Fabrice Akwa Maieco
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Age: 29
Position: Midfield
Country: Germany
Caps: 63
Goals: 30
Club: Chelsea
Previous clubs: Chemnitzer, Kaiserslautern, Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich
In his own words: It's all or nothing, but that's what we've been expecting all along. |  |
Thursday, 18, May 2006 12:17
Age: 29
Position: Forward
Country: Angola
Club: Unattached
National Appearances: 73
Goals: 32
Former clubs: Al-Wakra, Al Saad, Qatar SC Benfica, Mantorras, Alverca, Academica de Coimbra, Nacional Benguela
His own words: Angola is not just about oil, war and poverty.
Angolan fans will be hoping the World Cup provides a fitting send off for captain Fabrice 'Akwa' Maieco who recently signalled his intention to retire at the conclusion of the tournament.
Following his crucial goal against Nigeria, Akwa headed home the goal against Rwanda that booked the Black Imapalas onto the plane for Germany and, in the process, became a national hero clinching Angola's sportsman of the year award.
While he was tipped for a bright European future early in his career, his forays into Portuguese football eventually came to nothing. Currently unattached to a club, he last played for Qatar club Al Wakra. However, his contract here was cancelled due to undisclosed disciplinary reasons.
Regardless of this, the lack of recent exposure should not hurt the Angolan talisman whose marksmanship boasts 32 goals from 73 international appearances - a decent strike rate that Angola coach Luis Oliveira Goncalves will be praying is improved still further in Germany.
Akwa is optimistic about his team's participation in Germany declaring that the tournament is a way to put Angola on the world map but actual chances? Non existent.
Liam Ferney.