Antunes keeps Namibia close to his heart

Futsal
Futsal head coach Antunes is back in Portugal but said he still has more to give to Namibian futsal.
Jesse Kauraisa
  • 1 Day Ago

Namibia’s futsal head coach Marcos Antunes said he has fallen in love with Namibia and its futsal since taking over as head coach in January.

Speaking from Portugal, the coach, who is also a teacher by profession, praised the nation and its players.

“I am a man on a mission, and my mission for Namibia does not end here. [Upon my return to Portugal on Tuesday], national television stations were waiting for me to speak about Namibia and its futsal,” he said.

He urged those leading the sport to continue working on development, especially at the grassroots level.

Antunes was appointed by the Namibia Football Association (NFA) to lead the team in its quest to qualify for the Futsal Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).

Namibia, however, failed to qualify after losing 3-11 in the first leg and 1-8 in the second leg to Libya in the second round of qualifiers earlier this month.

Namibia had beaten Kenya 18-11 on aggregate in the first round to advance to face Libya.


‘Namibia’s talent is evident’

Antunes thanked the team for its efforts and encouraged players to prioritise training and improvement.

“There is so much potential in Namibia. The talent and desire from the players are evident, and it was unfortunate that we could not qualify this time. The country should continue striving to reach its maximum potential in futsal,” he said.

The Portuguese coach has featured in two Fifa Futsal World Cups, coaching Lithuania in 2021 and Uzbekistan in 2024. He also guided Angola to a silver medal at the 2024 Futsal Afcon, highlighting his experience on the African stage.

At 49, Antunes is a Uefa-licensed coach with a postgraduate qualification in futsal, widely respected for his tactical discipline, player development approach, and competitive mindset.

– jesse@nsh.com.na