On Thursday, the Angolan Football Federation announced the appointment of Senegalese Africa Cup of Nations champion Aliou Cisse as the new head coach of the national team.
Cisse, a former international defender who led Senegal’s Lions of Teranga to the quarter-finals of the 2002 World Cup, resigned from his role as head coach of Libya on Wednesday after overseeing just 10 matches.
“Today marks a new beginning, a moment to ignite hope and affirm our ambitions for the future of national football with determination,” stated Alves Simoes, the president of the Angolan Football Federation, during Cisse’s unveiling ceremony in the capital city, Luanda.
The 50-year-old has agreed to a four-year contract.
According to Simoes, this appointment reflects a vision for the long-term growth and sustained success of Angolan football.
“It represents our resolute commitment to competence, innovation, and the drive to build a team that will bring pride to our nation.”
Cisse served as head coach of his home country, Senegal, for nearly a decade from 2015 until 2024, leading them to their inaugural Africa Cup of Nations title in 2021 after reaching the final in 2019.
Angola triumphed in their qualifying group to secure a spot in the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, but their campaign ended in disappointment.
They ended up third in Group B behind Egypt and South Africa, accumulating only two points, and were narrowly eliminated by Tanzania based on goals scored for one of the four best third-placed positions.
The furthest Angola has advanced in AFCON history is the quarter-finals, which they reached in 2008 and 2010. They also qualified for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, marking their only appearance at the tournament.
The team, known as ‘Palancas Negras’, which translates to black antelopes, currently holds the 89th position in FIFA’s world rankings.
Compiled by SportArena.au
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