It’s been a whole decade since South Africa hosted the Fifa World Cup, and we haven’t heard much about football in Africa since. Despite all the skeptics who expressed concerns about crime and the country’s infrastructure’s readiness to handle such a huge international event, things certainly went off well. For the country, it was a proud moment and allowed a lot of the locals to feel like they were there playing the game.
The World Cup in South Africa helped to establish the continent’s reputation. Consider some of Africa’s top football teams, their accomplishments, and whether they are still competing at such a high level.
Ghana 2010
Ghana played five games, won 2, drew 1, and lost 2 in the World Cup quarter-finals.
Asamoah “Baby Jet” Gyan was the captain of a Ghanaian team that included a powerful midfield. These men devised the movements, with Gyan on hand to complete them.
He scored the game-winning goal in extra time against the US, a late winner against Serbia in the Black Stars’ inaugural match, and a first-half equalizer against Australia in Rustenburg. Gyan retained his composure to start the scoring in the ill-fated shoot-out despite missing a late penalty against Uruguay in the quarter-final.
Milovan Rajevac, a Serbian coach, was one of many Yugoslav managers who rose to prominence while coaching in Africa. Rajevac took over as coach of the Black Stars in August 2008 and led the team to the 2010 AFCON final before advancing to the World Cup. Since leaving the Qatar post in 2011, he has been out of the game, but still loves to post about his famous coaching days online.
Despite their efforts, Ghana’s World Cup performance in 2010 will be remembered by Luis Suarez’s goal-line handball in the quarter-final seconds. Ghana was denied a berth in the semi-finals due to Uruguay’s conduct (and history).
Senegal 2002
Quarter-final performance: 5 games played, 2 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss.
El-Hadji Diouf was a lightning player with the world at his feet before becoming the most despised character in British football. The conflicts and worries about temperament lingered, but the left-sided forward was remembered for his speed and sharp movement, not for his spitting and caustic words.
Bruno Metsu, who recently passed away, had a long and illustrious career in France, Asia, and Africa. His most significant achievement came in 2002, although he also won the Gulf Cup with the United Arab Emirates in 2007. After a protracted struggle with colon cancer, he passed away in October 2013.
The Teranga Lions’ first-round loss to France will go down in history as one of the greatest upsets of the tournament and one of the most famous moments in World Cup history. The West Africans were amateurs, but France was a European superpower and incumbent world champion and boasted one of the best international lineups in history.
Algeria 1982
Round 1 of the World Cup: 3 games played, 2 wins, 0 draws, 1 loss
Rabah Madjer is one of North Africa’s best-known exports. In 1987, he won the European Cup with Porto after scoring an equalizer in the final, and he was also named African Footballer of the Year in the same year. During the World Cup in Spain, he and the outstanding Lakhdar Belloumi were in top form.
During the summer of 1982, the Desert Foxes flourished under the guidance of two formidable men. During the 1980 Summer Olympics, Mahieddine Khalef was in charge of the squad, and he was joined in Spain by Rachid Mekhloufi, a national hero from the renowned FLN team of the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Algeria was sadly ousted in the first round as a result of Austria and West Germany collaborating. The two European neighbors played for a specific result, knowing that a one- or two-goal German victory would see both sides through.
The Nichtangriffspakt von Gijon (disgrace of Gijon )is, in our opinion, the World Cup’s saddest moments, and one that assured that one of Africa’s strongest teams will be dissatisfied for the rest of their careers in the international arena.
Nigeria 1994
Nigeria played 4 games, won 2, and lost 2 in the World Cup Round of 16 with no draws.
Emmanuel Amuneke’s World Cup performance in 1994 stands as a near-unbroken reminder of the winger’s extraordinary ability in a career marred by injuries and disappointments. He scored against Italy and Bulgaria. He appeared to have the world at his feet after bringing the continental title back to Nigeria only a few months before.
Clemens Westerhof, a Dutch tactician, is still revered in Nigerian football. He was in charge of the country’s Golden Generation in the early 1990s, and he was the first to see the country’s enormous footballing potential. He not only gathered a group of remarkable players, but he also led the Super Eagles to the AFCON victory.
Nigeria’s first World Cup match occurred against Bulgaria in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas: a Super Eagles squad that included Finidi George, Rashidi Yekini, and Daniel Amokachi thrashed the Eastern Europeans 3-0 in a game still remembered as one of Africa’s best single World Cup performances.
Which of these teams is your favourite in footballing history?
These African teams certainly proved themselves to be worthy opponents in every World Cup where they have competed. We can’t wait to see who makes it through in next year’s tournament.