#16. Angola 🇦🇴
Population: 35,981,281
Nickname: Palancas Negras
Appearances: 9th
Last Appearance: 2019
Coach: Pedro Goncalves
Best AFCON results: Quarter-finals (2008,2010)
Skipper: Ribeiro Fredy
Player to watch: Mbala Nzola
Region: COSAFA
CAF Rankings: 28
FIFA Rankings: 117
Most caps: Flavio Amado (91)
Top Scorer: Fabrice Akwa (39)
Angola will make their 9th appearance at the AFCON after missing the 2021 edition in Cameroon.
The Palancas Negras won a single game in 2023. Angola has scored just 1 goal in their last 6 matches. It shows how horrible the team has been over the last 12 months.
Pedro Goncalves’s side qualified for the 2023 AFCON by finishing second to Ghana in Group E with 9 points two more than Central Africa Republic who finished third.
Angola began the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers with back-to-back goalless draws against Cape Verde and Mauritius.
Youngster Luvumbo Zito and star striker Mbala Nzola are two players who are due to inspire the dull Palanca Negras. They play for Serie A sides Cagliari and Fiorentina.
Former Leeds United winger, Helder Costa, declined a call-up to the final squad because he is clubless.
The Core of the Team
Cipriano Da Cruz remains Angola’s first-choice goalkeeper. Buatu Jonathan and Gaspar are the defenders to protect him at the back.
Milson and Keliano are the first-choice midfielders Angola will look to link the defence and the attack.
Zito and Zola are to lead Angola’s attack.
Probable line up
3-5-2
Da Cruz
Buatu, Gaspar, Fortuna
To Cairneiro, Show, Keliano, Augusto, Fredy
Nzola, Luvumbo
Notable Legends
Fabrice Akwa, Flavio Amado, Ze Kalanga, Pedro Manuel Torres, Manucho, Mateus, Mantorras, Kali, Loco
Expectations: Group Stage exit
Fixtures
•Algeria v Angola
•Mauritania v Angola
•Angola v Burkina Faso
