Angola’s Portuguese trainer Pedro Goncalves has named Italian-based Zito Luvumbo in a strong 26-man squad to face Cape Verde Island and Mauritius Island in their first two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers games later this month.
The squad announced this Tuesday, November 7 is dominated by home based players though the Serie A star plus KAA Gent defender, Nurio Fortuna, Jonathan Buatu of Valenciennes and Alanyaspor’s Bruno Paz form a cast of players picked from European clubs.
2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) bound Angola has a battery of the players that helped them return to the continental showpiece as the coach looks to build a strong squad to increase their chances of reaching only a second FIFA World Cup tournament.
Adilson Da Cruz of 1° D’Agosto is one of three keepers retained. He is joined by Portuguese-based Aldo Monteiro on the books of Oliviera Do Hospital to provide competition for Antonio Dominique plying his trade in Switzerland.
Eight defenders have been picked for the two encounters. They include newcomer Anderson Lucoqui of Hertha Berlin plus the Gent and Valenciennes duo of Nurio and Buatu respectively who are joined by Kialondo Gaspar of Estrella Amadora and Rui Modesto competing with Eddie Afonso and the rest of the defenders picked from Girabola clubs.
Eight competitive midfielders of varied capacity have been drafted in coach Pedro’s squad. Turkish-based trio Loide Aygusto Alfredo Ribeiro of Eyuspor and Valdomiro Lameira of Erzurumspor.
Chinese based Fabiu Abreu is one of the lead names upfront alongside Zito plus Felicio Joao of Macabi Tel Aviv and Cristova Paciencia of Al Ittihad Alexandria.
Inácio Santos, Domingos Andrade, Loide Augusto, Fábio Abreu, Chico Banza return to the squad after varied duration out while Gelson Dala, Mbala Nzola, Helder Costa, Ary Papel, Jeremie Bela, Lucas João all miss out from the squad just like injured Megue.
The Palancas Negras travel to Praia to confront the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde on November 13 before facing Mauritius Island in their second 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on November 21.
The Akwa and Flavio inspired Angola team of 2006 is the only generation that ever helped their country to reach the World Cup.
Angola have a tough task this time around in a complex Group D that contains Eswatini, Mauritius Island, Cape Verde Island, Libya and Cameroon battling for one spot available for the 2026 tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
The Full Squad:
Goalkeepers
Adilson Da Cruz (1° D’Agosto -Angola), Aldo Monteiro (Oliviera Do Hospital -Portugal), Antonio Dominique (Etoile Carouge- Switzerland
Defenders
Anderson Lucoqui (Hertha Berlin – Germany), Alfredo Ribeiro (Eyuspor – Turkey), Valdomiro Lameira (Erzurumspor – Turkey), Augusto Carneiro (Petro de Luanda – Angola), Eddie Afonso (Petro de Luanda – Angola), Inacio Santos (Petro de Luanda -Angola), Jonathan Buati (Valenciennes – France), Nurio Furtuna (KAA Gent – Belgium), Kalonda Gaspar (Estrella Amadora -Portugal), Rui Modesto (AIK Estocolmo -Switzerland)
Midfielders:
Alfredo Ribeiro (Eyuspor – Turkey), Bruno Paz (Konyaspor – Turkey), Domingos Andrade (Felgueiras- Portugal), Loide Augusto (Alanyaspor – Turkey), Manuel Cafumana ( Maccabi – Israel), Mario Balburdia ( Mafra – Portugal), Kellamo Manuel ( Estrella Amadora – Portugal), Valdomiro Lameira (Erzurumspor – Turkey)
Forwards:
Cristova Paciencia ( Al Ittihad Alexandria – Egypt), Deivi Veira Gilberto (Petro de Luanda -Angola), Fabio Abreu ( Beijing Gouan – China), Felicio Joao Milson (Maccabi Tel Aviv – Israel), Francisco Sacalumbo (Anorthosis – Cyprus), Zito Luvumbo ( Calgliari – Italy)
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