Nogueira drives Afghan youth revolution despite four-nation final defeat to Pakistan

By Alam Zeb Safi
LAHORE: Afghanistan football coach José Antonio Nogueira, who belongs to Brazil, remains highly optimistic about the future of his national team despite a 2-0 defeat to arch-rivals Pakistan in the final of the Diamond Jubilee Four-Nation Tournament in Malé.
In an exclusive interview with The Cricket Plus, the Brazilian tactician revealed he is overseeing a massive squad rebuilding project aimed at restoring Afghanistan’s regional football stature through youth development.
The detailed interview sheds light on Nogueira’s structural changes, his tactical analysis of the final and the contrasting preparation timelines between the two neighboring sides.
Nogueira, who took charge of the Afghan national side in mid-February, has rapidly transitioned the squad into one of the youngest in South Asia. He disclosed that the current roster features a massive reliance on developmental players:
•Five players under the age of 20 fast-tracked into the senior setup.
•Four players under the age of 23 anchoring core positions.
•Multiple debutants receiving their first-ever call-ups to the senior national team during this tournament.
“It is a very young team,” Nogueira stated, contrasting his side’s youthful profile with tournament rivals like Bangladesh.
“Bangladesh talked a lot about their under-23 players, but my team is full of young boys. We have three boys between under-20 and under-23 who are exceptional. This is part of our foundation for the future.”
Reflecting on Wednesday night’s final in the Maldives, Nogueira argued that the 2-0 scoreline did not accurately reflect the balance of play. He noted that Afghanistan controlled possession and played with an attacking philosophy for large stretches of the match.
However, a costly lapse in concentration in the 24th minute of the first half broke Afghanistan’s momentum.
“Yesterday we played well, but Pakistan’s synchronization and rhythm are better in this moment,” Nogueira admitted. “Pakistan waited for our mistake. We made one big mistake from our goalkeeper on an easy ball. He lacked luck and conceded a goal on a shot that wasn’t even strong, struck from inside the penalty area. Accepting that goal in the 24th minute allowed Pakistan to settle down, become calm, and control the match.”
A major talking point of the interview was the disparity in preparation time and coaching stability between the two finalists. Pakistan is currently led by veteran Peruvian manager Nolberto Solano, who has been embedded with his squad for over a year.
“Pakistan has been with their coach a long time. The Peruvian coach has been there maybe a year or a bit more,” Nogueira pointed out. “I just arrived in mid-February. This is only my second stint with them, alongside one short camp with the Under-20s to scout fresh talent.”
Nogueira emphasized that tactical fluidity cannot be built overnight, appealing for extended training windows ahead of international fixtures.
“I need to collect more pieces and prepare them. I want to stay with them not just for the matches, but I need training time. If I can get even one week of solid training before a match, it will be excellent for us.”
Despite the final loss, Nogueira views the tournament, which also featured host nation Maldives and Bangladesh, as a massive net positive, expressing immense pride that both Afghanistan and Pakistan navigated their way to the championship match final.
“I am realistic about where we stand as a national team right now, and I know where Pakistan is,” Nogueira concluded.
“But believe me, we can go up. InshaAllah, I will bring Afghanistan back to a much better international ranking in the future.”