We spoke after the friendly match with Argentina. What was it like playing with the World Champions? Particularly with Messi, of course.
"I don't think anyone would have thought that the World Champion and world number one could come to Angola to play a match, would they? The last time they played was in Naples, and the difficulty of bringing a team like that to Africa... only in a major competition, which was the World Cup in South Africa. I can't remember off the top of my head if there's ever been another team that big to come and play on the African continent.
"Everyone kept asking 'Is Messi coming to Angola? They have to have all the vaccinations, will he go to all that trouble, will he not?' Those were the questions.
"This was dealt with by people from the country, apart from the Federation. All they said to us was 'We're just going to organise the match, they're going to make the trip, they're going to be accompanied by powerful people from the country and the government, and all we know is that there's going to be a match with Argentina on 14 November'. Then there was speculation that it was 10, 12, 15 million euros, and that they would only pay that if Messi came.
"It was a unique experience, one to remember later. Playing Argentina was unthinkable and so was playing against one of the best ever. Not conceding a goal (from Messi), not even in my best dreams.
"I thought about it a lot, I knew I was going to play; on the day of the game I knew I was going to start because it was agreed that we would play 45 minutes each half. I was happy to be a starter, a lot of moves went through my head, Messi shooting and me defending, and it came true, luckily for me."
Is there a moment from that particular game that you'll remember? Did you get a shirt?
"Everyone started choosing. They wanted Lautaro (Martinez)'s, Messi's, etc. I said, 'I'm going to turn to (Geronimo) Rulli, who's in my position, and I'll speak to him.'
"At the end of the game, I spoke to him, and he said 'Can I have yours too?' And I said to him 'Look, I apologise, but I can't give you this one because we only have one, but don't worry, I'll talk to Clinton (Mata), who plays for Lyon, and when he comes to AFCON in December, I'll give him the shirt and he'll give it to you when he plays against you.' Rulli said no problem.
'I took my shower, went to the Argentina dressing room, Rulli came to the door and said 'So, Hugo, have you got your shirt yet? I gave it to someone from the Federation to give to you' and I'm like, 'What did you do? (laughs) Do you think someone came to give me the shirt? Here, anyone arrives, you think they're from the Federation, you give them the shirt and they disappear. And that's what happened, I didn't get the shirt.
'I'll tell Clinton when he comes, I'll give him the shirt and I'll write a note saying 'Here's my shirt, but I didn't get yours because it's gone.' I wish I'd kept the shirt of someone from Argentina, but the moment that will stay with me and my family forever was the save I made on Messi's shot, and then he recognised the save, and I have this photo of the two of us shaking hands. That recognition was worth much more than any shirt."
It was a friendly match, of course, but (Lionel) Scaloni praised Angola's display. To what extent could this game have contributed to your preparations for AFCON?
"These kinds of games bring out the best in us in terms of commitment and concentration. There are mistakes because they're the best, they cause mistakes. Not all teams are lucky enough to prepare against teams like this.
"For us, it was very good, it's a game that shows it's possible to have a good AFCON. We had good possession of the ball, constructed good moves and had chances to score.
"There were those who thought it was just going to be Argentina on the ball and us defending, which would be normal because Argentina had almost the whole team starting, and that was a very good test for us. Preparing for an AFCON with Argentina? There's nothing better than that."
What did the team show in that match?
"The game went on and I felt their confidence. That shows the character of the team.
"The coach has done a good job because normally, when you come to the national team, you come with the thought 'I'm going to relax a bit because I'm going to be with my friends who I haven't seen for a long time.' What he's been telling us is that we can't make it easy, and I've felt a difference in the team's organisation.
"We had chances to get to Argentina's goal, we had situations and we showed character."
"If we don't get through the group stage, it will be a big disappointment"
How would you describe the current state of the Angolan national team? There was a relatively recent change of coach.
