With the CAF contingent expanded to 10 countries out of a total of 48, Africa had an increased opportunity to progress to the latter stages of this 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup (WC)
They achieved partial success, with nine of the ten making it through their groups & into the Round of 32.
Many for the first time.
The only disappointment was the under performance of Tunisia, who lost all three of their matches, albeit in a tricky group.
The headlines were made by tiny Cape Verde, especially their goalie Vozinha who was picked in the ‘Team of the Tournament’.
And Sidny Lopes Cabral’s stunning equaliser against finalists Argentina, in one of the games of the WC, was named the ‘Goal of the Tournament’
Mo Salah and Egypt would also go on to trouble the Argentinians after they went two goals up in Atlanta before succumbing.
DR Congo also led England until Harry Kane delivered two late strikes and Senegal stretched Belgium until the last minutes before they suffered a heartbreaking exit.
But it was Mohamed Ouabhi’s Morocco who reinforced their status as the top African nation by eliminating the Netherlands, on spot kicks, then easing past co-hosts Canada to reach another WC quarter-final where they found France too strong.
The Atlas Lions will have the chance to develop further when they are in the spotlight as co-hosts of the 2030 WC
Overall the increased allocation of CAF places was certainly justified, signalling a certain strength in depth (and a surprise to many in the football media)
But currently it is hard to see an African nation winning this competition when the final stages are dominated by European and South American teams and their superstar players.
Analysis – John Bethell
