Mozambique President, Daniel Francisco has promised a cash reward to players and officials of the country’s senior national team, the Mambas, ahead of their Round of 16 encounter against Nigeria at the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The president announced an extraordinary bonus of 500,000 meticais, equivalent to about ₦11.3m, for each player and member of the technical crew should the team defeat the Super Eagles and progress to the quarter-finals of the competition.
Mozambique booked a place in the knockout stage after finishing third in Group F, despite suffering a 2–1 defeat to Cameroon in their final group match, setting up a showdown with Nigeria, one of the tournament favourites.
In a message addressed to the players and coaching staff yesterday, President Francisco hailed the team’s performance at the group stage, describing their qualification as historic and worthy of national pride.
He commended the Mambas for their discipline, courage and determination, noting that their resilience had earned Mozambique a place among the continent’s top teams at the championship.
According to reports by Jornal Notícias, the cash incentive was unveiled as part of efforts to boost the team’s morale ahead of the high-stakes clash, with the president assuring the squad of the full backing of the Mozambican people.
Nigeria and Mozambique will meet on Monday, January 5, at the Complexe Sportif de Fès, with kickoff scheduled for 8pm Nigerian time, as both sides battle for a place in the last eight of the tournament.