"We're in a moment of transition. I worked with the former coach almost from the start and what I've noticed is the difference is what he asks of us in training: more concentration and intensity.
"He's a coach who's been to seven AFCONs and that gives him a lot of experience. He won two AFCONs as an assistant, but he's won and been there, so he knows what's needed.
"The old coach wanted it, of course, but I felt that in the build-up to the games there was a lack of concentration and that wasn't good. Everything can go well because the players are talented, or badly like in this World Cup qualification."
Angola has shown more competitiveness recently, but ended up only fourth in the qualifying group where Cape Verde were the surprise package. Where do you think the team evolved and where did it struggle the most?
"The coach told us in training: 'I want a good team that can beat any team and can beat any team. I don't want a team that can beat any team and can lose to any team.' We lacked a bit of that in qualifying for the World Cup; more stability, more demand.
After AFCON, everyone was hopeful that qualification for the World Cup would be very good. The team was the same and whoever reaches the quarter-finals of AFCON can go head-to-head with the teams to go to the World Cup. Everyone was thinking along those lines, and I was too.
"We started with a draw in Cape Verde, which is always good, and then we drew with Mauritius, and you could see that something is missing there, and that's where we have to take the next step. We have to play good games against good teams, but we have to beat teams that are theoretically weaker. Only then will Angola be able to go to the World Cup again."
In 2024, you matched the country's greatest achievement and reached the quarters. Is the aim to do the same or does the level of the group with Egypt and South Africa make that mission very difficult?
"We're preparing to get through the group stage, and we think it's possible. With a win in the group, we can get into the top third straight away, and that's good.
"At the last AFCON, Angola weren't favourites in the group either and they came first, so that can tell you a lot about what's to come in the round of 16. Firstly, you could meet a third-placed team from another group.
"We have to do our job and try to get as far up the group as possible. From what we've been doing, if we don't get through the group stage, it'll be a big disappointment."
In recent years, we've seen some growth in African teams. What do you think has changed to make this happen?
"The European continent's commitment to African players. If you go to African teams, the ones that weren't very big have already managed to get four or five players at a good level into European clubs, and that's pulling the others along, the country itself having better conditions in terms of training and the league. That's where evolution begins.
"CAF makes it compulsory for all the pitches in the (African) Champions League to be good to play on. In the past, there wasn't that; nowadays, there's a strict inspection. You get to the group stage, and all the stadiums are new or have recently been remodelled. This makes football evolve and is good for all the teams."
A growth that is being accompanied by the structural growth of the organisations?
Yes, and AFCON is the most-watched spectacle in the world after the World Cup. Africa is everywhere. If you look at the visualisations on YouTube, the streams, when there's an AFCON one it goes through the roof.
"Whoever is at a very good level in AFCON gets good contracts. On an organisational level, the president of CAF has given Africa significant growth."
Speaking of Angola, what are the team's strengths at the moment?
"I think we're very strong defensively at the moment. If we can take that further, because we have very good players, if we can get it going, we can be a very strong team."
What do you think is missing for the country to return to the World Cup?
There's a lack of consistency in projects. It's not good to keep changing the coach, not to give continuity to a direction.
"Now you have a president who likes football, he was involved with Interclub for many years; he was a champion. You have the vice president, Kali, who went to the 2006 World Cup, had many international caps, he likes football. The involvement is good, but it has to be continued.
"If all goes well, we'll have a good AFCON, then a third of this group will leave and we'll have to be ready to fill the vacancies that will open up to continue the project.
"There are players who used to never leave here, and others were in the second divisions of Portugal and Spain, but now you see players in LaLiga, Ligue 1, Serie A. We have to continue that because, in time, we could be a strong contender to go to the World Cup."
"This is going to be the best CAN ever"
How is the team preparing for AFCON?
"It's been good. We'll have more preparation matches, but with the final squad. Everyone is hoping to go.
"This is going to be the best AFCON ever, because Morocco is preparing to host the World Cup and we're going to find excellent conditions.
