Portugal Match Leaves Mantorras Torn

Angola striker Mantorras has lived in Portugal for the last seven years and currently plays for Benfica. The irony isn’t lost on Mantorras that Angola was drawn into the same group as Portugal at the World Cup this summer. He told Reuters:

“It’s very good because I live in Portugal and my children were born in Portugal, but it also makes me sad because they’re two countries which I like. I’ve promised to my wife and children that, if I score a goal, I won’t celebrate. I’ve been in Portugal for seven or eight years and it is something which I’m attached to and I want to respect the way in which they welcomed me and my family.”

As for the feelings in Angola:

“For our country, it’s a reality which still seems like a dream. We’ve only qualified three times in the past for the African Nations Cups, and suddenly we’re in the World Cup. In the past, we’ve just watched the great powers of world football such as Brazil and Germany, now we’re going to be playing alongside them.”

Mantorras and Angola next take on Congo on Wednesday in African Nations Cup action.