Nickname(s) |
Palancas Negras (Sable Antelopes) |
---|---|
Association | Federação Angolana de Futebol |
Confederation | CAF (Africa) |
Sub-confederation | COSAFA (Southern Africa) |
Head coach | Jose Kilamba |
Captain | Gilberto |
Top scorer | Akwá (38) |
Home stadium | Estádio 11 de Novembro |
FIFA code | ANG |
FIFA ranking | |
Current | 144 1 (12 January 2017) |
Highest | 45 (July 2000) |
Lowest | 144 (November 2016, January 2017) |
Elo ranking | |
Current | 101 (31 March 2015) |
Highest | 50 (September–October 2006) |
Lowest | 106 (10 September 2014) |
First international | |
PR Congo 1–3 PR Angola (Brazzaville, People's Republic of the Congo; 8 February 1976) |
|
Biggest win | |
Angola 11–1 Swaziland (Luanda, Angola; 23 April 2000) |
|
Biggest defeat | |
Portugal 6–0 PR Angola (Lisbon, Portugal; 23 March 1989) |
|
World Cup | |
Appearances | 1 (first in 2006) |
Best result | Group stage, 2006 |
Africa Cup of Nations | |
Appearances | 7 (first in 1996) |
Best result | Quarter-finals, 2008 and 2010 |
The Angola national football team, nicknamed Palancas Negras (Sable Antelopes), is the national team of Angola and is controlled by the Federação Angolana de Futebol. Angola reached 45th in the FIFA Rankings in July 2002. Their greatest accomplishment was qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, as this was their first appearance on the World Cup finals stage: they were eliminated after one defeat and two draws in the group stage.
Angola played their first game against PR Congo on 8 February 1976, losing 3–2.
Angola qualified for their first Africa Cup of Nations in 1996. They were drawn in Group A with South Africa, Egypt and Cameroon. They lost their first two games to Egypt and South Africa, but managed a 3–3 draw against Cameroon. They finished bottom of the group and did not reach the second round. Angola then qualified for their second successive African Cup of Nations in 1998, but again failed to reach the second round, drawing 0–0 with South Africa and 3–3 with Namibia, and losing 5–2 to Côte d'Ivoire.
After missing the last 3 tournaments, they qualified for the 2006 African Nations Cup. They recorded their first African Cup of Nations win against Togo, winning 3–2, two goals coming from Flávio and the other coming from Maurito. They also drew 0–0 against Congo DR and lost 3–1 against Cameroon. Angola's best performance then came in the 2008 African Nations Cup. They were drawn in Group D with Tunisia, South Africa and Senegal. They drew 1–1 and 0–0 with South Africa and Tunisia, then defeated Senegal 3–1, two goals coming from Manucho. In the quarter-finals they were beaten by eventual winners Egypt 2–1, but Manucho scored again, finishing with four goals in total.