"It's going to be a very well-contested AFCON., The players have come prepared, they no longer say no to the national team, they don't ask to stay at their clubs to fight for a place and they come to the national team because they know that a good AFCON is a huge showcase.
"What I feel was that the team is strong and everyone is fighting for their place."
Looking at the teams present, who could be the favourites or surprises?
he teams that qualified for the World Cup will certainly be in the driving seat. Morale will be high, the group will be stronger.
"Egypt, for me, will always be number one. It's the team with the most African titles. Then there's Sadio Mane and Senegal; the Ivory Coast, who nobody would have given anything for in the last AFCON and got there right at the end; Nigeria will want revenge for not going to the World Cup; Congo will be moralised because they reached the playoffs.
"I think the teams that are going to the World Cup, like Congo and Cameroon - who are going to have changes - are going to be the main contenders."
"I knew my turn would come and now I'll be there"
On a personal level, you were a substitute at AFCON 2012, and now you have the chance to make your debut. How would it feel to see this dream realised at this time and to represent Angola in the competition for the first time?
"13 years later, I can make my debut. It's always been a goal since I decided to take Angolan nationality in 2011 to represent the national team.
"I wasn't lucky enough to make my debut, but I was there with perhaps the best squad Angola has ever had. Now, in 2025/26, it could be my debut. I hope it is, I'm going to fight for it... Even at 39, I feel very strong physically and mentally."
You were born in Braga and went on to play for Portugal's youth teams, but you joined the Angolan national team a long time ago. Curiously, you were then away from the national team for almost seven years. What do you think led to that?
"It's the things I say: projects get done, but then managers and coaches change and there's always someone who pays.
"I was called up for AFCON, but in the first break after that, I wasn't called up because the coach changed. I was still playing and the new coach simply didn't call me up. I returned to Portugal and I still didn't get a call-up, as the coach mostly called up players from Girabola.
"It was only when Pedro Goncalves took over that I got a call from Benfica's former goalkeeping coach, who had worked in Angola saying 'Mister wants you to come back. Are you open to coming back?' And I said, 'I've never been closed, they just didn't call me up.'
"In those seven years, I missed out on two or three AFCONs where I could have been. It was tough, but I always said I wasn't going to give up. I knew my turn would come and now, if all goes well, I'll be there."
Was returning to Angola a determining factor for you to establish yourself in the national team? Was that also the reason you signed for Petro?
"When I returned to Angola, it wasn't because of the national team. I was in South Africa, in Cape Town, and I was already being called up by Pedro Goncalves.
"My return to Angola even had to do with my departure from the national team. There was an unfortunate episode with a fan on the pitch. The coach couldn't live with it; I could. He preferred to take me out of the team's goal in a qualifier; we were first, but he took the pressure and took me out of the goal. I felt unprotected at the time. Maybe I should have taken the punch in the stomach, but I couldn't, and that's how it happened.
"I came to Petro to fight for titles. The financial part also weighed on me, but I wanted to be in a country I knew, because I was alone in South Africa, 14 hours from my home in Povoa de Varzim, and in Angola I was closer. That was also the reason for my move."
You're close to achieving a career goal. What other big goals do you still have? Will we still see you defending Angola's goal in the coming years?
"I'll be 29 on the 15th of January; if we're in AFCON, it's a sign that we're close to the final. Everyone says that Ronaldo's 1000th goal is in the World Cup final, and for me, it was a dream to celebrate my birthday with the national team.
"I have a dream of playing in the (African) Champions League with Petro de Luanda... then I want to make my debut in AFCON, which I haven't yet, and to do more than I did in the last AFCON would be fantastic.
"Will I continue to represent Angola? That will depend on the coach. Fortunately, I'll have another year at Petro de Luanda and, if he thinks I'm doing well, I'll go with open arms because I want to enjoy everything I can enjoy in my career."