Region of Murcia autonomous football team

The Region of Murcia autonomous football team is the regional football team for the Region of Murcia, Spain. They are not affiliated with FIFA or UEFA, because it is represented internationally by the Spain national football team. It only plays friendly matches.

Region of Murcia
Shirt badge/Association crest
AssociationRegion of Murcia Football Federation
Head coachJosé Antonio Camacho
Most capsMariano Sánchez (5)
Top scorerToché (2)
Home stadiumEstadio Nueva Condomina
First colours
Second colours
First international
 Murcia 1–1 Lithuania 
(28 December 2005)
Biggest win
 Murcia 3–0 Ecuador 
(30 December 2006)

History

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Before the creation of the Football Federation of the Region of Murcia in 1924, the Valencian Football Federation (at the time known as the Levante Football Federation) absorbed the clubs from the provinces of Murcia and Albacete. Thus, the teams from the regions of Valencia and Murcia had the same federation and it was in charge of organizing the Levante Championship and summoning the national team from Levante, which competed twice in the Prince of Asturias Cup, an inter-regional competition organized by the RFEF.[1] The Valencian team participated in the 1922–23 and 1923–24 editions of the tournament and was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Andalusia on both occasions.[1] On 27 July 1924, the Murcian and Albacete clubs left the Levante Football Federation to create their own on 7 September 1924, then named the Murcian Regional Federation of Football Clubs, only adopting the current name in 1990.

The Murcia national team only played their first international game on 28 December 2005, debuting against Lithuania. The match ended in a 1–1 draw, with the author of the team's first-ever goal being Javi García.[2] They followed it up with three more matches in three years, winning the first two and drawing the third. Their most recent match was held on 18 May 2011 at the Nueva Condomina against Real Madrid, and Murcia managed to keep their undefeated status by holding the club to a 2–2 draw. The goalscorers of that match include three legends, Pepe via an own goal, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo.[3]

Coaches

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Selected internationals

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28 December 2005 Murcia   1–1   Lithuania Murcia
21:00 CET Javi García   51' Lukšys   85' Stadium: La Condomina
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Pedro Javier Martínez Franco
30 December 2006 Murcia   3–0   Ecuador Murcia
18:00 CET Kike Mateo   18'
Zamora   31'
Pedro León   47'
Stadium: Nueva Condomina
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Bernabé García
26 December 2007 Murcia   1–0   Equatorial Guinea Cartagena
18:30 CET Toché   1' Stadium: Cartagonova
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Martínez Franco
23 December 2008 Murcia   1–1   Estonia Lorca
18:30 CET Toché   44' (pen.) Kink   15' Stadium: Francisco Artés
Attendance: 3,500
Referee: Martínez Franco
18 May 2011 Murcia   2–2 Real Madrid Murcia
19:00 CET Pepe   53' (o.g.)
Meca   66'
Benzema   48'
Cristiano Ronaldo   68'
Stadium: Nueva Condomina
Attendance: 31,000
Referee: Gregorio Bernabé García

Notable players

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Vicente Martínez Calatrava (17 August 2009). "La Copa Príncipe de Asturias" [The Prince of Asturias Cup] (in Spanish). CIHEFE. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  2. ^ "Murcia mereció más en su debut ante Lituania" [Murcia deserved more in his debut against Lithuania]. as.com (in Spanish). 29 December 2005. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  3. ^ "Seleccion de Murcia 2-2 Real Madrid: Ronaldo & Benzema score in charity match" [Selection of Murcia 2-2 Real Madrid: Ronaldo & Benzema score in charity match]. www.goal.com (in Spanish). 18 May 2011. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
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