Angola Football League

GIRABOLA

The Angola football league, also known as Girabola, is the top division of Angolan football. It is organized by the Angolan Football Federation and has been running since 1979, after Angola's independence from Portugal in 1975. The league consists of 16 teams, which play each other twice in a round-robin format. The league winner and runner-up qualify for the CAF Champions League, while the bottom three teams are relegated to the Segundona, the second tier of Angolan football.


The most successful team in the history of the Girabola is Petro Atlético, which has won 17 titles, followed by 1º de Agosto, which has won 14 titles. The current champions are Petro Atlético, who clinched their 17th title in the 2022–23 season. The top goalscorer of the Girabola is Love, who has scored 135 goals in his career. The highest attendance record for a Girabola match was 70,000, which was achieved in a match between 1º de Agosto and Petro Atlético in 1999.


The best 11 of all time in the Girabola is a subjective matter, but based on the players' achievements and performances, one possible selection could be:


- Goalkeeper: Lama (Petro Atlético)

- Right-back: Yamba Asha (1º de Agosto)

- Centre-back: Fabrício (Petro Atlético)

- Centre-back: Kali (1º de Agosto)

- Left-back: Yano (Petro Atlético)

- Defensive midfielder: Gilberto (Petro Atlético)

- Central midfielder: Akwá (1º de Agosto)

- Attacking midfielder: Flávio (Petro Atlético)

- Right winger: Manucho (Petro Atlético)

- Left winger: Mateus (Nacional de Benguela)

- Striker: Love (Petro Atlético)


The top managers in the Girabola are also hard to rank, but some of the most notable ones are:


- Bernardino Pedroto (Petro Atlético, Kabuscorp, Recreativo do Libolo)

- Ljubomir Ristovski (1º de Agosto, Interclube, Progresso)

- Romeu Filemon (1º de Agosto, Kabuscorp, Recreativo da Caála)

- Dragan Jović (1º de Agosto)

- Toni Cosano (Petro Atlético)


The future prospects of the Girabola are uncertain, as the league faces several challenges, such as the lack of financial resources, the poor infrastructure, the low attendance, the corruption scandals, and the political instability. However, there are also some positive signs, such as the sponsorship deal with ZAP, the TV provider, which has increased the exposure and revenue of the league, the emergence of young talents, such as Zito Luvumbo, Herenilson, and Capita, who have attracted the interest of foreign clubs, and the improvement of the national team, which has qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The Girabola is a league with a rich history and a passionate fan base, and it has the potential to become one of the best leagues in Africa, if it can overcome its difficulties and develop its strengths..



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