Andorra Football Team Travels 9,657km in 11 Days for 1 Draw, 3 Losses

Andorra's national football team completed a demanding 11-day international schedule under the new FIFA calendar, traveling 9,657 kilometers across 11 journeys for four matches, securing one draw and suffering three losses.

The Andorran Football Federation (FAF) highlighted the expedition's intensity on social media, calling it a "pallissa" that spanned Gibraltar, Lithuania, and Malta, in addition to the home opener.

The window opened on September 24 in Encamp with a Nations League match against Malta. Guillaume López scored for Andorra, but Irvin Cardona equalized before halftime, and Teddy Teuma scored late for a 2-1 Malta win.

The team then covered 208 kilometers by bus to Barcelona, flew to Málaga, and took another coach to Gibraltar's Europa Point Stadium. Andorra held firm for a 0-0 draw, improving in the second half with late opportunities. Jordi Aláez started after a two-and-a-half-year absence.

Next came the longest leg: back to Málaga, a 3,014-kilometer flight to Vilnius, and a 102-kilometer bus to Kaunas for a friendly against Lithuania. Coach Koldo Álvarez made eight changes, but Lithuania won 3-0 with two first-half goals and one late.

The final fixture was in Valletta against Malta. Andorra showed resilience, with López striking the woodwork twice, but Teuma struck early in the second half for a 1-0 home win.

The return featured a flight from Malta to Frankfurt (1,656 kilometers), then 1,094 kilometers to Barcelona, and a final 208-kilometer bus to Andorra. Air travel totaled 8,773 kilometers, buses 884—nearly a quarter of Earth's circumference.

Andorra scored once and conceded six overall. Three Nations League games fell within the 11 days. The team now rests until November 13, hosting Gibraltar in Encamp.