Namibia upset the form book to qualify for the 2008 African Nations Cup finals, the second time the ‘Brave Warriors’ have managed to find themselves among the continent’s elite at its most prestigious tournament.
But one of the finest moments in their footballing history came in the 2015 Cosafa Castle Cup in South Africa when the team won 2-0 in the final against Mozambique to become just the fifth nation to lift the trophy.
Namibia’s Cosafa Cup record
Namibian football had been going through a difficult time over the last years, slipping from the heady heights attained in 1997 and 1999 when they were Cosafa Castle Cup runners-up, and in 1998 and 2008 when they shocked African football by reaching the African Nations Cup finals.
But in 2008 they broke a run of seven first round exits in the Cosafa Castle Cup – when they lost to Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Swaziland, Angola and Botswana three times – as they progressed to the quarterfinals before losing out to a South African President’s XI.
They also managed to claim their first away win in the competition in 2007 when they beat Lesotho to third place in the group stages in Gaborone. They followed that up in 2008 with away wins against the Comoros Islands and Malawi as the tournament moved to South Africa.
The Brave Warriors were the surprise package of the 1997 edition, finishing second to winners Zambia and in 1998 caused a major upset by knocking out World Cup finalists South Africa at the preliminary round stage.
In 1999, they were again in the final, and narrowly lost to Angola in extra-time in the second leg in Windhoek.
Their showing in Zambia in 2013 ended with a quarterfinal exit at the hands of South Africa, but two years later they stunned the region to claim a maiden victory in the competition.
They played six games in all, building momentum all along the way before being crowned champions under coach Ricardo Mannetti after beating Mozambique 2-0 in the final.
Overall Cosafa Cup record:
P W D L GF GA
41 14 14 13 56 48
Honours: 2015 Cosafa Castle Cup winners
FIFA ranking: 135
CAF ranking: 43
In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.
The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.
Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for
only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!
