Sports

Is Africa at Qatar World Cup to complete numbers? Here’s how we score the teams

Published

3 years ago

April 2, 2022

The five African teams that qualified for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar knew their opponents on Friday when the draws were held at the Doha Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Prior to the draw, reigning African champions, Senegal, Morocco, Tunisia, Cameroon and Ghana, were pooled in Groups A, F, D, G and H, with fans of each team praying for favourable pairings.

But in the draws proper, different interesting scenarios played out as Ghana was given the opportunity to exact a revenge on Uruguay for the heartbreak they suffered in the 2010 edition when a Luiz Suarez’s last minute handball deprived them from advancing into the semifinals.

But how will the African teams fare at the World Cup after getting to know their opponents?

Senegal

AFCON 2021 winners, Senegal, presents Africa’s most realistic chance of getting farther in the Qatar 2022 World Cup after being drawn against host Qatar, the Netherlands, and Ecuador.

Undoubtedly Africa’s best side at the World Cup, Senegal has got a favourable draw and with the likes of Liverpool striker Saido Mane, Chelsea goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy, Watford’s Ismaila Sarr, and Napoli defence lynchpin, Kalillou Coulibaly, marshalling the defence, they will fancy their chances of ruffling some feathers.

Their toughest opponents in the group will undoubtedly be Netherlands but Aliou Cisse’s troops have what it takes to hold their own.

Cameroon

The Indomitable Lions defied the odds when they went to Blida to take on Algeria with a one goal deficit, only to shock their hosts with a dramatic 2-1 win to pick the World Cup ticket.

With the Lions drawn with five times World Cup winners, Brazil, Switzerland and Serbia, they face unarguably the toughest chance of making it out of Group C.

However, the Rigobert Song tutored Lions do have a mental toughness that could see them navigate through the tough first round and with their rugged style of play, all fingers will be crossed.

Tunisia

The Carthage Eagles will have to contend with world champions, France and Denmark, while keeping an eye on one of Peru, Australia or the United Arab Emirates to join the group after their different playoffs.

Drawn against the defending World champions and European Championship semi-finalists, Tunisia have their work cut out for them and will feel disillusioned even before a ball is kicked at the Mundial.

Ghana

Ghana’s reward for beating the Super Eagles of Nigeria is a rematch with Uruguay, a team that denied them a semifinal ticket in 2010 in South Africa.

The hurriedly assembled Black Stars, though not spectacular, managed to brush aside a disjointed and lackluster Nigerian team to qualify for the World Cup but do they have what it takes to go against a Cristiano Ronaldo inspired Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea, complete with Tottenham Hotspur’s talisman, Song Heung-min?

Does this Ghanaian team have the quality to go better than its predecessors?

Only time will tell.

Morocco

The Atlas Lions have their work cut out for them having been drawn against Belgium who were semi-finalists in Russia in 2018 and runners up, Croatia, and will have to rely on the brilliance of their star player, Achraf Hakimi, to see them through.

Both Belgium, with their now fading golden generation, and Croatia, are not as good as they were four years ago, so Morocco can dream of getting out of the group, in the very least.

But with a Canadian side that qualified with three games to spare also in the mix, sheer will power and tactical discipline will be all the North Africans need to trudge on.

Related Topics:African Teams Featured FIFA World Cup

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Sports

FIFA Ranking: Nigeria ends 2024 as fifth best team in Africa

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigeria’s men’s football national team, the Super Eagles, ended the year 2024 as the fifth best team in Africa in the latest FIFA world ranking for the month of December.

According to the rankings published by the world football governing body, Nigeria remains unchanged from its previous position, despite having a challenging international break.

The FIFA rankings also reveal that Nigeria suffered a significant decline this year, dropping eight places to end 2024 ranked 44th globally.

The decline follows disappointing performances during the final AFCON qualifiers for 2025, where the Super Eagles struggled against the Benin Republic and Rwanda, resulting in a lack of wins.

However, some of the Super Eagles bitter rivals like South Africa’s Bafana Bafana experienced a resurgence, climbing three positions to finish the year ranked 57th in the world, showing a marked improvement in their recent form and successful matches during the qualifiers.

It was a woeful year for West African rivals Ghana who ended the year in 77th position, which highlights the challenges the Black Stars have encountered in the outgoing year in its bid to maintain its positions among Africa’s elite teams.

Meanwhile, the Moroccan national football team, the Atlas Lion, retained its 14th position in the in the world while still maintaining its number one spot in Africa, holding the first position for the third year in a row.

In the world ranking, Morocco is followed by Senegal on 17th position, Egypt, 33rd, Algeria 37th, Nigeria, 44th, Côte d’Ivoire, 46th, Cameroon, 49th, Mali, 51st, and Tunisia in the 52nd position.

Top 10 African teams in 2024

1. Morocco – (14th)

2. Senegal – (17th)

3. Egypt – (33rd)

4. Algeria – (37th)

5. Nigeria – (44th)

6. Côte d’Ivoire – (46th)

7. Cameroon – (49th)

8. Mali – (51st )

9. Tunisia – (52nd)

10. South Africa – (57th)

Sports

Nigeria’s Lookman, Zambia’s Banda big winners at 2024 CAF Award

Published

5 days ago

December 17, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigerian sensation, Ademola Lookman, has wrapped his footballing year with another win after being declared as the Men’s Footballer of the Year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Lookman, who plays for Italian club side Atalanta, was the biggest winner at the star-studded 2024 CAF Awards in Marrakech following 12 months with Italian side Atalanta and the Nigerian Super Eagles. He follows in the footsteps of compatriot Victor Osimhen, who claimed the award in 2023.

This is the first time Nigeria has had consecutive men’s award winners since nearly thirty years, when Nwankwo Kanu (1996) and Victor Ikpeba (1997) were awarded.

Other top African achievers recognized for their exploits during the event include South Africa’s Ronwen Williams and Zambia’s Barbra Banda. Banda was instrumental in leading Orlando Pride to the NWSL Shield and Championship in the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League season in the United States. She scored the game-winning goal in the final against Washington Spirit.

Other winners include Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie, who won Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award for the second year in a row after another impressive season for French side Paris FC.

Sanaâ Mssoudy, a forward for AS FAR and Morocco, received the Women’s Interclub Player of the Year award after winning the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League Best Player title. Agile box-to-box midfielder, Lamine Camara of Senegal and Monaco, won the Men’s Young Player of the Year award for his outstanding performances for both club and country.

Doha El Madani, a 19-year-old Moroccan and AS FAR player, won the Women’s Young Player of the Year award after scoring six goals in five games to win the Golden Boot at the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League.

See the full winners list below:

2024 CAF AWARDS WINNERS

CAF PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ademola Lookman (Nigeria / Atalanta)

CAF PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Barbra Banda (Zambia / Orlando Pride)

CAF GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)

CAF GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria / Paris FC)

CAF INTERCLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)

CAF INTERCLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Sanaâ Mssoudy (Morocco / AS FAR)

CAF YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Lamine Camara (Senegal / AS Monaco)

CAF YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Doha El Madani (Morocco / AS FAR)

CAF COACH OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Emerse Fae (Cote d’Ivoire)

CAF COACH OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe)