Mozambique were finalists at the Africa Cup of Nations as recently as 2010, their fourth appearance at the continental showpiece.
Each time they have exited in the first round, but there are many who believe in the rich potential of the country’s footballers.
The side is currently coached by former Portugal international Abel Xavier, who was born in Mozambique.
Mozambique’s Cosafa Cup record
Mozambique were semi-finalists in the 2004 and 2009 Cosafa Castle Cup tournaments, and then went one better in 2008 and 2015, when they lost 2-0 in the final to Namibia.
In 2004 they beat both Madagascar and Malawi in earlier round encounters before losing at home to Angola in the last four, while in 2009 they lost to Zambia in the semi-finals but beat South Africa to third in Zimbabwe.
Those were their best performances since the Mambas finished third in 1997 and when they were fifth-place finishers in 1998.
Since the introduction of the knockout competition in 1999, they have reached the quarter-finals four times but had the misfortune of being drawn away to Zambia on each occasion and lost.
The side were ousted from the quarterfinals of the 2013 Cosafa Castle Cup, but went on to win the Plate final, beating Angola 1-0 in the decider.
Mozambique are one of several Cosafa members who have represented the region at the African Nations Cup finals. The Mambas reached the finals of the African Nations Cup in South Africa in 1996 and again in Burkina Faso in 1998.
They were also participants in 1986 African Nations Cup finals in Egypt, as well as the 2010 event in Angola.
The country is most renowned for producing some of the most famous African footballing exports to Europe like Eusebio, Hilario, Matateu and Mario Coluna, who later served as president of the Mozambican Football Federation.
All these players were lost to Portugal before independence in 1975, but since then Mozambique have set out to create their own identity in the world of soccer.
Overall Cosafa Cup record:
P W D L GF GA
34 12 8 14 37 42
Honours: none
FIFA ranking: 101
CAF ranking: 26
