Former Angolan footballers remember Paulão

Akwá, former teammate and Benfica teammate, considered that the premature death of Paulão left a void for the Angolan football family.

The former player said that days before Paulão's trip to Namibe province, where he was honored by the radio, two weeks ago, he spoke with a former colleague about the project for a football school that they both intended to implement in Luanda.

"I'm undone, because Paulão wasn't just a colleague for me. He was a friend and brother. His premature death left a void in us. Two weeks ago, during his stay in Namibe, we talked about the implementation of a project from a football school that we had in our portfolio. We agreed that when he returned to Luanda we would sit down to plot everything, but unfortunately, the damned death prevented everything. We all thought he was in good health," said the best scorer of all time of the national football team.

For his part, Osvaldo Roque da Cruz 'Jony', a former Olhanense player, recalled with nostalgia the moments they both shared for Angolan and Portuguese football.

"Remembering Paulão is remembering a friend, comrade, comrade, he was, above all, a great professional. I remember our time in Portuguese football, the Angolan national team and Angolan football. We are proud to have shared, for several years, , the dressing room with Paulão", said the also former striker of the Angolan national team, Salgueiros and Académico de Viseu.

António Alegre, a former Sporting youth player, although he did not share the dressing room with Paulão, recalled his passage through Portuguese football.

"The football family in Angola and Portugal feels sad, because Paulão was an athlete whose physical aspect was enviable. He was a very nice person and respected by football agents in Angola and Portugal," concluded António Alegre.

Túbia Ribeiro, Paulão's former colleague in the Angolan national team and at Sporting de Espinho, on his official facebook page, recalled the shared moments.

"What a pain it is to lose a friend, a colleague, a brother that football has given me, a companion of many battles, many journeys, many joys, whether in the national team, at Sporting de Espinho or even in our day-to-day . Lots of traveling together. Lots of socializing. Simple person. Person always willing to help others. I'm speechless. May the earth be light for him," said the former athlete.