Unusual: The national team needs to lose by a landslide to qualify for the World Cup.

Border with a drain.- As incredible as it may seem, the San Marino team has to be thrashed to maintain its chances of qualifying for the 2020 World Cup, and we'll explain how things stand.

As the final spots for next year's World Cup are being allocated, the case of San Marino has drawn significant attention due to its curious situation and what it needs to keep hope alive.

You laughed at the fact that we conceded 14 goals, and it was all so coldly calculated.

It was part of the strategy. 😎🇸🇲

WHY CAN SAN MARINO QUALIFY FOR THE WORLD CUP? ⁉️🏆

It should be remembered that, in 2024, San Marino achieved two historic victories against Liechtenstein that… pic.twitter.com/GC6V1qWa9z

— San Marino Football 🇸🇲 (@SanMarinoTeam) October 13, 2025

Known for suffering historic defeats, the tiny country remains in contention for the World Cup thanks to FIFA's bizarre rules, which established a playoff reserved for the four best Nations League group winners (who did not qualify through the regular qualifying rounds).

The World Cup is just a thrashing away

It all started after San Marino secured two wins against Liechtenstein and a draw against Gibraltar in the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League. That, combined with their position at the bottom of their group, means they now need Romania to win their next match and lose by more than eight goals to face Bosnia in a knockout match.

If this miraculous scenario comes to pass, San Marino would be, for the first time in history, just two matches away from a World Cup, provided they achieve that combination of results and defeat Bosnia in the playoffs.

🚨 🇸🇲 San Marino will likely be in situation in which they MUST LOSE at 🇷🇴 Romania by a few goals TO SECURE the 2026 World Cup Play-offs!

📈 🇷🇴 Romania finishing Top 2 in Group H would push 🇸🇲 San Marino to secure the qualifying Play-offs via the Nations League route! pic.twitter.com/PEklhjg12U

— Football Rankings (@FootRankings) October 12, 2025

"We're going to leave it all on the field... or rather, we're going to let them throw everything at us," declared the San Marino captain, excited by the possibility of making history.

So don't hesitate to naturalize Memo Ochoa so that the feat of conceding eight goals can be possible, and the World Cup dream can live on.

And in case you missed it: a restaurant chef made fun of the $30-peso equites in glasses.