The incredible Mannetti

Namibia has many talented coaches but, there is one coach who has achieved more than any other local national team coach.Ricardo Mannetti's endurance and faithful heart has earned him a place in many Namibian football followers' hearts.Born on 25 April 1975, Mannetti grew up in Khomasdal where his passion for sport developed.“At primary school, I was an athlete, but even though I liked athletics, football was always my number-one sport. That is where the 'OkaMannetti' comes from,” Mannetti says.Mannetti spent most of his junior years in Khomasdal where he attended primary school at M.H. Greeff and Khomasdal Primary School.He went on to complete his education at the Ella du Plessis Secondary School.In 1992, just at the tender age of 17, Ricardo Mannetti made his first debut for the Brave Warriors and he went on to obtain 60 caps.A young and shy boy, he impressed the locals and was voted junior sportsman of the year after his impressive display in the national team.Mannetti had a stint with Civics [1997] and also played for South African clubs Santos [1997-2005], and Bush Bucks FC in [2005-2006], with a short loan spell at Avendale Athletico.“I do believe my biggest achievements in football was winning the PSL with Santos and also qualifying for the 1998 Africa Cup of nations with the national team,” Mannetti remembers.Namibia Premier League legendary coach Brian Isaacs, is one of the many people who Mannetti looked up to.Isaacs's style of play and discipline caught Mannetti's eye during the early 90s. The work of Brian Isaacs, Alex Ferguson and Vicente del Bosque inspired Mannetti to become a coach.“My coaching career begun so fast because the one moment I was training with Civics, the next moment I was coaching them.“I think that my leadership skills were one of the things which led to my appointment as a Civics coach.“Winning my first NFA Cup trophy with the Civilians was one of my early coaching accomplishments.”In his early coaching career, he was in charge of clubs like Black Africa and the national under-20 football team. In 2013, the big and real task came when Mannetti was appointed as national team coach in June, replacing Swedish national Rodger Palmgren.Two years later, Mannetti became the first national team coach to lift the Cosafa Castle Cup in South Africa After his team defeated Mozambique 2-0 in the final match of the competition.In 2016, Mannetti led the nation to the Cosafa Cup plate finals were they only managed to win the plate section on home soil.This year, the team lost 1-0 to host South Africa in the plate final of the tournament. His latest success was leading the team to the 2018 Africa Nation Championships (CHAN) slated for Kenya. “My biggest wish and priority at the moment is to help Namibia qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations.” Jesse Jackson Kauraisa

The incredible Mannetti

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Namibian Sun 2025-12-31

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The incredible Mannetti

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Namibian Sun 2025-12-31

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