Angola national football team facts for kids
Nickname(s) | Palancas Negras (Black Sable antelopes) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Association | Federação Angolana de Futebol (FAF) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Confederation | CAF (Africa) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sub-confederation | COSAFA (Southern Africa) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Head coach | Pedro Gonçalves | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Captain | Fredy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Most caps | Flávio (91) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Top scorer | Akwá (39) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Home stadium | Estádio 11 de Novembro | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
FIFA code | ANG | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
FIFA ranking | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current | 125 ![]() |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Highest | 45 (July 2000) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lowest | 147 (March 2017) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Elo ranking | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current | 129 ![]() |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Highest | 50 (September–October 2006) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lowest | 160 (3 September 2016) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First international | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() ![]() (Brazzaville, Congo; 8 February 1976) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Biggest win | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() ![]() (Luanda, Angola; 23 April 2000) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Biggest defeat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() ![]() (Lisbon, Portugal; 23 March 1989) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
World Cup | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Appearances | 1 (first in 2006) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best result | Group stage (2006) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Africa Cup of Nations | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Appearances | 10 (first in 1996) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best result | Quarter-finals (2008, 2010, 2023) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
African Nations Championship | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Appearances | 3 (first in 2011) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best result | Runners-up (2011) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
COSAFA Cup | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Appearances | 18 (first in 1998) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best result | Champions (1999, 2001, 2004, 2024, 2025) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Website | faf.co.ao |
The Angola national football team is the official men's football team for Angola. They are often called the Palancas Negras, which means "Black Sable Antelopes". This team is part of FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Angola's highest ever FIFA ranking was 45th in July 2000. Their biggest achievement was playing in the 2006 World Cup. This was their first and only time reaching the World Cup finals.
Contents
Team History
Angola played their very first football match against Congo on February 8, 1976. They lost that game 3–2. Their first game against a team from outside Africa was on June 26, 1977, when they beat Cuba 1–0.
Angola first tried to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in 1986. They won against Senegal in the first round. However, they then lost to Algeria by a small margin.
The team first qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations in 1996. They played against strong teams like South Africa, Egypt, and Cameroon. They didn't make it past the first round that year. They also played in the 1998 tournament but again didn't advance.
In the 2006 African Nations Cup, Angola got their first win in the tournament, beating Togo 3–2. Their best performance in the Africa Cup of Nations came in 2008 and 2010, when they reached the quarter-finals. They also made it to the quarter-finals in 2023.
Angola has also won the COSAFA Cup several times, in 1999, 2001, 2004, 2024, and 2025.
Playing in the 2006 FIFA World Cup
Angola made history by qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. They only lost one game during the qualifying matches, finishing ahead of strong teams like Nigeria.
For the World Cup, Angola's coach got advice from famous manager José Mourinho. Key players like Akwá, João Ricardo, Paulo Figueiredo, Flávio Amado, and Jamba were part of this special team.
In the World Cup, Angola's first game was against Portugal. Portugal won 1–0. The atmosphere was very friendly because of the close ties between Angola and Portugal. Angola then drew 0–0 with Mexico. In their final group game, they drew 1–1 with Iran. Even though they only lost one game, Angola did not move on to the next round.
After the 2006 World Cup
After the 2006 World Cup, many experienced players retired. Even so, people hoped Angola would qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Angola won their first two qualifying matches but missed out on the next round by just two points.
Hosting the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations
Angola hosted the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. In their first game, they had an exciting 4–4 draw with Mali, after being ahead 4–0. They then beat Malawi 2–0 and drew 0–0 with Algeria, finishing first in their group. They were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Ghana, losing 1–0.
Team Uniforms
The Angolan team has had different kit (uniform) manufacturers over the years. Here's a list:
Kit providers | Period |
---|---|
![]() |
1992–1994 |
![]() |
1995–1996 |
![]() |
1997–1999 |
![]() |
2000–2001 |
![]() |
2002–2003 |
![]() |
2004–2006 |
![]() |
2006–2012 |
![]() |
2012–2018 |
![]() |
2018–2019 |
![]() |
2019–2024 |
Recent Matches and Future Games
The team has been very active recently. In July 2024, Angola won the 2024 COSAFA Cup, beating Seychelles, Lesotho, Comoros, and Namibia. They continued their winning streak in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, winning against Ghana, Sudan, and Niger. They also won the 2025 COSAFA Cup in June 2025, defeating South Africa in the final.
