OP-ED: Unlike the Soccer Teams of Africa’s Past, Today's Qualified Nationals Are Contenders– Not Pretenders
Today’s CAF teams are not the ones of Africa’s past. With many world-renowned soccer players like Sadio Mane (depicted above) playing for them, Africa’s qualified squads are no longer underdogs. Photo: Amr Nabil/AP Newsroom
An African nation has participated in every occurrence of soccer’s FIFA World Cup finals since 1970, and this year is no different. Five teams– Cameroon, Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal– have all qualified, and games will begin next week, on Nov. 18.
However, 2022 is different for African soccer. Coaches, journalists, commentators, and other soccer experts from around the world seem to agree that Africa’s teams have reached new heights in the past four years. Not only is the Confederation of African Football (CAF) sending five teams, tying the record for non-host African countries sent, but many claim that this is the highest quality of teams ever sent as well.
Africa’s history with soccer has been a bumpy one, with international development truly accelerating under the FIFA Presidency of revolutionary Brazilian, Joao Havelange (1974-1998), who introduced youth championships to the region, invested in local infrastructures, and encouraged African participation in the best leagues. However, the practices of foreign clubs in Africa quickly became malicious and exploitative, improving the national infrastructure and teams of European countries instead of African ones.
Throughout the 90s and 2000s however, FIFA and CAF banned under 18 transfers, instituted mandatory compensation fees, and regulated international transfers, allowing players to spend more time at home before developing their career abroad.
This created players with more roots in their home countries, and investment in Africa skyrocketed once again. The national teams gained higher quality players, facilities improved, and more teams began to qualify then ever.
Now, African teams are not only winning more games, but succeeding above and beyond. At least one African country has made it to the playoff rounds since 1982, (bar one time) and Ghana even made it to the quarterfinal in 2010. This year, Senegal has even been labelled a “dark-horse candidate” to win the whole cup.
This year’s CAF qualifiers are truly groundbreaking, each team is coached by an African coach, a first in CAF history, and all the nations have multiple world-class players known around the world.
Tunisia
Probably the weakest African team, even this team has a well-touted prospect in Hannibal Mejbri. He has been designated a “wonderkid” by the media, and is on loan at Birmingham City from Manchester United, where the manager called him “absolutely phenomenal.” He is generally acknowledged to have a very high potential. Mejbri, along with other dual-nationals like Aïssa Laïdouni and Omar Rekik, have given the side a boost with higher expectations than ever before.
Given their weaker squad, Tunisia play very defensively, but are definitely still worthy of praise. Head Coach Jalel Kadri, has implemented a successful 4-1-4-1 tactic that soaks up pressure in the back in order to get off quick counter-attacks.
Using this, Tunisia has seen unseen national results in the past year. They beat Chile, a former South American champion, and Japan, a fellow World Cup qualifier, on their way to winning the Kirin Cup. They also beat a respected Mali team to qualify.
Despite lesser known names, Tunisia should not be underestimated given their recent results, and their determined players.
Cameroon
Cameroon is the traditional powerhouse of African soccer. They boast the most appearances by an African team, eight, and probably the historically best African player to ever play, Samuel Eto’o.
While definitely not the golden generation of decades past, (with Eto’o and his teammates retired) Cameroon is still a force to be reckoned with. Midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Nguissa has been in top form for the currently leading Italian Serie A side, Napoli, this season. Veteran striker, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting has also been on fire in the Bundesliga, scoring six goals and two assists in ten appearances. Other parts of the squad are also in very good form at just the right time, so beating Cameroon will be no easy task.
The big problem with this Cameroon side is predictability. Cameroon got very low-ranked teams in qualifying, like Ethiopia and Malawi. The team has arguably not gone against a quality World Cup side since 2018, when they lost against Germany.
Their performance is a wild card for sure, but if their players’ recent forms are any indication, do not count them out.
Morocco
Morocco and another African country, Ghana, may be the most underrated sides at this World Cup.
With names such as Hakim Ziyech of Chelsea, Achraf Hakimi of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and Noussair Mazraoui of Bayern Munich, this squad is chocked full of amazing talent. Morocco embodies the development of African soccer in the past few decades: establish the infrastructure to train home talents, develop players abroad, and prosper.
Since Hakimi, Ziyech, and Mazroui all play in the wing-positions, the group really focuses on the sides of the pitch. They make lots of early runs into positions where they can get as many crosses off as possible, or cut in.
However, Morocco also encapsulates the problem many African teams have. They have a fair deal of star-power now, but lack quality in one or two key positions. In Morocco's case it is simply the defensive midfield. They don’t have anyone in the middle of the pitch who can progress the ball, so they lose the ball from possession in the centre often.
Don’t be fooled though, Morocco’s individual quality alone can carry them in most matches. They have beaten ex-South American champions Chile, fellow qualifiers, Ghana, and almost defeated highly-touted Egypt, bar a penalty shootout.
Ghana
Ghana is, post-qualification, a whole different team. After qualification, the side picked up multiple high quality dual internationals who wanted to play, which will totally change the team going forward.
Top-level full-back Tariq Lamptey plays in the Premier League with Brighton, and has pledged to play for Ghana. Inaki Williams, top-level striker for Top-6 Spanish side Athletic Bilbao, has also switched nationalities. This, paired with already successful players like Ajax’s Mohammed Kudus and Leicester’s Daniel Amartey, leads to a side packed with more quality depth than arguably any other African squad.
However, with major changes in the line-up, the question is: will the squad have good teamwork? With so many new players, they won’t have much time to practise together or study the tactical set-up. This may affect their play.
Undoubtedly though, with the acquisition of major stars, Ghana’s qualification means a new quality generation to move forward with and the possibility of surprises next week.
Senegal
Widely touted as Africa’s best hopes, Senegal’s squad is a level above the rest.
The star of the show is Sadio Mane, legendary Liverpool forward, now playing for Bayern Munich. However, Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly, goalkeeper and centre-back for Chelsea respectively, are also prestigious names.
Senegal has shown their quality again and again, with two wins against second best CAF team Egypt, on the way to the African Cup title and World Cup qualification. They had an unfortunate early exit from the tournament in 2018, but players claim “In Qatar, we will benefit from that 2018 experience.”
Al Jazeera’s resident soccer expert, Mark Gleeson, says: “Senegal offers Africa’s best hope. I see them going through [to the later rounds]”
The Future
By pure virtue of squad strength, Africa is, continentally, in a much better footballing position than ever before. With better coaching, high-class facilities, and extensive scouting/training infrastructure, the footballing culture is evolving. Not only is it no longer outrageous to say that an African team will win the World Cup in the next 30 years, but many experts say it is likely.