Togo were surprise qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup in Germany and although they failed to win a match, they were not disgraced, despite a pay dispute that threatened to disrupt their campaign.
Things have not gone all that well since as they failed to reach the 2008 Nations Cup finals in Ghana.
There is a definite over-reliance on the form of star striker Emmanuel Adebayor and if he is not firing, the side struggle to make an impact.
They are coached by former Belgian international Jean Thissen, who was previously in charge of Gabon, and play their home games in neighbouring Ghana due their home Stade de Kégué receiving an indefinite ban from CAF after Malian players and fans were injured in violence after a 2007 Nations Cup qualifier.
Their Nations Cup finals appearances were few and far between until the last decade or so, having first qualified in 1972, then 1984, but having to wait until 1998 for the next showing.
They have never made it past the first round though, winning just two of their 18 finals matches.
Lalawele Atakora of Togo tackled by Jonathan Mpangi Bolingi of DR Congo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Neeskens Kebano of DR Congo battles for the ball with Lalawele Atakora of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Mathieu Dossevi of Togo battles for the ball with Chancel Mbemba of DR Congo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Chancel Mbemba of DR Congo evades challenge from Razak Boukari of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Razak Boukari of Togo tackled by Yousuf Mulumbu of DR Congo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Mathieu Dossevi of Togo battles for the ball with Chancel Mbemba of DR Congo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Emmanuel Adebayor of Togo evades challenge from Chancel Mbemba of DR Congo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Junior Kalonji of DR Congo gets away from Bebou Ihlas of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Neeskens Kebano of DR Congo tackled by Bebou Ihlas of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Lalawele Atakora of Togo gets away from Firmin Ndombe Mubele of DR Congo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Neeskens Kebano of DR Congo battles for the ball with Ortega Dakonam Djene of Togo (l) and Lalawele Atakora of Togo (r) during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Firmin Ndombe Mubele of DR Congo evades challenge from Ortega Dakonam Djene of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Emmanuel Adebayor of Togo fouled by Merveille Bope of DR Congo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Emmanuel Adebayor of Togo fouled by Merveille Bope of DR Congo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Lalawele Atakora of Togo challenged by Mbark Boussoufa, (l) Karim Aroussi El Ahmadi, (c) and Aziz Bouhaddouz of Morocco during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Morocco and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 20 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Bebou Ihlas of Togo challenged by Faycal Fajr of Morocco during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Morocco and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 20 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Atakora Lalawele awarded Total man of the match during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Emmanuel Adebayor of Togo challenged by Adama Traore of Ivory Coast during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Wilfried Zaha of Ivory Coast challenged by Djene Ortega of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Franck Kessié of Ivory Coast challenged by Sedat Ouro-akoriko of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Jacques-Al Romao of Togo challenged by Wilfried Zaha of Ivory Coast during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Serge Aurier of Ivory Coast challenged by Bagayoko Mamadou of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Frank Kessie of Ivory Coast challenged by Atakora Lalawele of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Frank Kessie of Ivory Coast challenged by Atakora Lalawele of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Wilfried Zaha et les Ivoiriens ont buté sur le Togo
Jonathan Kodji of Ivory Coast challenged by Kossi Agassa of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Mathieu Dossevi of Togo challenged by Adama Traore of Ivory Coast during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Diene Ortega of Togo challenged by Wilfried Zaha of Ivory Coast during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Salomon Kalou of Ivory Coast challenged by Cheik Doukoure of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Jonathan Kodji of Ivory Coast challenged by Serge Gakpe of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Jonathan Kodji of Ivory Coast challenged by Serge Gakpe of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Godfrey Walusimbi of Uganda Cranes challenges Dossevi Matthieu of Togo during the return leg of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia Qualifiers on 15 November 2015 at Mandela Stadium, Namboole, Kampala. ©Ismail Kezaala/BackpagePix
Ouro Akoriko of Togo challenge Geofrey Massa of Uganda Cranes during the return leg of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia Qualifiers on 15 November 2015 at Mandela Stadium, Namboole, Kampala. ©Ismail Kezaala/BackpagePix
Eninful Akoete of Togo challenges William Luwaga Kizito of Uganda Cranes during the return leg of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia Qualifiers on 15 November 2015 at Mandela Stadium, Namboole, Kampala. ©Ismail Kezaala/BackpagePix
Godfrey Walusimbi of Uganda Cranes challenges Dossevi Matthieu of Togo during the return leg of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia Qualifiers on 15 November 2015 at Mandela Stadium, Namboole, Kampala. ©Ismail Kezaala/BackpagePix
Godfrey Walusimbi of Uganda (right) challenges Dossevi Matthieu of Togo recently
Eninful Akoete of Togo evades challenge from Farouk Miya of Uganda Cranes during the return leg of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia Qualifiers on 15 November 2015 at Mandela Stadium, Namboole, Kampala. ©Ismail Kezaala/BackpagePix
Tonny Mawejje of Uganda Cranes challenges Eninful Akoete of Togo during the return leg of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia Qualifiers on 15 November 2015 at Mandela Stadium, Namboole, Kampala. ©Ismail Kezaala/BackpagePix
Dossevi Matthieu of Togo challenges Dennis Iguma of Uganda Cranes during the return leg of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia Qualifiers on 15 November 2015 at Mandela Stadium, Namboole, Kampala. ©Ismail Kezaala/BackpagePix
Akakpo Serge of Togo challenges Geofrey Massa of Uganda Cranes during the return leg of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia Qualifiers on 15 November 2015 at Mandela Stadium, Namboole, Kampala. ©Ismail Kezaala/BackpagePix
William Luwaga Kizito of Uganda Cranes challenges Djene Dakonam of Togo during the return leg of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia Qualifiers on 15 November 2015 at Mandela Stadium, Namboole, Kampala. ©Ismail Kezaala/BackpagePix
Farouk Miya of Uganda Cranes challenges Eninful Akoete of Togo during the return leg of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia Qualifiers on 15 November 2015 at Mandela Stadium, Namboole, Kampala. ©Ismail Kezaala/BackpagePix
Togo
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