As long ago as 1974, Pele predicted that an African team would win the World Cup before the 21st century was out. Pele was one of the best footballers that ever lived, but he wouldn’t have made much money betting in Cyprus on football, because nearly fifty years on from that statement, the only continents with any World Cup winners remain Europe and South America. An Asian team has made the semi-finals and there have been quarter-finalists from just about every corner of the planet, but Africa has yet to crack the last four let alone lift the title.
How close are African teams to fulfilling the potential that the Brazilian legend deemed them to have? There are some notably great African players, some of whom will be on show in Qatar this summer. But is there a team great enough to finally lay to rest the myth that teams from the planet’s largest continent simply don’t have what it takes? Let’s look at the best contenders and see if there’s anyone who you could realistically call a World Cup hopeful.
Senegal
After Cameroon in 1990 and Nigeria in 1994, Senegal’s 2002 World Cup showing offered a solid template for African sides at the World Cup. There have been plenty of African teams rich in talent, but the Teranga Lions were perhaps the first to bring together the elements that make a consistent winning team. This Senegal squad may be better than the 2002 version; more or less the entire squad is drawn from top European leagues, and Sadio Mane is joined by a wealth of players from successful sides. This is possibly the most complete African squad in World Cup history, with game-changers in all parts of the field. They’re 80/1 with some bookies, but those odds will narrow a bit if they do well in the group stage.
Cameroon
To match their best-ever performance at a World Cup, Cameroon would need to make the quarter-finals, as did Roger Milla and company in 1990. The signs aren’t great, unfortunately, as the group stage sees them in with Brazil, Serbia and Switzerland, all of whom are in good form. There’s certainly talent in the Indomitable Lions’ squad, but it’s spread much thinner than the Senegalese cohort. The bulk of the experienced players are drawn from Saudi, Greek and American leagues, and while there’s no doubting the quality of goalkeeper Andre Onana (Inter Milan), they’re relying on striker Vincent Aboubakar for goals – and he’s been playing in the mediocre Saudi league since last year.
Ghana
Ghana’s odds to get anywhere in this World Cup are discouragingly long, but this may be a nod to the fact that they share a group with Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea. Escape that group, and they may well be up against Brazil. A major talent drive by the national federation has persuaded overseas players with Ghanaian heritage to declare for the national team, and it’s afforded them some definite talent. Tariq Lamptey, Inaki Williams and a few others are quality additions to a squad already containing Felix Afena-Gyan, the Ayew brothers and Mohammed Kudus, along with young prodigy Kamaldeen Sultana.
If they can get out of their group and avoid Brazil – two massive ifs – then Ghana could be the best contender of all the African sides. Are they good enough to win it all? Probably not – but they have the beginnings of a side which could go a long way in the future, and maybe deliver a World Cup in 2026.
