Angola

Home 2008/09; Puma

This was one I picked up long before the idea of starting any sort of actual collection.  I was just thought it would be fairly unique in Ireland to have an Angola shirt.  And to be fair, I've yet to see another one around.  I bought it in TK Maxx but I can't remember what I paid.  Recently, Puma have been releasing some great shirts for African nations, most of which have very specific designs for each.  It wasn't always the case though, and this template was used for almost all nations at the time.  I am usually a fan of simple designs, but this is a bit too simple. The Puma logos are a thick rubber, which was standard at the time and feel sturdy, the crest is another stick-on job and feels quite cheap.  Apart from that, it is very red and, erm, that's about it.  

The team that wore it, the 'Sable Antelopes' (see the crest), played there first game in 1977, following Angola's independence from Portugal in 1975.  That first game was a 1-0 win at home to Cuba.  19 years later, in 1996, they  qualified for the African Cup of Nation's for the first time.  Sadly, they lost their first two games but a 3-3 draw against Cameroon was sure to reclaim some pride.  After qualifying for the 98 version, they then had to wait until 2006 for another appearance.  Most notable here, was throwing away a 4-0 lead in the last 11 minutes versus Mali, ending up drawing 4-4.  Three of Mali's goals came in injury time.  Ouch.  

Angola have played in a World Cup, having reached the 2010 tournament in Germany. Angola also hosted the 2010 African Cup of Nations.