Nando (Mozambican footballer)

Fernando Paulo "Nando" Matola (9 August 1982 – 2 September 2007) was a Mozambican footballer who played as a defender. He represented two clubs in a nine-year career and earned 15 caps for his country.

Nando

Personal information
Full name	Fernando Paulo Matola
Date of birth	(1982-08-09)9 August 1982
Date of death	2 September 2007(2007-09-02) (aged 25)
Place of death	near Modjadjiskloof, South Africa
Position(s)	Defender
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1998–2002	Costa do Sol	61	(5)
2003–2007	Black Leopards	128	(2)
Total		189	(7)
International career
2002–2007	Mozambique	15	(1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Matola played for Costa do Sol in his homeland and Black Leopards in South Africa, both of which he captained.^[1]

Death

Matola was driving from Johannesburg to Maputo for an African Nations Cup qualifier against Tanzania when his car veered off the road and went up in flames.^[2] He, his wife and their children were burnt beyond recognition and the bodies were discovered four days later in South Africa's mountainous Limpopo province.^[3]