Here are some of their upcoming matches:
- September 2025: FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Libya and Mauritius.
- October 2025: FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Eswatini and Cameroon.
- November 2025: A friendly match against Brazil.
- December 2025: Africa Cup of Nations matches against South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Egypt.
Coaching Staff
The team has a group of coaches and staff who help the players.
Coaching History
Many coaches have led the Angolan national team over the years.
József Szabó (1965 – 1966)
Zlatko Škorić (? – ?)
Rubén García (? –1988)
Carlos Queirós (1988–?)
Jesualdo Ferreira (1989)
Dušan Kondić (? –1993)
Branco Arlindo (1993–?)
Carlos Alhinho (1994–1995)
Professor Neca (1996–1998)
Carlos de Abreu (1998)
Veselin Jelušić (1998)
Djalma Cavalcante (1999)
Carlos Alhinho (2000)
Mário Calado (2000–2001)
Ismael Kurtz (2002–2003)
Luís Oliveira Gonçalves (2003–2008)
Mabi de Almeida (2008–2009)
Manuel José (2009–2010)
Hervé Renard (2010)
Zeca Amaral (2010)
Lito Vidigal (2011–2012)
Romeu Filemón (2012)
Gustavo Ferrín (2012–2013)
Romeu Filemón (2014–2015)
José Kilamba (2016–2017)
Beto Bianchi (2017–2018)
Srđan Vasiljević (2018–2019)
Pedro Gonçalves (2019–)
Team Players
Current Squad
These are the players who were chosen for the 2025 COSAFA Cup in June 2025. The numbers for games played (caps) and goals scored are correct as of June 15, 2025, after the match against South Africa.
No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GK | Neblú | 16 December 1993 | 43 | 0 | ![]() |
|
GK | Antonio Dominique | 25 July 1994 | 18 | 0 | ![]() |
|
GK | Agostinho Calunga | 10 July 1998 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
|
GK | Rui Honésimo | 1 May 1996 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
|
|
||||||
DF | Jonathan Buatu | 27 September 1993 | 55 | 1 | ![]() |
|
DF | Antonio Hossi | 12 June 2001 | 23 | 0 | ![]() |
|
DF | Pedro Bondo | 16 November 2004 | 13 | 1 | ![]() |
|
DF | Mindinho | 18 November 2004 | 10 | 0 | ![]() |
|
DF | Jordy Gaspar | 23 April 1997 | 8 | 0 | ![]() |
|
DF | Vidinho | 25 February 1998 | 9 | 4 | ![]() |
|
DF | Alexandre Abel Fernando | 25 May 1998 | 3 | 0 | ![]() |
|
DF | Mabele | 30 December 1999 | 3 | 0 | ![]() |
|
DF | Luis Caica | 31 July 2005 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
|
DF | Leonel Cambuta Yobo | 14 April 2005 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
|
DF | Sami | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
||
|
||||||
MF | Show | 6 March 1999 | 55 | 1 | ![]() |
|
MF | Manuel Keliano | 6 January 2003 | 20 | 2 | ![]() |
|
MF | Randy Nteka | 6 December 1997 | 12 | 2 | ![]() |
|
MF | Além | 6 December 1997 | 11 | 1 | ![]() |
|
MF | Pedro Agostinho | 30 July 2000 | 6 | 0 | ![]() |
|
MF | Aguinaldo | 17 October 1998 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
|
MF | Joca | 14 August 1996 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
|
MF | Higino Kapitango | 5 May 2003 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
|
|
||||||
FW | Zini | 3 July 2002 | 30 | 7 | ![]() |
|
FW | Felício Milson | 12 October 1999 | 26 | 4 | ![]() |
|
FW | Gilberto | 10 March 2001 | 21 | 3 | ![]() |
|
FW | Depú | 8 January 2000 | 17 | 15 | ![]() |
|
FW | Chico Banza | 17 December 1998 | 15 | 0 | ![]() |
|
FW | Lépua | 23 December 1999 | 11 | 1 | ![]() |
|
FW | Kaporal | 16 May 1994 | 7 | 1 | ![]() |
|
FW | Ilìdio Panda | 6 July 2008 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
Players Called Up Recently
These players have also been called to the Angola squad in the last year and can still be chosen.
