Global InformationSolomon Islands national futsal team information
| Nickname(s) | Kurukuru | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Association | Solomon Islands Football Federation | ||
| Confederation | OFC | ||
| Head coach |  Damon Shaw | ||
| Captain | Elliot Ragomo | ||
| Home stadium | none | ||
| FIFA code | SOL | ||
| FIFA ranking | 74  8 (2 October 2023)[1] | ||
| |||
| First international | |||
 Australia 9–0 Solomon Islands  (Canberra, Australia, 25 July 2004)[2] | |||
| Biggest win | |||
Solomon Islands 21–2 Tuvalu  (Suva, Fiji, 14 August 2010)[3] | |||
| Biggest defeat | |||
 Russia 31–2 Solomon Islands (Brasília, Brazil, 6 October 2008)[4] | |||
| World Cup | |||
| Appearances | 4 (First in 2008) | ||
| Best result | Group stage (2008, 2012, 2016, 2021) | ||
| OFC Futsal Championship | |||
| Appearances | 7 (First in 2004) | ||
| Best result | Champions (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2019) | ||
| Confederations Cup | |||
| Appearances | 1 (First in 2009) | ||
| Best result | 5th place (2009) | ||
The Solomon Islands national futsal team, nicknamed Kurukuru,[5] represents the Solomon Islands in international futsal competitions and is controlled by the Solomon Islands Football Federation. It is one of the strongest teams in Oceania, but fares poorly in competitions outside the region.
The team's coach in 2008 was Victor Wai’ia.[6] By 2009, he had been succeeded by Dickson Kadau.[7] The country has no futsal stadium, although in July 2009 Prime Minister Derek Sikua promised that the government would assist in building one.[8]
On 6 October 2008, the Solomon Islands established a record for the worst defeat in the history of the FIFA Futsal World Cup in Brazil 2008, when they were beaten by Russia thirty-one goals to two.[9] It was the country's first participation in the World Cup;[10] it finished last in Group A, with four games lost out of four, 6 goals for and 69 against.[11] At the 2012 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Thailand, the Kurukuru once again finished last in their group, suffering heavy defeats to Russia and Colombia, but did manage to obtain their first World Cup win, beating Guatemala 4–3.[12]
On a regional level, however, the Kurukuru won the 2008 Oceanian Futsal Championship, and successfully defended their title in 2009, beating Fiji 8–1 in the final,[13] and then again in 2010 and 2011. After failing to win in 2013 and not competing in 2014, they would win their record-tying fifth OFC Futsal Championship in 2016. They are, therefore, the current regional champions.[14]
The Solomon Islands national futsal team currently holds the world record for the fastest ever goal scored in an official futsal match. It was set by Kurukuru captain Elliot Ragomo, who scored against New Caledonia three seconds into the game in July 2009.[15]
- ^ Futsal World Ranking
- ^ Fut5alPlanet
- ^ Fut5alPlanet
- ^ "Russia Beats Kurukuru 31–2", Solomon Times, 7 October 2008
- ^ "In the Land of the Giants", Solomon Times, 6 October 2008
- ^ "In the Land of the Giants", Solomon Times, 6 October 2008
- ^ "Kurukuru Flies High, Defeating New Caledonia 8–3", Solomon Times, 7 July 2009
- ^ "GOV’T SUPPORTS FUTSAL STADIUM", Solomon Star, 13 July 2009
- ^ "Russia Beats Kurukuru 31–2", Solomon Times, 7 October 2008
- ^ "FIFA Futsal World Cup: Previous Tournaments"
- ^ "FIFA Futsal World Cup Brazil 2008: Matches"
- ^ "Keeper seals historic Solomons win at Futsal World Cup", Boxscore, 9 November 2012
- ^ "Solomons retains Futsal title", FijiVillage News, 11 July 2009
- ^ "Big welcome for the champions" Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Oceania Football Confederation
- ^ "RAGOMO BEATS WORLD RECORD….to score the fastest futsal goal", Solomon Star, 15 July 2009