The historic feat achieved by the Brave Warriors of Namibia in reaching the knockout stages of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire is now firmly in the annals of Namibian football history.
This sentiment was echoed by head coach and former captain, Collin Benjamin, as he addressed the team’s preparations for the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
Earlier this year, Namibia sent shockwaves across the continent with a stunning 1-0 victory over Tunisia and a goalless draw against Mali, securing their first-ever knockout stage berth in the AFCON. This achievement raised the team’s profile across Africa and established them as a competitive force.
As Namibia leads Group H, following an awarded win over Equatorial Guinea and a 2-0 triumph over São Tomé and Príncipe, Benjamin emphasized the importance of focusing on future challenges. Speaking to CAFOnline, he reflected on the significance of their AFCON success while acknowledging the need to move forward.
“I think that is behind us. It is totally behind us. I think the boys did good, the entire team and technical staff did well. They created a little bit of history for the country, which is really great for Namibian football, but this is now something that is definitely behind us. The cards are new, and it is a new challenge for us that we are facing against Liberia and Tunisia. Our performance obviously makes the teams wary of us and so we know that it will be even harder than it was before. For us, we just focus and work on making our country proud,” Benjamin stated.
With four TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations appearances, Namibia has yet to qualify for a FIFA World Cup. Benjamin expressed the team’s aspirations while stressing the importance of a step-by-step approach.
“I think the nation and everyone out there can dream. We are on the ball right now and it is a lot of work that needs to be done right now before we can even think of that. Sweat, tears, and maybe blood will be required. We have to take it game by game. Improve the players, improve the team and it’s important that we keep giving it our all and have successful matches for our country Namibia and the Brave Warriors,” Benjamin concluded.
Namibia Match Day 3 & 4 Fixtures:
– Wednesday, June 5– 16:00 GMT | Namibia vs Liberia – Orlando Stadium
– Sunday, June 9– 16:00 GMT | Namibia vs Tunisia – Orlando Stadium
