Frenchman Patrice Beaumelle appointed Angola national football coach

Angola has appointed French coach Patrice Beaumelle as the new head coach of their national football team, succeeding Pedro Goncalves who was dismissed after poor results including elimination from the African Nations Championship and falling behind in 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Beaumelle, 47, is familiar with Angolan football, having served as assistant to Hervé Renard in 2010 and previously coached Zambia, Ivory Coast, and Algerian club Mouloudia Alger. He signed a two-year contract and is tasked with leading Angola through their remaining World Cup qualifiers against Eswatini and Cameroon, as well as preparing the team for the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. Goncalves had a largely successful eight-year tenure, winning the COSAFA Cup twice and qualifying Angola for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, but was let go after the team failed to qualify for the African Nations Championship and suffered a key home loss to Libya. Beaumelle's appointment marks a significant shift for Angola's football ambitions as they aim to improve their performance in major African and global competitions under his leadership.