His workmates are still impressed -- "He knows how to do everything -- both to play soccer and being a great designer" -- but Vitaioli has a more grounded perspective. Selva remains the only player to have scored a winning goal for San Marino. He is the country's all-time top scorer with eight international goals during an 18-year career and speaking to The Times (UK) in 2021, he recalled the feeling of beating Liechtenstein in 2004. We should focus on preparing for the best of our opportunities with the Nations League next year," he says. "Because in that tournament we will have the opportunity to share the pitch with the teams that aren't better than us in terms of physical approach, athletic skills and technical ones. They are closer to our level and we will have the opportunity to get the result." Matteo Vitaioli works as a graphic designer and isn't bothered by the part-time distinction. 'When we work, we're just normal guys in the office or the factory. Nobody sees us as stars,' he said with a smile. Clara Vannucci for ESPN The San Marino team is a strange phenomenon. Walking around San Marino in search of supporters is no easy task because, for locals at least, there is simply no sense of connection to the players who represent their tiny country. "You won't find any San Marino fans here," a waiter named Matteo at Birrificio Abusivo, the bar that sells the only beer brewed in the micronation, tells ESPN. "You only know that San Marino are playing because the fans of the other team come into town to drink." San Marino fought hard vs. their latest visitors, Slovenia, but ultimately lost 4-0. Clara Vannucci for ESPN There are so many players here who, tomorrow, will go to work, but they have a job and we have to applaud these guys because they are perfect."

When they fly to Belfast to face Northern Ireland in another qualifier this Saturday, Costantini and his players will be forced to take Friday off work so they can travel. All this losing hurts, but there is also a deep sense of pride within the squad that they're able to represent their country. These are just normal guys living a dream. TRISTAN CESELKOVSKI IS 16 YEARS OLD and is sitting on a bench on Via della Fratta with his father, Boris. Tristan is wearing a full San Marino kit. It's matchday in San Marino, but Tristan is the only person wearing the team's colours, making him stand out immediately among the tourists who have come to take in the stunning views of the Adriatic coast from the top of Monte Titano or visit the 14th century Church of San Francesco. It's not the same for us because we are not professionals," San Marino captain Matteo Vitaioli, a graphic designer, tells ESPN. "I have to work, my teammates have to work, but that's normal for us. The most important thing is to have the heart and passion to succeed and fill the gap. The vision and mission of our 2021-24 Strategic Plan are driven by the values that our association has aways wanted to promote, like inclusion, equality and teamwork. Football in San Marino must be open and accessible to everybody and we are committed to enhancing the growth of football in many different areas."

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San Marino -- or the Most Serene Republic of San Marino, to use its full name -- is serene as in "sovereign" rather than "calm and stable," although it is both of those things, too. It's difficult, but of course we are proud, even if we are at the bottom of the FIFA ranking. We are here: we are one of the smallest countries in the world, but we play with 100 percent and it is just us, no other nationalities. Even Italy uses players from other countries, but we are just San Marino, so we are very proud of that." San Marino players and coach, photographed after the match vs. Slovenia. Top row, from left: Matteo Vitaioli, coach Fabrizio Costantini and Battistini. Second row, from left: Lorenzo Lazzari, Luca Ceccaroli and Roberto Di Maio. Clara Vannucci for ESPN Sometimes it's good when we're facing not-so-good teams. Others, like for example Denmark, whom we faced in September, they're very tough to play. You have to stay focused all the time. No mistakes."

You can get name and number printing on any kit available within our store, in the same style the players wear on the pitch. Choose ANY name - including your own. A unique jersey from the colours used, taken from the first historical flag of San Marino (from 1465 to 1797) to the graphic details that refer to the national identity.The problem for San Marino is that it is not only the top teams against whom they struggle. Since the start of last year, they have also lost to Cape Verde, Malta (twice) and St. Lucia. Yet despite the recurring nightmare of playing and losing (sometimes heavily), there is an absence of cynicism or weariness among the players when asked whether they grow tired of experiencing defeat virtually every game. Daniele is from Modena, 150 miles away. He watches every home game and does one away trip each year, while Josef has travelled from his home in Bavaria to watch every home game for the past 10 years. "My first game was 20 years ago," Josef tells ESPN. "I am German, but I am not a fan of the Germany team. They are too arrogant. I come to watch San Marino because of the honesty and the amateur element of it. It's real football. I'm usually the team liaison officer," Martina tells ESPN. "But I help out with the shop at games. It's not so busy tonight, but we had long queues when England played here." Linea Sport San Marino is one of the only two stores selling official national team gear. Said the store owner, 'Nobody from San Marino buys the shirts, but it seems as though foreign visitors like it because the team is not so good.' Clara Vannucci for ESPN SAN MARINO ARE READY TO WIN. Twenty years without a victory is an unwanted milestone that is fast approaching, but the team is improving -- Costantini's side has conceded just 21 goals in six Euro 2024 qualifiers -- and they can see light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. When the UEFA Nations League resumes in 2024, San Marino will be in League D alongside fellow minnows Andorra, Gibraltar and Liechtenstein, the only team they've ever beaten. At the other sportswear shop, they even sell San Marino's dark blue away kit. This weekend, the store was busier selling Ducati and Yamaha merchandise to the bikers in town for the San Marino MotoGP, but the owner, Michele, says business is good when big teams play San Marino.

