“Angola has already been to the World Cup once [in 2006, in Germany] and I believe we have the potential to achieve this feat again in the future. This current qualification will be difficult, because it doesn’t just depend on ourselves, but we will fight until the end. There are still a few games left and we will give it our all”, the player told Lusa news agency.
The 31-year-old defender, who plays for Gil Vicente in the Portuguese First Division and was recently called up by the coach of the ‘Palancas Negras’, the Portuguese Pedro Gonçalves, to play in the COSAFA Cup [between Southern African countries], in June, recognizes that the team is experiencing a moment of renewal and that it now needs to take the “next step” to rise to a higher competitive level.
“We are growing. This has been evident since the last African Cup. In March, we lost to Cape Verde at home and drew in Libya, which hurt our ambitions of going to the World Cup. But, in general, we have grown in recent months. We have a young team, but with quality. We need to take that next step to climb to another level, and I feel we are on the right track,” he explained.
Buatu, born in Belgium but the son of Angolan parents born in the province of Uíge, only discovered the country of his roots at the age of 20, but has been a regular presence in the national team, feeling “proud to represent the team”.
“I have no words to explain what I feel when representing Angola. Since the first game, the feeling has been growing. It is a great pride to wear that shirt for so many years,” he shared.
When asked about betting on players with family ties to the country, even if they were not born in Angola, Buatu was clear about the criteria he considers most important.
“Anyone who plays for Angola has to feel like they are part of the country. It doesn’t matter if they were born there or not. If they have that pride and feel the emblem that we represent, the doors have to be open. This will certainly make the team evolve,” he stressed.
Currently, Buatu hopes to continue being a reference in the national team and contribute with his experience, helping the new generation to consolidate itself and take Angola to new heights.
“We are forming a solid group, with a base that can do good things. I see talent and dedication. Now it is time to work and give everything to put Angola back where it deserves,” he said.
With experience accumulated in Portuguese football, after spells at Rio Ave, Desportivo das Aves and now Gil Vicente, as well as experience in the Belgian, French and Turkish championships, Jonathan Buatu considers himself to be in a phase of “greater maturity” in his career.
“With age you become more mature, we learn to manage stress and complicated situations during games. I feel good physically and I deal better with difficulties. In a young team like ours, experience helps a lot,” he concluded.
The defender will join the team, which, in June, is part of Group B of the COSAFA Cup, along with Namibia, Malawi and Lesotho.
The event takes place in the city of Mangaung, in South Africa, and Angola enters the tournament as current champion, after winning the title in 2024.
