Follow Mozambique at AFCON with Flashscore
Flashscore: Pepo, you were a regular choice in Mozambique's recent training camps, but you won't be at AFCON due to a serious injury just days before the squad was announced. How are you feeling?
Pepo: "Right now, with a bit more calm, I feel like the dream has just been postponed. When it happened, it was a huge shock - it was a massive dream, and realising it wouldn't be possible hit me hard.
"But with a cooler head, you end up finding strength where you thought you had none. The birth of my son and other things helped me see that I have to find a way to turn this around. I've already checked the calendar to see when the qualifiers for AFCON 2027 are, and I've set that as my goal. My aim is to be part of the qualifiers in September and October."
You must have received a lot of messages, but can I ask if there was any special contact from coach Chiquinho Conde or your teammates?
"We're a very close-knit group, and that's really our strength. Because of that, I got a lot of supportive messages from my teammates. The coach called me and still calls, asking how I'm doing and if I've had surgery yet.
"There's real concern, even knowing he can't count on me now or in the near future. I really feel that affection. In our group chat, they left me lots of messages, and I'm very grateful for all the support and encouragement they've given me."
You won't be in Morocco, but I imagine you'll be cheering for your teammates from afar. What are Mozambique's expectations for this AFCON?
"The goal is to make history. Mozambique has never made it past the group stage, and our main objective is always to do better than before. So the focus is clearly on advancing in the tournament, even though we're in a very tough group."
Before your injury, what did your teammates tell you about AFCON?
"What my teammates explained is that African people live football as a true celebration. These tournaments bring a lot of joy to people who, in their daily lives, face many challenges. They really use the matches to forget their problems for a while. So the atmosphere at AFCON is pure festivity.
"In fact, I felt that during the qualifiers, both for AFCON and the 2026 World Cup. Wherever we go, we're always warmly welcomed by our fans and even by opponents. There's a positive energy around football that you don't see as much anymore, especially in Europe, where I play. It's a real pleasure to be part of these events."
Representing Mozambique at AFCON
On a personal level, what would it have meant for you to play in this tournament?
"It would have meant a lot to me and my family, simply because - and this isn't arrogance - I've always felt I could have reached higher levels. Even when I was in the second division, I felt I'd done enough to stay or even move up.
"Being able to play in this tournament would have been almost like a reward. I'm not at the end of my career, but I'm not young anymore either, and I felt like I was finally experiencing moments that made me feel like a real player: packed stadiums, big matches, facing the best.
"Most players at AFCON are with top European clubs, and that made me feel that, even if I hadn't achieved all my ambitions, football was finally giving me a little gift. But that's life."
Ivory Coast, the reigning champions, Gabon, and Cameroon. What's your take on this group?
"I think we have a good chance. In today's football, there are no more 'sharks' like there used to be. Any team can compete on equal terms and show what they're made of. Of course, these will be very tough games, that's obvious, but coming in as outsiders could actually work in our favour.
"The pressure is on the other teams - it's a bit like when a smaller club goes to play at Estadio da Luz (home of Benfica) or another big stadium. I have no doubt my teammates will see it that way: the bigger responsibility is on the other sides. Mozambique will want to enjoy it, compete well, and honestly, I believe we can surprise people."
You were at the last training camp. How was the group: confident, nervous?
"Not nervous at all, the group is very confident. It's true that when the national team gets together, there are always just a few days to work, but since September, October, and November, the group has been pretty much the same. It was like that even before I joined, and that helps a lot.
"It means the system is well established, because there's no time for big changes. I felt the team was ready, confident, and now it's about enjoying the tournament to the fullest and trying to make history."
"Geny is on a whole different level"
Without meaning to be unfair to anyone, is there a player in the Mozambique squad you'd highlight?
"Yes, there is. For me, Geny (Catamo) is on a completely different level. You can really see it. For example, when we played Algeria, he was right up there with their best players. In every detail - acceleration, strength, speed of execution, decision-making - you can tell right away he's a special player. I really enjoy sharing the dressing room with him."
With Mozambique, you get to play alongside players like Geny (Sporting) and Reinildo (Sunderland). But what's it like to be playing in Liga 3 in Portugal and, at the same time, have the chance to play with these world-class players?
"As for me being in Liga 3 and them being at a completely different level... It's a funny situation. I talk about it a lot with my club teammates: the expectations they have for me are as if I were also in the Premier League or Primeira Liga. I feel like they see me as someone who can make a difference alongside them.
"I don't know if that means I'm better than I think... or if they're just being a bit too nice to me (laughs). But the truth is, they believe in my abilities, and that always keeps me really motivated."