Defender Roberto di Maio, who at the age of 40 in March became the oldest footballer in Europe to make his international debut, admits every game is a test of physical and mental capabilities. "Of course, it's complicated because we're facing such skillful nations," Di Maio, who works for the federation, tells ESPN. "We are 90 minutes-plus under pressure every time, so it's difficult. We have to stay focused all the time. Lorenzo Lazzari, 20, is a student by day and recently enrolled in university. He's also the most recent San Marino player to score a goal, having notched against St. Lucia in a recent friendly. Clara Vannucci for ESPN There is a souvenir stand at the stadium although there is an element of farce as Martina and Francesco, who work for the San Marino Football Federation, attempt to sell shirts, scarves and pendants to supporters. Their wooden cabin is positioned in a dark corner away from the stadium, facing away from the coach park used by Slovenia fans. There is no electricity in the cabin; everything is in darkness until Francesco uses the spotlight on his phone to highlight the merchandise. Our objective is always the same: keep it 0-0 for as long as possible to feed the pressure, but sure, it's not easy. We don't play to lose; we always want to win, but I have just started my international career and I know it will be tough to win these games." Despite the apparent futility of San Marino games, the fans and team are still brimming with passion and pride. Fans at the San Marino Stadium tried to get a memento from goalkeeper Elia Benedettini after the Slovenia game. Clara Vannucci for ESPN As San Marino's goalkeeper, Elia Benedettini, who works for his parents' transport company, has one of the toughest jobs in sport. He concedes goals in most games -- he has managed two shutouts, against the Seychelles and Gibraltar, in 45 games -- and it took Slovenia just four minutes to open the scoring in this match. But the 28-year-old, who has played as high as Serie B in Italy, does not regard his role as a thankless task.

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The jersey has a white polo collar and is presented with three diagonal bands starting from the top in orange, white and crimson red, the flag's colours that stand out in the Great and General Council Hall of San Marino. Dan Thomas is joined by Craig Burley, Shaka Hislop and others to bring you the latest highlights and debate the biggest storylines. Stream on ESPN+ (U.S. only). Costantini, who has been in charge since November 2021, agrees that the Nations League offers San Marino their best chance to win for 20 years.

The Nations League is a big chance for us," San Marino Football Federation president Marco Tura tells ESPN. "That's the opportunity for us to draw or even win. This is our competition, so it's like tailor-made for us. We want to practice good and perform good and if the feeling is good for the players on the pitch, maybe it would be a dream for us to succeed, to draw or win, which is our goal." Lorenzo Lazzari, San Marino's centre-forward and a full-time student, dreams of emulating Selva and scoring his country's first winning goal for two decades. The 20-year-old was born two months after that solitary victory, but he already holds the distinction of being the last player to score for San Marino, seven games ago, in a 1-1 draw against St. Lucia in November 2022. The losses in their Euro 2024 group have been expected, but by making themselves more organised defensively, there is a genuine hope that the tactical work will pay off when playing against teams of a similar standard. There are some special laws in San Marino," he says. "I waited 13 years and married a San Marino girl, so I have my nationality now. It's a very long time, but I succeeded.Playing against San Marino is not easy either, despite the reality that it usually results in three points for the opposition. Germany inflicted San Marino's heaviest defeat with a 13-0 win in September 2006, while England recorded a 10-0 victory in November 2021. Yet San Marino famously scored the then-fastest-ever international goal when Davide Gualtieri put the team ahead after just seven seconds against England in November 1993. That game still ended in a 7-1 defeat. San Marino do have a small and loyal fanbase, but the emphasis is on the word "small." Inside the stadium, Tristan and Boris have met up with a tiny group of San Marino's most ardent supporters: Josef Junker, Nicolo Vallone and Daniele Dei. San Marino are my favourite team," Tristan says. "I know they don't win, but it's the way the players never give up. They always play with passion and I have always wanted to watch them play."