Namibia’s national futsal head coach, Marcos Antunes, has called for urgent structural reforms and greater investment in the sport following the Brave Five’s 8-1 defeat to Libya in the CAF AFCON Futsal qualifiers, on the second leg of Round Two, played in Libya on Sunday.
Antunes revealed that Namibia’s preparations were disrupted just an hour before kick-off after captain Ken Salote was suspended, forcing the technical team to abandon their original game plan.
Despite the setback and the heavy scoreline, the coach praised his players for their effort and discipline against a more experienced opponent.
“We had to change everything at the last minute, but the players showed character and commitment. They listened, they fought, and I am proud of how they responded under those circumstances,” Antunes said.
Libya, which comfortably advanced, was simply a level above, according to the coach. Antunes highlighted the stark contrast in experience, infrastructure, and competitive exposure between the two nations, noting that such gaps are decisive at that level.
“Libya has had more international matches, greater exposure, and better conditions; at this level, that difference is important. You cannot compete consistently without those conditions in place,” he added.
Looking ahead, Antunes stressed that Namibia’s futsal struggles cannot be fixed overnight, but require a long-term, coordinated approach. He emphasised the need for a well-structured competitive indoor league, qualified coaches, and proper valuation of futsal.
The coach also urged the Namibia Football Association (NFA) to evaluate reports by the FIFA futsal instructor and himself to see how the sport can be developed.
Central to his vision is grassroots development. Antunes called for futsal to be introduced in schools and rolled out across regions to identify and nurture talent early, while integrating more young, ambitious players into the national setup.
He further stated that the NFA needs to take decisive ownership of futsal development alongside Futsal Namibia, warning that without meaningful change, Namibia risks repeating the same results on the continental stage.
-hnalupe@nepc.com.na