Exclusive Interview with Angola coach Pedro Gonçalves 

Angola’s major assignment in the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Côte d'Ivoire 2023 is to do better than they have done in previous editions. And, Pedro gets it.

After having stints with almost every other Angolan national team, Pedro tells CAFOnline exclusively that he thinks he knows the psychology of the team and a TotalEnergies CAF AFCON is worth the try - again.

In this interview, he talks ideal target, and navigating past the group stage.

You have handled the Angolan national teams at all levels (U-17, U-20, U-23) and now the senior team. What’s been the experience so far for you? 

Yes, I have been in Angola since 2015, before that time, I had never been to Angola before and this is a passion we are developing

After November 2019, I focused on working in two ways. Angola has lots of players abroad playing at high level. On the other hand, I know the potential of the young players because I worked with them at the youth side. So that process helped me to know who were the guys with better potential not in the moment but for the future to push into the senior team, that’s why we have six players from the U-17 World Cup playing in the senior team. 

I feel like an Angolan. Maybe I will depart someday to come but, in my heart, it will be with me. 

Angola have had a rough time in the AFCON. Before this qualification, they had qualified just once in the last 4 tournaments. What did the magic this time around? 

We feel at thIS moment, we had the capacity to achieve and win more matches. We won two games in the qualifiers and lost to only Ghana in the last game of the qualifiers. It was really tough. 

We have been consistent. We are in the middle of the process. 

People are delighted sometimes; others too get disappointed but we have to focus on the process. When we look back, we see progress and step by step, we are getting better, so right now, it’s a show for us and everybody. 

What does playing in the AFCON mean to you and your career as coach? 

Playing in the AFCON is the brightest spot of my career perhaps. I was at the CHAN, I was at the U-17 World Cup but the AFCON is the biggest stage of my career. It’s a big step and I am really delighted about it. 

Let’s look at the group you’re in. You will play Algeria, Burkina Faso and Mauritania, what’s your assessment of the group? 

We are not the favorite but we have our chances, Algeria are surely the super favorites. Burkina Faso have been doing great job in the last five tournaments; twice in the semi and once in the final. They are really consistent. 

With Mauritania, we have played a lot against them recently, they are with a big investment and they are growing, that is why they participated in the last CHAN and AFCON. 

The focus is to cross the group. 

What is your ideal target here? 

Let’s do what we haven’t done before, this is our main focus. We know if we win twice, we qualify. We will see where our performance and capacity will take us to but I believe we can qualify from the group and try to win the knockout phase. If you do that then you have the ability to go to the finals. Let’s see.