Retired defender now man-marks figures

Brave Warriors centre back Da Costa Angula (left) fights for possession of the ball against Victor Moses of Nigeria in a World Cup qualifier in Calabar, Nigeria. File photo

Former Black Africa (BA) and Tigers defender-cum-midfielder Da Costa Angula has donned national team colours, and has captained the national team.

Born and raised at the small northern town of Grootfontein in the Otjozondjupa region, the retired star says he used to dream about playing in the country’s top league one day.

“I am a very slow developer, and I never really played football during my primary school days,” Angula says.

He says when he made it onto the school team, and later the Otjozondjupa regional team before he joined Dynamos, he only dreamed about signing up with a Namibian Premiership team.

Angula was part of the Grootfontein Secondary School team which won the Otjozondjupa regional version of the now-disbanded annual Coca-Cola Cup for secondary schools.

But he and his teammates found the going too tough at the national championships at Walvis Bay, where they bowed out from competing in the group stages.

“My dream of playing in the National Premier League (NPL) was made possible after I was signed by BA. I was still a rookie in the second division when BA showed interest. In fact, Blue Waters also showed interest, but I prefered BA because they even sent me money to come join them in the city.

“Before playing for BA I never entertained the thought that I would captain the side one day. I can proudly say that I led the country’s most successful team, BA, to four sucessive league titles. What I didn’t see coming was captaining the national team,” Angula says.

The retired star was comfortable in both the central defence and midfield, but was successfully converted into central defence by Ben Bamfuchile at national under-23 level.

His excellent form at club level attracted suitors from NPL outfit Free State Stars to invite him to South Africa to sign a professional contract.

Da Costa spent over three seasons playing professional
football for Bethlehem-based Free State Stars in the South African
Premier League. Photo: Contributed

He also became a hit with the Bethlehem-based outfit in the Free State province during a stint which saw him being named man of the match during a 2-2 draw with South African glamour boys Kaizer Chiefs in what he calls one of his best matches in South Africa.

Angula spent three and a half seasons in South Africa before he was forced by a nagging Achilles tendon injury to return to the Lively Lions fold in the NPL.

An excellent reader of the game, Angula forged an almost telepathic understanding with Hartman Torombo in Black Africa’s central defence, while he also shone alongside Richard Gariseb for the Brave Warriors before he later paired up with Willem Mwedhihanga.

Angula also enjoyed a short spell with Tigers, before he succumbed to injuries and was appointed as assistant by coach Marvin Mbakera just before the dawn of the Covid-19 pandemic.

His journey with the national team started when he was called up for the Namibia Schools Sport Union team for the Ball Games in Botswana, before coach Bobby ‘Lastborn’ Samaria roped him into the under-20 side for the Africa Zone Six tourney in Durban, South Africa.

The NFA Cup finalist was later persuaded to join the under-23 side by the late Zambian coach Bamfuchile before he eventually joined the senior national team with whom he enjoyed a rather underwhelming Zone Six tournament in Durban.

Angula hasn’t looked back since receiving his first call-up during a friendly against Tanzania in Windhoek, but he wasn’t part of the action until he made his Brave Warriors debut against Malawi at Independence Stadium in Windhoek in 2006.

“It was great playing against the continent’s giants with the Brave Warriors. It was really to measure oneself against some of the top stars of Africa,” he says.

He says playing the Super Eagles in Calabar, Nigeria, was a thrilling experience, while other interesting encounters were also battled out against Burkina Faso, Congo (Brazzaville), Ghana, Malawi and Zambia.

WORK, FAMILY

Angula currently lives in the city with his wife, Jessica, and three children.

“I work as an auditing clerk at M Trading CC Debt Collectors, where I am responsible for the auditing of the company’s books. I am tasked to check whether figures are matching. I am expected to make corrections in case of errors,” he says.

He says although he is happy with what he has achieved in football, this is definitely not the way he imagined life after retirement.

“I could have done much more, and I would possibly still be playing professional football in South Africa if it was not for my injuries. The reason I came back from South Africa was basically to recover from my nagging Achilles tendon injury.

“I have set myself many goals which I didn’t fulfil, because what looks like a very rosy career for me was cut short by injuries,” he says.

The former Black Africa star’s advice to young footballers is to always work hard.

“Hard work pays off, and you must strive to be on top of your game at all times.

“You must set yourself goals. Strive for the top, and that is to become one of the best in your country, and always motivate yourself,” he says.

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