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San Marino, a country of just over 33,000 people, has a rare international soccer win

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

You may not recognize this stately anthem.

(SOUNDBITE OF FEDERICO CONSOLO'S "INNO NAZIONALE")

SIMON: But this week, the anthem made hearts soar as San Marino defeated Liechtenstein 1-nil to win its first international soccer victory in 20 years.

Twenty years is not as long as BJ Leiderman has been doing our theme music, but it's a long time without winning a game. In fact, the winning goal - and only goal - was scored by Nicko Sensoli, who, being 19, wasn't even born the last time San Marino won.

Now, San Marino is a microstate in the mountains of northeastern Italy with just 33,000 people. Doesn't give them a lot of folks from whom to choose for a team. When San Marino won the last time - 2004 - it was also against Liechtenstein, which has about 6,000 more people. Soccer fans there might be thinking, lost to San Marino? Again? How did we ever get into such a rut?

(SOUNDBITE OF FEDERICO CONSOLO'S "INNO NAZIONALE") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Scott Simon is one of America's most admired writers and broadcasters. He is the host of Weekend Edition Saturday and is one of the hosts of NPR's morning news podcast Up First. He has reported from all fifty states, five continents, and ten wars, from El Salvador to Sarajevo to Afghanistan and Iraq. His books have chronicled character and characters, in war and peace, sports and art, tragedy and comedy.