Palancas Negras Till I Die

One of the most brilliant things about the World Cup is that it brings attention to countries that you rarely hear about.

With four new qualifiers from Africa this tournament, we’ll have the opportunity to not only learn about their football players but their history, customs and culture.

The Times published a five-part series this week with a profile of each of these countries – Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Angola. I really enjoyed getting a bit of a glimpse of how football fits into the larger issues and challenges facing each of the countries.

The story that amazes me the most is the one about Angola. Here is a country that has been torn apart by years of war and hardship. Because of these challenges alone the Angolan team has no right being in the World Cup. But it is and that is largely a testament to the determination of its coach Luis Oliveira Goncalves, and the courage of many of his players.

Angola has no shot at winning the tournament and might not even make it out of the first round, but already the team is a winner. The Palancas Negras - the Black Antelopes – are part of a larger movement that is starting to sweep Angola.

As war is replaced by peace, despair and hardship are beginning to be replaced by hope and optimism. Football success is not the reason for this, but it is a part of it and you can bet that this summer Angolans both at home and abroad will be feeling nothing but national pride as they watch their team take part in the world’s most watched sporting event.

I always like to adopt a few other countries besides my own to root for during the World Cup. This time I’ll be pulling for the Palancas Negras of Angola.