Manuel Bucuane, better known as Tico-Tico, the charismatic and eternal captain of the "Mambas," and Almiro Edson Daniel Lobo, Miro, a former left-back and current assistant coach at Bravo de Maquis in Angola, were the figures chosen by "Desafio" to analyze the Mozambican national team's participation in the 2023 CAN. Both unanimously agreed that the national team's performance was positive.
The former striker, who boasts 87 caps and 27 goals for the Mozambican national team, expressed that Chiquinho Conde's men "managed to surprise" in a positive way, leaving a lasting impression of the players' performance, despite their early exit from the African tournament. Tico-Tico received praise not only from former colleagues but also within the corridors of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
“"I think that, compared to previous matches, this one was positive. For the first time, we got two points, the result of two draws, considering we were in a theoretically difficult group. I think we could have won some of those matches—I'm talking about the first match, for example, when we were winning, and even against Ghana, I believe that with a little time we could have won the match. We showed good competitiveness, scored two goals and conceded the same number of goals. I think that, looking at these two aspects, we left a good impression, and I believe there's room for improvement with the players," said Tico-Tico.
An analysis of Mozambican football legends highlights not only their results, but also their competitive attitude and potential for development, signaling a promising future for the national team. Participation in the 2023 AFCON can be seen as a positive milestone, indicating an encouraging path for the Mozambican national team's future international campaigns.
