2026 World Cup (Q): Ex-Sundowns winger Luis Miquissone dropped from Mozambique’s squad

Former Mamelodi Sundowns winger Luis Miquissone has been dropped from Mozambique football team’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.

The Mambas coach Chiquinho Conde’s exclusion of the former Al Ahly SC midfielder comes as a huge surprise. After all, the 29-year-old is leading the Golden Boot chase for the Mozambique league with seven goals for UD Songo.

Miquissone, who spent time at Al Ahly when Pitso Mosimane was the coach in 2022, has set himself the target of winning the Golden Boot Award.

But it seems Conde is not impressed with the star winger. The national team coach has also ignored Miquissone’s fellow UD Songo winner Elias Pelembe. The continued omission of the Mambas captain comes despite his letter explaining why he missed the previous national team call up.

Edimilson Dove makes squad

Notable inclusions in the squad are former Kaizer Chiefs defender Edmilson Dove and Sunderland’s Reinildo Mandava.

Conde announced Mozambique’s 39-member preliminary squad for the World Cup qualifying matches against Guinea on 6 October at the Zimpeto National Stadium in Maputo. The Mambas will then travel to Algeria, where they will face Somalia on October 10 2025.

The Mambas are coming off a 2-0 loss to Uganda and a win against Botswana by a similar margin. Conde’s men sit in third place in Group G with 15 points, trailing Uganda (15) and Algeria (19).

The top-three teams are chasing the outright World Cup qualifying place or that of the play-offs.

Here is the preliminary squad:

Goalkeepers: Ernan Siluane (Associação Black Bulls), Fasistêncio João “Fazito” (Ferroviário de Nampula), Teixeira Nhanombe (Associação Black Bulls), Ivane Urrubal (Ferroviário de Nacala), Kimiss Zavala (Marítimo, Portugal), José Guirrugo (Ferroviário de Maputo).

Defenders: Domingos Macandza “Mexer” (Associação Black Bulls), Edmilson Dove (Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Iraque), Bruno Langa (Pafos FC, Chipre), Reinildo Mandava (Sunderland AFC, Inglaterra), Infren Matola (UD Songo), Diogo Calila (Santa Clara, Portugal), Oscar Cherene (UD Songo), Manuel Cumbane “Guebuza” (Académico de Viseu, Portugal), Francisco Muchanga “Chico” (Costa do Sol), Edson Sitoe “Mexer” (Ankara Keçiorengucu, Turquia), Feliciano Jone “Nené” (Associação Black Bulls), Fernando Chambuco (Associação Black Bulls)

Midfielders: Amade Momade “Amadou” (Tanzania Prisons, Tanzânia), Alfonso Amade (Dunfermline Athletic, Escócia), João Bonde (Ferroviário da Beira), Ricardo Guimarães “Guima” (Zira FK, Azerbaijão), Manuel Kambala (Polokwane City FC, África do Sul), Keyns Abdala (GD Chaves, Portugal), Ezequiel Machava (Ferroviário de Maputo), Pedro Santos “Pepo” (Caldas SC, Portugal), Shaquille Nangy (Sagrada Esperança, Angola), Clésio Bauque (Associação Black Bulls), Geny Catamo (Sporting CP, Portugal), Witiness Quembo “Witi” (Nacional da Madeira, Portugal), Gildo Vilanculos (Tandamon Sour Club, Líbano), Sapane Zunguze “Sampaio” (Ferroviário de Maputo).

Forwards: Stanley Ratifo (Chemie Leipzig, Alemanha), Faizal Bangal (AC Mestre, Itália), António Sumbane (Associação Black Bulls), Ângelo Cantolo (Chingale de Tete), Elias Macamo (Ferroviário de Maputo), Chamito Lamborino (Académico de Viseu, Portugal), Melque Alexandre (UD Songo).