The Belarus national soccer team represents Belarus in international football and is governed by the Belarusian Football Federation. Since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, the team has been striving to establish itself on the European stage.

History:

The Belarusian national team played its first official match on July 20, 1992, against Lithuania. The team had been part of the Soviet Union national team before the dissolution. Since gaining independence, Belarus has been participating in international competitions such as the FIFA World Cup qualifiers and the UEFA European Championship qualifiers.

Major Successes:

• While the Belarus national team has yet to qualify for a major tournament like the FIFA World Cup or UEFA European Championship, they have had some noteworthy performances. For instance, they reached the playoff stage for the UEFA Euro 2004 but were ultimately defeated by Russia.
• Another highlight includes their performance in the 2010 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, where they achieved third place, which allowed them to qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Notable Players:

• Alexander Hleb: Perhaps the most well-known Belarusian player, Hleb had a successful club career, including stints with VfB Stuttgart, Arsenal, and FC Barcelona. His technical skill and vision made him a standout player for the national team.
• Sergei Gurenko: A versatile defender who had a long international career and played club football in Italy, notably for AS Roma and Parma.
• Vitaly Kutuzov: Another prominent player who had a successful club career in Italy, contributing significantly to the national team during his active years.

Notable Coaches:

• Eduard Malofeev: The first coach of the Belarus national team, who helped establish the team in its early years.
• Georgi Kondratiev: Under his management, the team saw a period of rebuilding and development with a focus on integrating younger players into the squad.
• Aleksandr Khatskevich: A former national team player himself, Khatskevich served as the head coach and worked to improve the team's tactical discipline.

The Belarus national team continues to work towards achieving greater success on the international stage, with a focus on developing homegrown talent and improving their competitive edge in European competitions.