^CapsAverage
1Chan Siu Ki陳肇麒2004–2017FW37680.5441
2Au Wai Lun歐偉倫1989–2005FW26500.52
3Lau Wing Yip劉榮業1971–1986FW24390.6154
4Wan Chi Keung尹志強1976–1986FW18320.5625
5Chung Chor Wai鍾楚維1971–1979FW16450.3556
6Ho Cheng Yau何祥友1956–1968FW14340.4118
6Tim Bredbury巴貝利1986–1999FW14340.4118
8Li Kwok Keung李國強1964–1972FW13340.3824
9Yu Kwok Kit余國傑1973–1977FW12130.9231
9Kwok Ka Ming郭家明1968–1979FW12470.2553
9Jaimes McKee麥基2012–2019FW12530.2264
12Lau Chi Lam劉志霖1956–1964MF11220.5
12Lau Kai Chiu劉繼照1954–1964FW11280.3929
12Lee Kin Wo李健和1987–2003FW11480.2992
15Alex Akande艾力士2015–FW10270.3704
15Wu Kwok Hung胡國雄1971–1986MF10520.1923

^ = Minimum 10 Goals

Captains records

Only record the players who were named as captains for the international official competitions.
is named as captain under the appointment of the new head coach Gary White.
YearTournamentCaptain
1954The 2nd Asian GamesKo Po Keung
1956The 1st Asian Cup Ko Po Keung
1958The 3rd Asian GamesHo Cheung Yau
1959The 2nd Asian Cup Ho Cheung Yau
1963The 3rd Asian Cup Ho Cheung Yau
1964The 3rd Asian Cup Cheung Wing Ching
1967The 4th Asian Cup Kung Wah Kit
1968The 4th Asian Cup Kung Wah Kit
1971The 5th Asian Cup Fok Pak Ling
1973The 10th World Cup Kwok Ka Ming
1975The 6th Asian Cup Cheng Yun Yue
1977The 11th World Cup Wu Kwok Hung, Kwok Ka Ming
1979The 7th Asian Cup Wu Kwok Hung
1980The 12th World Cup Wu Kwok Hung
1984The 8th Asian Cup Leung Sui Wing
1985The 13th World Cup Leung Sui Wing
1987The 24th Olympic Games Leung Sui Wing
1988The 9th Asian Cup Leung Sui Wing
1989The 14th World Cup Leung Sui Wing
1990The 11th Asian GamesCheung Chi Tak
1992The 10th Asian CupChan Ping On, Ku Kam Fai
1993The 15th World Cup Lee Kin Wo
1994The 12th Asian GamesLee Kin Wo
1996The 11th Asian Cup Lee Kin Wo
1997The 16th World Cup Ku Kam Fai, Cheung Chi Tak
1998The 13th Asian GamesCheung Sai Ho
1999The 12th Asian Cup Lee Kin Wo
2001The 17th World Cup Cheung Sai Ho
2003The 1st East Asian Football Championship Yau Kin Wai
2003The 1st East Asian Football Championship Lee Wai Man
2003The 13th Asian Cup Yau Kin Wai, Cheung Sai Ho, Lee Wai Man
2004The 18th World Cup Lee Wai Man, Cheung Sai Ho
2005The 2nd East Asian Football Championship Lee Wai Man, Cheung Sai Ho
2006The 14th Asian Cup Lee Wai Man, Cheung Sai Ho, Fan Chun Yip
2007The 19th World Cup Cheung Sai Ho, Fan Chun Yip
2007The 3rd East Asian Football Championship Cristiano Cordeiro
2009The 4th East Asian Football Championship Man Pei Tak, Li Haiqiang
2009–2010The 15th Asian Cup Cristiano Cordeiro, Poon Yiu Cheuk, Man Pei Tak, Chan Wai Ho
2010The 4th East Asian Football Championship Poon Yiu Cheuk, Chan Wai Ho, Au Yeung Yiu Chung
2011The 20th World Cup Chan Wai Ho
2012The 5th EAFF East Asian Cup Chan Wai Ho
2013–2014The 16th Asian Cup Chan Wai Ho, Chan Siu Ki, Yapp Hung Fai
2014The 6th EAFF East Asian Cup Yapp Hung Fai
2015–2016The 21st World Cup Chan Wai Ho, Yapp Hung Fai
2016The 7th EAFF E-1 Football Championship Yapp Hung Fai
2017–2018The 17th Asian Cup Yapp Hung Fai
2018The 8th EAFF E-1 Football Championship Huang Yang
2019The 8th EAFF E-1 Football Championship Huang Yang
2019–2020The 22nd World Cup Huang Yang

Coaches records

Last updated: Hong Kong 0-2 China, 18 December 2019. Statistics include international "A" matches only.

Competition history

All time results

FIFA World Cup record

FIFA Confederations Cup record

AFC Asian Cup record

Asian Games record

† Excluding 1998 onwards

Dynasty Cup and East Asian Football Championship record

Minor tournaments