The Guinea national football team, nicknamed Syli Nationale, have never qualified for the World Cup finals, Their best finish in the African Nations Cup was when they occupied the second position in 1976 .

The golden years of Guinean football range from 1970 to 1982.Guinea have long been a significant force in African football. They qualified for their first African Nations Cup in 1970 and again in 1974. During the 70s and early 80s, its top club sides Hafia, Horoya and Kaloum Stars were significant players in African club football, with Hafia and Horoya winning major trophies. In 1976, Guinea came within minutes of winning the African Nations Cup, but a late equalizer for Morocco made them to finish in the runners-up position. They qualified for the tournament again in 1980. Was their last appearance for 14 years. Qualification for the World Cup eluded them during this period, with runs to the third round in the 1978 and 1982 qualifying series being their best performances.

After 1982, Guinea endured a decade of anonymity before the emergence of Titi Camara in the early 1990s ushered in a new generation which qualified for the 1994 African Nations Cup. Since then they have qualified for 1998, 2004 and 2006 tournaments, reaching the quarter-finals in the latter two. They have qualified for the 2008 tournament in Ghana and will be playing in group A, alongside Ghana, Morocco and Namibia.

In fact, Guinea's chances of making it to the second round of the competition are very slim, given that they will be playing the opening match against the host of the tournament, Ghana in Accra on January 20. On January 24, they will be locking horns again with another African football giant, Morocco before the match with Namibia on which is expected to be an easy walk over for the 'Syli Nationale'.