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World Cup 2018: Is Africa ready to challenge for the FIFA World Cup title in 2018?

World Cup 2018: Is Africa ready to challenge for the FIFA World Cup title in 2018?

By Kelvin Trudeau Musako,

African giants are already plotting their route to Russia 2018 following the draws for the CAF countries in Saint Petersburg held on 25 July 2015.
Once again the African continent will have 5 representatives at the 2018 edition to be hosted by Russia but never in the history of this prestigious tournament has an African country lifted the trophy. The closest Africa has come to a sniff of World glory is only accounted on three occasions.
INSPIRED PERFORMANCES
The first was at Italia 90 where a Rodger Miller inspired Cameroon qualified to the quarter finals after an amazing group stage performance including a 1-0 triumph over defending Champions Argentina. Rodger Miller took the tournament by storm coming off as a substitute to score a brace against Colombia in the knockout stages. The English got in their way via a 3-2 score line in the quarterfinals thanks to two penalties from Gary Lineker.
The second time Africa came close to glory was in the 2002 tournament hosted by Japan and South Korea. Senegal were participating at the FIFA World Cup for the first time and their first task was to get past the French in Seoul. France the defending champions were expected to win but the heroics of Bouba Diop was enough to stun the French in front of a 62,000 packed crowd. Senegal drew their second and third game against Denmark and Uruguay respectively and it was enough to set a date with Sweden in the Knock out round. A famous Henri Camara brace saw them win 2-1 and eventually face Turkey in the Quarter finals only to lose via a late golden goal from Ilhan.
Africa came close again in 2010 when the continent hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time in South Africa. A bullish Ghana side led by Asamoah Gyan were rampant beating Serbia 1-0 in the first match and drawing 1 all with Australia in the second game. The Ghanaians lost 1-0 to Germany in the last group game but the Black Stars qualified to the last 16. They got past a USA side by a 2-1 score line, with goals from Suley Munthari and Prince Boateng sealing the famous win. They were harshly halted in the Quarterfinals by the infamous Luis Suarez handball with Asamoah Gyan failing to convert the penalty kick in extra time. Uruguay went on to progress 4-2 on penalties.
CHOKERS
Fast toward to Brazil 2014 and the Golden  generation of Ivory Coast with the likes of Yaya Toure, Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and Chieck Tiote carried the continent’s hopes on their shoulders. Also in contention were the Algerians and
Black Stars of Ghana. The Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon were also present to try their luck. But again all the African teams choked when it mattered most. Ghana and Algeria were the only teams to make it out of the group stages but their journey as soon as they reached the knock out phases.
Many fans across the African continent keep asking the same question over and over. Are African teams good enough to win the next FIFA World Cup?
The usual suspects will attempt to keep up the trends of qualifying to the World Cup. Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, Senegal and many other African giants will battle for a place among the 5 slots allocated to the region.
SLEEPING GIANTS
The nostalgic tag of Under Dog will always keep on ringing in our ears. Football giants flourish on the misfortunes of smaller nations. Of the 53 National football associations on the continent only 13 countries, Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, South Africa, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Angola, Togo, Senegal and the DRC (then Zaire) have represented Africa at the World Cup. Could this mean that the quality of African Football is below par? Why the same teams?
Near achievers like Zambia who have long been considered as one of the best sides on the continent will be hoping to break that trend and qualify to their first World Cup but first they need to negotiate their way past a resilient Sudanese side. And of course there is the ever improving Cape Verde team who have taken African by storm with impressive showing at the last two AFCON tournaments. And who can write off the Zimbabweans, or the flames of Malawi and the Brave Warriors of Namibia?
East African ambassadors Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania keep finding themselves on the wrong end of things but if recent performances are anything to go by, then they too are within a shout of squeezing a spot at the next FIFA World Cup.
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Ex- CAF Media Expert. An expert on African football with over 15 years experience ,always with an ear to the ground with indepth knowledge of the game. I have worked for top publications including 7 years at www.supersport.com until i founded www.soka25east.com to quench the thirst of football lovers across the continent. I have trained young upcoming journalists who are now a voice in African football.I have covered World Cup,AFCON,CHAN,Champions League,Confederations Cup,Cecafa,Cosafa,Wafu and many other football tournaments across the World. Founder Football Africa Arena(FAA),Founder www.afrisportdigital.com

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