In the 1972 CONCACAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament, El Salvador came close to clinching qualification for their second appearance at the Olympic Games. In the first round, the national team got an aggregate score of 2–2 against the United States and an aggregate score of 7–2 against Barbados. The group was tied between El Salvador and the United States, so they had to play in a neutral setting. In regulatory time, the two teams were tied at 0–0. At the end of extra time, the game was tied 1–1 with a goal from Victor Manuel Valencia (112'). The United States advanced after a crucial victory of 6–5 in a penalty shootout. The team was coached by Conrado Miranda.[1]
At the 1976 CONCACAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament, El Salvador, at home, surpassed with an aggregate score of 6–1 the preliminary round. In the first round of series B, El Salvador lost with an aggregate score of 1–3 with only goal from Luis Ramírez Zapata.[1]
The El Salvador U-23 national football team has failed to qualify for the Olympic Games since it became a specifically under-23 competition during the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.
Previously El Salvador had only once participated at the Olympic Games. They achieved this in their first attempt in 1967 when they qualified to the 1968 Summer Olympics. This qualification was achieved after defeating both Cuba and Trinidad & Tobago in the qualifiers.