The dream of the national under-17 team to participate in the first edition of the Cascais Cup, a tournament organized by the Union of Portuguese-Speaking Football Federations (UFFLP), has crumbled. The competition, which will take place in Portugal, in the tourist region of Cascais, between July 8 and 15, 2024, will not include the Mambinhas due to the non-issuance of the necessary visas by the Portuguese embassy in Maputo.
According to Feizal Sidat, president of the Mozambican Football Federation (FMF), the Mozambican delegation was scheduled to depart from Maputo at 5:00 AM this Thursday, July 4th. However, despite the proper request submitted by the FMF, the Portuguese consulate did not issue the entry visas, preventing the young athletes from participating in the pioneering tournament.
Mozambique's absence from the competition represents a great disappointment for the players and everyone involved in youth football in the country. The Cascais Cup 2024 was designed to strengthen ties between the football federations of Portuguese-speaking countries, with the participation of national teams from Brazil, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique and São Tomé and Príncipe, the founding members of UFFLP.
The founding of UFFLP last year in Lisbon symbolized a significant step towards sporting cooperation between Portuguese-speaking nations. The first edition of the Cascais Cup was intended to be a stage for young talents to showcase their skills and promote unity through football. Mozambique's absence, due to visa bureaucracy, highlights the importance of better coordination and support between the organizing bodies and the consulates of the countries involved.
FMF President Feizal Sidat expressed his sadness and frustration with the situation, highlighting the negative impact on the young athletes who had prepared intensely for the competition. The episode serves as a warning for future initiatives, emphasizing the need for a more efficient approach to facilitating the mobility of athletes between countries.
Meanwhile, the Mozambican football community remains hopeful that future opportunities will materialize, allowing the country's young talents to shine in international competitions.