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GK | Nsesane Emanuel Simão | 5 November 2000 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
GK | Kadú | 30 November 1994 | 3 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
GK | Ricardo Batista | 19 November 1986 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
|
||||||
DF | Bastos | 23 November 1991 | 59 | 2 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Kialonda Gaspar | 27 September 1997 | 43 | 1 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Tó Carneiro | 5 November 1995 | 41 | 1 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Kinito | 13 March 1998 | 15 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Clinton Mata | 7 November 1992 | 14 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | David Carmo | 19 July 1999 | 10 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Sandro Cruz | 12 May 2001 | 7 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Núrio Fortuna | 24 March 1995 | 21 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
|
||||||
MF | Fredy (captain) | 27 March 1990 | 61 | 3 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Maestro | 4 August 2003 | 17 | 1 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Domingos Andrade | 7 May 2003 | 7 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Beni Mukendi | 21 May 2002 | 3 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Aldaír Ferreira | 26 March 1998 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | João Batxi | 1 May 1998 | 3 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Estrela | 22 September 1995 | 24 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Megue | 2 December 1996 | 11 | 2 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Rui Modesto | 7 September 1999 | 4 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
|
||||||
FW | Gelson Dala | 13 July 1996 | 51 | 21 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Mabululu | 1 June 1992 | 38 | 13 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | M'Bala Nzola | 18 August 1996 | 8 | 2 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Manuel Benson | 28 March 1997 | 4 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | André Vidigal | 17 August 1998 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Zito Luvumbo | 9 March 2002 | 24 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DEC Player refused to join the team after the call-up. |
Team Records
Here are some records for the Angolan national football team. Players whose names are in bold are still playing for Angola.
Most Games Played
Rank | Player | Caps | Goals | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Flávio | 91 | 34 | 2000–2012 |
2. | Gilberto | 89 | 10 | 1999–2015 |
3. | Love Cabungula | 79 | 11 | 2001–2016 |
4. | Akwá | 78 | 39 | 1995–2006 |
5. | Yamba Asha | 77 | 1 | 2000–2009 |
6. | Kali | 73 | 0 | 2003–2011 |
7. | André Macanga | 70 | 2 | 1999–2012 |
Mateus | 70 | 14 | 2006–2021 | |
9. | Job | 64 | 7 | 2007–2018 |
10. | António João Neto | 60 | 1 | 1992–2001 |
Top Goal Scorers
Rank | Player | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Akwá | 39 | 78 | 0.5 | 1995–2006 |
2. | Flávio | 34 | 91 | 0.37 | 2000–2012 |
3. | Manucho | 22 | 53 | 0.42 | 2006–2017 |
4. | Gelson Dala | 21 | 51 | 0.41 | 2015–present |
5. | Paulão | 19 | 52 | 0.37 | 1993–2001 |
6. | Jesus | 18 | 48 | 0.38 | 1979–1990 |
7. | Mateus | 14 | 70 | 0.2 | 2006–2021 |
8. | Depú | 13 | 16 | 0.81 | 2021–present |
Mabululu | 13 | 38 | 0.34 | 2013–present | |
10. | Love Cabungula | 11 | 79 | 0.14 | 2001–2016 |
Tournament History
FIFA World Cup
Angola has played in the FIFA World Cup once, in 2006. They first tried to qualify in 1986. They won their first round match against Senegal in a penalty shootout. However, they lost in the second round to Algeria. Algeria then went on to play in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
Angola's only World Cup appearance was in 2006 in Germany. Angola at the FIFA World Cup
Africa Cup of Nations
Angola at the Africa Cup of Nations
African Nations Championship
COSAFA Cup
Team Achievements
Major Competitions
Regional Competitions
- COSAFA Cup
- Central African Games
Summary of Medals
Senior Competitions | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
CAF African Nations Championship | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Total | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Images for kids
See also
In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Angola para niños
- Angola women's national football team
- Angola national under-20 football team
- Angola national under-17 football team
- Angolan Football Federation