How do teams like San Marino, Andorra, Malta, etc. get better?

[Suntouchable13]

Is it possible for these kinds of teams to get better at all? How do players on these teams even get up for their qualifiers when they know they have 0 shot of advancing anywhere? I am sort watching San Marino vs Germany and there is no one there except for German fans. Their own people don't even care. I guess the only way for them to get better is play these qualifiers against superior teams, but there is any sort of light in the end of the tunnel for these football federations? They are just punching bags for the great teams that use these games as a way to pad their stats.

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[Ceremony]

They don't.

 

[bleedblue1223]

It's a numbers game, they'll never be that good IMO.

Some might catch lightning in a bottle, but nothing will be sustainable.

 

[Evilo]

Iceland was close to that group and broke through.
Luxemburg is better than they ever were.

 

[HajdukSplit]

Malta has improved a bit, they don't really suffer heavy defeats anymore and snatch a few points here and there. San Marino and Andorra are completely amateur remember, simply too small and lack of professionals to be competitive

 

[Moncherry]

I am sort watching San Marino vs Germany and there is no one there except for German fans. Their own people don't even care. .

San Marino has a population of 33,000 people.

 

[The Abusement Park]

**** like bunnies and hope their offspring turns into very good soccer players lol. In all seriousness do what Iceland did and get the best of the best coaches and hope that they can play as a team and use that to thee advantage

 

[ecemleafs]

They don't.

was going to be my exact post. nations far too small with no infrastructure for the game to be anything decent.

 

[HajdukSplit]

Maybe it won't help but it wouldn't be a terrible idea for UEFA to have a "AFC Challenge Cup" type tournament. Basically the AFC Challenge Cup was a mini-tournament with the lowest ranked teams playing in them

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFC_Challenge_Cup

Some will argue though that the upcoming Nations League is something similar, in fact one of the bottom 16 ranked teams in Europe will participate in Euro 2020 if I read correctly

 

[dogbazinho]

Well if football manager has taught me anything it's that you will have to build the reputation of that country's league teams up to where they eventually start producing internal talent. Would take generations. So basically $ into their league, probably would have to bring in talent for awhile till it can be self-sustaining then one day..

 

[Panteras]

simple, pull a Qatar handball team move.

 

[Gecklund]

By focusing on their youth systems. If they promote it and have good coaches to help guide young players and then give it a few years then they'll be fine.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

They don't.

we can close the thread

 

[Eisen]

They don't.

First answer got it right.
Seriously, like everyone else. They need a program, they need money and structure. Even then, they are never going to be world beaters, but they will have the endurance to play 90 minutes.

 

[Judge Smails]

Invade Germany?

 

[DoyleG]

Is it possible for these kinds of teams to get better at all? How do players on these teams even get up for their qualifiers when they know they have 0 shot of advancing anywhere? I am sort watching San Marino vs Germany and there is no one there except for German fans. Their own people don't even care. I guess the only way for them to get better is play these qualifiers against superior teams, but there is any sort of light in the end of the tunnel for these football federations? They are just punching bags for the great teams that use these games as a way to pad their stats.

Is that you, Muller?

 

[Suntouchable13]

San Marino has a population of 33,000 people.

I am fully aware, but still. I just kinda feel bad for them, that's all. I like it when small nations break all odds.