Angola were crowned champions of the 2024 COSAFA Cup after thrashing Namibia 5-0 in the final on Sunday in South Africa.
After going undefeated throughout the competition, the Palancas Negras won their fourth COSAFA cup for the first time in twenty-one years.
Angola have won the COSAFA Cup on four occasions in 1999, 2001, 2004 and now 2024.
Speaking after the triumph, Pedro Gonçalves, the coach of Angola, who had led Palancas Negras to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarterfinals, expressed his happiness and thanked his team for their hard effort.
“We worked very hard. We always kept the faith and focus [to do better],” he told press conference. “For me it’s a big trophy that’s why I said in the beginning and before the tournament that it’s important for national team coaches to be here because for me it’s important that’s why I said to the boys that I want to be there.”
Gonçalves also said that some of the players who were part of the winning team might be promoted to the main team ahead of the AFCON qualifiers.
“They are working so hard and needed this exposure and after this tournament most of them are prepared to be in the main team,” he stated.
The 48-year-old coach is now on an unbeaten run of eight games with Angola across all competitions following their brilliant performance at the AFCON, where they were eliminated in the last eight by losing finalist Nigeria.
He was appointed head coach for the senior team, winning the 2018 U-17 COSAFA Cup and securing Angola’s first ever qualification to the U-17 FIFA World Cup following a third-place finish at the U-17 AFCON. Since then, he has continued writing history with the Angolan main team and remains unbeaten in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers after playing four games.
