The 2022 FIFA World Cup for men has been a watershed moment for the African continent.
Morocco became the first African country to reach the semifinals, knocking out European giants Spain and Portugal in the process, taking the continent’s breath away.
Their World Cup exploits have undoubtedly inspired other African countries to believe that they, too, can go as far as going toe-to-toe with giants.
Investing and committing to producing world-class footballers and developing the continent’s football is the way to go.
Africa was represented in the competition by five countries: Cameroon, Senegal, Tunisia, and Ghana, in addition to Morocco.
They entered the competition knowing that no other African country had ever reached the semifinals. That was the battle they were all facing, although Cameroon, Senegal, and Ghana had all previously reached the quarter-final stage.
MOROCCO
No one could have predicted the Atlas Lions would go as far as they did, topping the group while sending Belgium packing. Not because they are incapable, but because their previous World Cup appearances left a lot to be desired.
However, with players like Achraf Hakimi, Hakim Ziyech and Noussair Mazraoui amongst others, they showed up.
Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat was outstanding throughout the competition and was singled out by French president Emmanuel Macron who labelled him the best midfielder at the World Cup.
On their way to Qatar, Morocco won all six of their group matches against Guinea, Sudan, and Guinea-Bissau, scoring 20 goals and conceding only one.
In the third round of qualifiers, they eliminated the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Morocco struggled in 2018, but under Walid Regragui, they appear to be a new team.
They finished the 2022 World Cup in fourth place after losing 2-1 against Croatia in the third/fourth place game.
SENEGAL
Sadio Mane, the African Champions’ talisman, was ruled out of the competition due to an injury. Group A includes Ecuador, Qatar, and the Netherlands.
Senegal breezed through the group, winning twice over Ecuador and Qatar. Captain Kalidou Koulibaly was outstanding for the team, and it was his 70th-minute header against Ecuador that propelled the African champions into the knockout stages.
Even with players like Idrissa Gueye and Ismaela Sarr, the Lions of Teranga struggled against England in the knockout stages, losing 3-0. Nothing seemed to go their way on the day.
And it is one that they will look back on and try to improve on as they prepare to defend their trophy at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
CAMEROON
The Indomitable Lions are one of the African countries that have recorded sensational victories over large countries, such as Morocco beating Belgium, Tunisia, and France.
They also beat Brazil 1-0 in the final group game, but it was insufficient to advance them to the next round.
They may have missed the 2018 World Cup, but they have consistently qualified for previous editions. It was published in 1982, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2010, and 2014.
They left big players like Joel Matip behind because Cameroonian Football Federation president Samuel Eto’o insisted that only those responsible for qualification would be able to play in the World Cup.
Eto’o was embroiled in a row with fans in Qatar after Cameroon was eliminated, it is not the only controversy that followed the team as goalkeeper Andre Onana also left the team’s base after Rigobert Song preferred Devis Epassy as he fitted more into how he wanted to play.
GHANA
The Black Stars travelled to Qatar with a star-studded squad, including Inaki Williams, who made his debut for the African giants after switching allegiances from Spain.
Several players, including Tariq Lamptey, switched allegiances ahead of the World Cup, bolstering the squad. Despite the addition of these talented players, the lack of international experience could not be overlooked, and there was no team cohesion against Uruguay.
Mohammed Kudus’ performance against South Korea may have earned him a big move in the next transfer window; he was a livewire in Ghana’s every attack and was rewarded with two goals.
His dribbling and pace were a threat to defences, and he will undoubtedly be an asset to whichever team is fortunate enough to acquire him.
There was a lot of excitement when the draw was made, and Ghana was drawn alongside Portugal, South Korea, and Uruguay.
Although many Ghanaians were not happy with how the team performed in the last group game which they needed to win to ensure their progress, it was heartwarming the whole continent came together to support the team against Uruguay.
TUNISIA
Tunisia was participating in their sixth World Cup. They appeared in the 1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, and 2018 issues.
They were placed in the same group as defending champions France, Australia, and Denmark.
Despite being eliminated in the group stages, the Eagles of Carthage came within a whisker of qualifying for the knockout stages with a 1-0 victory over the defending champions.
Their fate was also dependent on Denmark holding Australia to a draw, which they failed to do.
Given the calibre of their opponents, the odds were already stacked against Tunisia, but there is no shame in how they performed and represented the continent.
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Article compiled by Tlalane Phahla
