“We continue with massive strides on all fronts of football development and, going into the 2014 FIFA World Cup, I do not see why Africa cannot have one or two of our representatives reach the semi finals or indeed even the final of the World Cup during my time as President”.
The above quotes were made last week by the President of the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF), Issa Hayatou who has nudged African teams heading to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil to strive to reach the last four.
For the records, no African team has ever gone beyond the quarter finals of the global football extravaganza event as Hayatou believes a last four berth at the June 12 – July 13 event by any of Africa’s flag bearers in Brazil would be an icing on the cake.
Africa’s first representation of the World Cup was in 1934 in Italy where Egypt represented the continent, since then only three teams, Cameroun, Ghana and Senegal have ever reached the quarter finals of the FIFA World Cup.
At Brazil 2014, Africa’s five representatives would be the Desert Foxes of Algeria, Cameroun’s Indomitable Lions, The Elephants of Cote’d’Ivoire, Ghana’s Black Stars and Nigeria’s Super Eagles.
Cameroun is in Group A against hosts Brazil, Croatia and Mexico, Cote d’Ivoire is in Group C with Colombia, Greece and Japan while Nigeria is in Group F with Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iran.
Ghana will play in Group G with Germany, Portugal, and the USA while Algeria will feature in Group H with Belgium, Russia and Korea Republic.
Definitely every group at the World Cup is tough as every team that has made the final 32 can truly be described as being the best and as the final showdown begins in a matter of months, every team will be playing to make a lasting impression. For some, it will definitely end in a first round outing while the usual favorites like Brazil, Netherlands, Germany, Spain,Argentina may be tipped for the final and even emerging champions.
In 1990, Roger Milla stole the headlines at Italia 90 where Africa’s fairy tale dream at the World Cup became a reality but I doubt if such heroics by the legend can be repeated by any of the top strikers on the continent at the World Cup.
There are genuine fears that the best Africa may give at the World Cup would be a second round berth and there lies the hope of a continent with five slots, yet never getting as far as the semi finals.
Issa Hayatou’s charge on paper may sound very motivating and easy but I strongly believe it is a herculean task. The Indomitable Lions today can no longer roar today like in their hey days when teams quaked at their sight.
Today, African football has come off age with the likes of Cape Verde, Guinea giving the bigger teams a run for their money. The African qualifiers saw the Indomitable Lions struggle to qualify.
That team today is rebuilding with the likes of Patrick Mboma, Emmanuel Kunde, Stephen TawTaw and even Samuel Eto’o gone with the dusk of the day.
The Cameroonians have no Talisman and they play in a strong group which has hosts Brazil the favourites, Croatia and Mexico to qualify. They have failed to impress so far and I do not think with any amount of confidence or patriotism that they will go beyond the second round.
I love the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire. In my view, they are the best side on the continent with very experienced and tested players in the likes of King Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou, Yaya Toure who still remain consistent, but the greatest challenge of this side is that despite the array of talents in the team, they have failed to shine on the biggest stage. Their Nations Cup ouster in 2013 at the AFCON Championship against Nigeria remains a great reference even in past editions of the same competition.
The Ivorians will definitely make it out of the group stages and perhaps the quarter finals in my own opinion but like I earlier stated, they fail to shine at the big stage and there has been growing calls to retire some of their aging players from the side.
The Algerians have rebuilt the team to a formidable force having been relegated to background in recent past. The story of the Desert Foxes would be incomplete without the likes of Lakder Belloumi, obviously the best player from the country being mentioned.
Today, the Desert Foxes are perhaps the best team on the continent today even if they haven’t won any trophy and their last Africa qualifier against Senegal once again proved their status as an energy force to watch out in the next Africa Cup of Nations.
Though they are no established names in the team, the synergy in the team remains formidable as they play a very fluid game with youthful talents that will stretch Belgium, Russia and Korea Republic. Even if the Algerians fail to make it to the next round at the World Cup, they will surely leave lasting impressions on their outings at the mundial.
The Black Stars of Ghana have the most difficult task at the World Cup this summer as they play giants like Germany, Portugal and the USA. I just wish the Black Stars the best of luck a formidable side mixed with youth and some experience against the likes of Mezut Ozil, Cristiano Ronaldo, Schwanteiger, Lewandoski, Kroos, just to mention a few.
I have faith that the Black Stars may squeeze through to the next round, though the chances still remain slim.
The Super Eagles have the greatest task at the World Cup going in as African Champions who also featured at the Confederations Cup last year with same experience gathered and I make bold to say that the Eagles have the “easiest” group among Africa’s five representatives at Brazil 2014.
With respect to other teams in Group F and other African representatives, I strongly believe that Nigeria remains Africa’s brightest prospects at the World Cup and with the way preparations are going for the team, the Eagles may just be shooting down their ambition even before they start the final preparation for the World Cup.
Coach Stephen Keshi like I have consistently re-stated will be the person to make or mar any impressions the Eagles will make at Brazil 2014.
With barely three months to the World Cup kick-off, the team is still experimenting with new players being called up. The team has no talisman to lead on the pitch, the Eagles have failed to be convincing in their friendly matches played so far and Coach Keshi is adamant on ruling out our best players like Ikechukwu Uche out of the squad on his personal reasons.
The Eagles will play Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina in their first two matches before meeting Argentina in the final group game and with recent events of a Keshi’s excesses over ruling everyone including the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), it may well be another jamboree for the team in Brazil and an opportunity lost for the country.
In all, the mandate by Issa Hayatou on African teams remains a very strong motivational factor which we can focus to achieve. It is not a difficult task, but it needs the entire cooperation of sports administrators in the different countries, CAF, the technical crew and players and of course the fans who will travel in their thousands to Brazil to give these teams all the needed support to excel at the World Cup.
An appearance for a semi final ticket for Africa’s representatives at the World Cup may truly be an icing on the cake for Issa Hayatou to finally take a bow at the helm of Africa’s football administration for a younger football administrator.
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