"Did you forget to take a Goalkeeper?": Azerbaijan's turbulent journey in the UEFA Nations League –RESEARCH

The Azerbaijan national football team ended 2024 in failure.

According to Idman.biz, Fernando Santos' squad, which faced disappointment in the Nations League, has now dropped from League C to League D.

Losing to Slovakia and Sweden, the group's favorites, in both matches may not have been as shocking. However, drawing just one point from two matches against Estonia, the so called underdog of the group, marked a disgraceful end for the national team.

The 0:6 loss to Sweden in Solna opened the door to League D. Speaking of goals conceded, it would have been easy to overlook six goals if the team had managed to secure six points from Estonia. But after falling behind to the Baltic nation, conceding six goals remains a painful reminder of the disappointing finish.

Goalkeepers Left Behind
The infamous phrase “Did you forget to take a goalkeeper?” resurfaced after the 0:6 defeat in Solna, reminiscent of the 0:10 loss in France 30 years ago. Rza Jafarov, who conceded six goals against Sweden, became the fifth goalkeeper to face such a dismal fate.

Four goalkeepers before him have conceded six or more goals in a single match a total of eight times. Dmitry Kramarenko holds the record low with eight goals conceded, which occurred in a historic match against Poland, still debated among fans.

In addition, Kramarenko faced seven and six goals in other matches. Nizami Sadikov also suffered from seven goals in the 10:0 defeat to France. Farhad Valiyev and Kamran Aghayev each faced six goals twice.

• Dmitry Kramarenko – 8 goals
  March 26, 2005, Warsaw, World Cup Qualifier – Poland 8:0 Azerbaijan
• Nizami Sadikov – 7 goals
  September 6, 1995, Oser, Euro Qualifier – France 10:0 Azerbaijan
• Dmitry Kramarenko – 7 goals
  March 26, 1999, Gimarães, Euro Qualifier – Portugal 7:0 Azerbaijan
• Dmitry Kramarenko – 6 goals
  February 8, 2004, Ramat Gan, World Cup Qualifier – Israel 6:0 Azerbaijan
• Farhad Valiyev – 6 goals
  August 15, 2006, Kyiv, Euro Qualifier – Ukraine 6:0 Azerbaijan
• Farhad Valiyev – 6 goals
  June 9, 2009, Baku, World Cup Qualifier – Spain 6:0 Azerbaijan
• Kamran Aghayev – 6 goals
  September 7, 2010, Cologne, Euro Qualifier – Germany 6:1 Azerbaijan
• Kamran Aghayev – 6 goals
  October 13, 2014, Osijek, Euro Qualifier – Croatia 6:0 Azerbaijan
• Rza Jafarov – 6 goals
  November 19, 2024, Solna, Nations League – Sweden 6:0 Azerbaijan

Clear Leader of the “23”
Founded in 1992, the Azerbaijan national team has played 305 matches to date, conceding 511 goals. Over this period, 23 goalkeepers have guarded the team’s net. Kamran Aghayev is the undisputed “No. 1” in the team's history, having made 79 appearances, outpacing the next closest players by more than two matches. Jahangir Hasanzade and Dmitry Kramarenko follow in second and third place, respectively.

Goalkeeper Appearances:

Only Mahammadov
When comparing goalkeepers based on the average goals conceded, only Huseyn Mahammadov, who participated mostly in friendly matches, has a record of conceding fewer than one goal per game. Dmitry Kramarenko holds the record for the highest goals conceded among players with more than 10 appearances. Notably, Ruslan Majidov and Agil Mammadov are the only goalkeepers to have played a match without conceding a goal.

Unbeaten Records in Official Matches
Kamran Aghayev leads in official competitions, having played in 49 World Cup and Euro qualifying matches, as well as Nations League games. Dmitry Kramarenko and Shahrudin Mahammadaliyev each participated in 23 major matches, while Jahangir Hasanzade played in 17.

32-Year-Old Record Remains Unbroken
Rza Jafarov, still very young at 21, is far from reaching the milestones set by older goalkeepers. The youngest goalkeeper in the team’s history remains Dmitry Kramarenko, who debuted at just 18 years and 5 days. Salahət Aghayev also made his debut before turning 19.

Youngest and Oldest Goalkeepers in History
While discussing the youngest goalkeepers, it’s worth noting the oldest players. Nadir Shukurov set a record by making his debut for the national team at the age of 33 years and 363 days.

Looking Ahead
After completing their official matches in 2024, the national team will return to action in the spring, beginning their qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup. Their opponents will be determined in the draw on December 13.

Vugar Kheyrullayev
Idman.biz