Inter d'Escaldes make history as first Andorran club into Europe's league phase

Inter Club d'Escaldes have made Andorran football history. They will become the first side from the country to play in the league or group phase of a European competition, after coming through a Conference League play-off BBC Sport.

They did it the hard way. Inter drew 2-2 away to Drita in Kosovo in the first leg, a two-legged tie where the aggregate score decides who advances. The return leg at Andorra's national stadium finished 0-0. Penalties had to settle it.

Defender Maurizio Pochettino, 25, scored his kick in the shootout. Faysal Chouaib then converted the decisive penalty to send Inter through.

The name will be familiar. Maurizio is the son of Mauricio Pochettino, the former Espanyol player and manager who is now head coach of the United States. U.S. Soccer extended his deal in August to run through 2030 U.S. Soccer.

Maurizio's own route has been very different. He came through the academies at Southampton and Tottenham, spent six months at Watford, then played in Spain's semi-professional third and fourth tiers. He joined Inter in 2025.

Inter's rise has been rapid too. The club were founded in 1991 and helped form Andorra's top flight four years later. They stayed there until relegation in 2015, then returned under new ownership in 2017.

The first league title followed in 2019-20. Inter have now won five titles in the past seven seasons.

There is a familiar face in the dugout. Felip Ortiz was appointed manager in 2024 after Ildefons Lima retired in 2023. Lima played for Andorra for 26 years, the longest international career in men's football history. He leads his country with 137 caps and 11 goals.

Context helps explain the scale of it. Andorra's top flight, the Primera Divisio, has only 10 teams. Each side plays the other three times and several clubs share stadiums. The country's best-known club, Andorra FC, plays in the Spanish system and is owned by former Barcelona and Spain defender Gerard Pique.

For fans in Andorra, this means something new. A home league phase night, against opposition from across the continent. Ninety minutes that give a small football nation a shared memory.

Inter start as underdogs. That is the point. They have already won the shootout that mattered.