Andy Selva
The goal-scoring captain who became the heroic face of San Marino's national football team, defying the odds for two decades.
Born 1976 (age 50)·Sammarinese football manager and former player·Birthday: May 23·Generation X
Biography
For a nation whose footballing history is defined by valiant defeats, Andy Selva was a beacon of rare, joyous possibility. Born in the Republic of San Marino, he carved out a solid professional career almost entirely in Italy's lower leagues, a journey of persistence and grit. But his true legacy was written in the dark blue of his national team. As captain and striker, he carried the hopes of a microstate, and in 2004, he delivered its most magical moment: a stunning, historic 1-0 victory over Liechtenstein, with Selva scoring the only goal—San Marino's first and only competitive win. He retired as the nation's all-time top scorer, a record that may stand for generations. After hanging up his boots, he transitioned into management back home, taking the helm at club side Cosmos, shifting from scoring goals for his country to nurturing the next generation of Sammarinese talent.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Andy was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Andy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Andy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored San Marino's only goal in their first-ever competitive football win, a 1-0 victory over Liechtenstein in 2004.
- Retired as the all-time leading goal scorer for the San Marino national team.
- Captained the San Marino national team for many years, becoming its most capped outfield player at the time of his retirement.
Did You Know?
He scored a memorable long-range goal in a 2006 World Cup qualifier against Belgium, though San Marino lost the match.
He played for over a dozen different clubs during his nomadic playing career in Italy.
Despite his national team fame, he never played in Italy's top-flight Serie A, spending his career in Serie C and lower.
“For San Marino, scoring a goal is like winning the World Cup.”