The naturalisation process: "It's a huge source of pride for my family"
You were born in Caldas da Rainha, Portugal. How was the process of joining the Mozambique national team? You were first called up in 2021, but only made your debut in 2024. Can you explain what happened in between?
"It's actually quite simple. In 2021, I was called up, but I got injured the week before. And at the time, I didn't have all the paperwork ready - I was going to sort it out when I got there. Since I got injured, I stayed at my club for treatment.
"Also, it was during the COVID period, and there was still a lot of uncertainty. I admit that made me a bit hesitant. After that injury, the next call-up was still very confusing, with lockdowns and restrictions, and I felt it wasn't the right time to go.
"After that, contact faded, and I stopped being called up. Only in 2024 did the opportunity come again. I was at Caldas, after two very tough seasons where I didn't play as much as I wanted and wasn't enjoying football. I came back home to try to be happy playing again.
"When the call-up came, I felt: 'Okay, this makes perfect sense. I really can't let this pass now'. And the way I see the national team now is completely different. I have a maturity that, even though I thought I had in 2021, I actually didn't. So I believe I ended up joining at the right time."
But how did this connection to Mozambique come about? It's through your mother's side, right?
"Exactly. My mother and my uncles, all on my mother's side, were born in Mozambique. My grandmother lived there with my grandfather, and that's where they had their children. My mother, being the youngest, actually spent the least time there, about three or four years. When my grandfather passed away, they all returned to Portugal, but the family lived in Mozambique for about 10 to 15 years."
When did you realise there was a real chance of being called up to the national team because of that family connection?
"It was when I was playing for UD Leiria. Interestingly, Ricardo Campos, who's also from Caldas, had been called up to the Mozambique national team when he was at Boavista.
"When we met in Leiria, we talked about it, and he told me he also joined through his grandparents. Then he said, 'Look, if you want, I can give your number to the federation and let them know you could get naturalised'.
"And that's how it all started. After that contact, they must have started watching my games. Basically, he put my name forward because otherwise, they wouldn't have known about my family connection."
The Olympic goal from the 'Mozambican Bernardo Silva'
How were you received in the national team environment, by the group, the coach, and even the Mozambican people?
"It was all very easy. My relationship with the group and the coach started off well. Even before I went, we'd already talked, and it was always a very straightforward and relaxed conversation.
"Also, having players who were in Portugal helped a lot. At the time, Gildo was playing for Academica, Langa was coming from Chaves, and Geny was even on the same flight as me... that immediately took away any nerves I might have had about travelling alone. Integration was really easy.
"The group has been together for a long time, and there are no egos. Reinildo, Geny, Mexer, Langa... no one puts themselves above anyone else. Everyone is treated the same, and the expectations for me were the same as for the others. That made things much easier. They saw me as someone who could help and welcomed me in the best way.
"And then there was the impact in the country. I arrived there without even having made my debut, and suddenly, at the airport and on the streets, everyone knew who I was. They treated me as if I'd already played a hundred games for the national team. I wasn't expecting that at all.
"It was surprising - and really nice - to feel that warmth right from the start. They'd probably only seen my face in a photo or some post, but for them, I was already another player coming to help. That really stuck with me.
You've already been called the 'Mozambican Bernardo Silva'. How do you feel about that comparison?
"It's great, isn't it? (laughs) To be compared to one of the best midfielders in the world... I can only be grateful. I think it's more about my size than anything else, but that doesn't matter (laughs).
"They're very creative with nicknames. I've been called the Mozambican Bernardo Silva, others have said I'm Modric... basically, they pick the shorter midfielders and make the comparison. Honestly, I find it funny.
"You can expect a stronger Pepo"
In just over a year with the national team, you've already earned 12 caps and scored twice - one of them an Olympic Games goal. Was that your most special moment?
"Without a doubt. Especially because of the impact that goal had. That Olympic goal created a huge buzz. I basically became known in the national team for that: 'the player who scored the Olympic goal'.
"Internally, I already felt valued, but I sensed that, for the Mozambican people - especially those who were sceptical about naturalised players, and even for those who didn't know me from other teams - that was a turning point.
"It seemed like people realised then that I could have a different role in the team. And feeling that trust, that importance, was really special."
Finally, what message would you like to leave for the people of Mozambique?
"Not just to Mozambican fans, but also to those from Caldas. You can expect a stronger Pepo. I'm going to use this time to work on things I felt I wasn't as strong at. Since I'm a bit older now and will be getting some new parts, you'll have to put up with me for many more years than you expected (laughs)."
