After Italy, the four-time World Cup champion, failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, their then-coach, Gennaro Gattuso, expressed regret over the increasing number of automatic qualification spots allocated to Africa for this prestigious event. The 48-year-old coach stated, "Africa deserves fewer spots in the World Cup," highlighting that the number of qualifying spots for the continent had risen from five to nine in the expanded tournament format. This figure was further increased to ten following the Democratic Republic of Congo's victory in an intercontinental playoff, marking their return to the World Cup after a 52-year absence.
Was Gattuso justified in his remarks? Is Africa overrepresented in the World Cup held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico? This question lingers as the debate around qualification spots intensifies.
Record Success Rate for African Teams
Excluding Tunisia's disastrous performance, which saw them dismiss coach Sabri Lamouchi after their first group stage match—where they lost all three of their games—African representatives proved their worth, justifying their participation in the tournament. The other nine teams advanced to the knockout stages, with five finishing second in their groups. The remaining four were among the top eight teams that placed third. This results in a remarkable success rate of 90%, the highest among FIFA confederations, followed by South America (83.33%), Europe (81.25%), and Asia (22.22%).
Europe showed a strong presence in the knockout stages, with six teams reaching the quarter-finals, while both Africa and South America had only one team each. African teams had less fortune in the Round of 32, with seven teams eliminated. Egypt reached the Round of 16, and Morocco became the first African team to reach the quarter-finals twice.
Late-game Lapses Cost African Teams Dearly
One concerning trend observed was the conceding of goals in the final minutes of matches, with notable beneficiaries including Argentina's Lionel Messi, England's Harry Kane, and Norway's Erling Haaland. Messi equalized for the "Albiceleste," turning a 2-0 deficit against Egypt into a 3-2 victory. Kane scored twice to lead the "Three Lions" to victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo, while Haaland netted the winning goal for Norway against Ivory Coast.
Senegal experienced a shocking collapse, squandering a two-goal lead with just five minutes left against Belgium, ultimately losing in extra time. Many African fans had high hopes for Senegal, expecting them to perform better than their ten qualifying counterparts, but they disappointed by losing three out of four matches and barely qualifying for the Round of 32 as the eighth-best third-placed team. Following the exit of the "Lions of Teranga," signs of internal disputes surfaced, with midfielder Pape Gueye stating he would not represent his country again until coach Pape Thiaw was replaced.
A dramatic turn of events occurred in the match between Egypt and Argentina, where Egypt led 2-0 before a controversial disallowed goal 12 minutes from the end. However, a dramatic shift led to the defending champions winning 3-2 with a last-minute header from Enzo Fernández. Egyptian coach Hossam Hassan speculated that the officiating crew, led by French referee François Letexier, may have faced external pressures favoring Argentina. In response, Italian Pierluigi Collina, chairman of FIFA's referees committee, asserted that referees make fair decisions and strive to perform their best, just like players and coaches.
Television analyst and former star Thierry Henry commented, "African teams relax too early. People talk about talent and passion, but when they go up by two goals, their focus slips." His fellow studio analyst and former Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimović added, "Many African teams leading the score find ways to lose. In the World Cup, this is not bad luck; it's poor game management."
Morocco demonstrated its prowess despite a 0-2 loss to France in the quarter-finals, emphasizing that, while African football has made strides, there remains a significant gap when facing Europe's elite. It took the "Atlas Lions" 83 minutes to register their first shot on target, which was easily saved by French goalkeeper Mike Maignan from a long-range attempt by Azzedine Ounahi. Morocco's coach, Walid Regragui, offered no excuses, stating, "France is a truly great team... they rarely had this amount of talent as they do now." Morocco will participate in the next World Cup in 2030 as a host nation alongside Portugal and Spain, with a new stadium capable of accommodating 115,000 spectators currently under construction near Casablanca, preparing for the final match.
Meanwhile, Cape Verde, despite exiting in the Round of 32, captivated millions of viewers with its performances, even without winning any of its four matches. This small archipelago off the coast of West Africa, with a population of just over half a million, pushed Spain to a goalless draw in their opening match, forcing the European champions to a stalemate. Veteran goalkeeper Vozinia, aged 40, made a series of outstanding saves to thwart one of the title favorites. The global impact was astonishing, as his Instagram following surged from 50,000 to five million. Cape Verde drew twice before losing to Argentina 2-3 in the Round of 32, with the second goal scored by Sidney Lopes Cabral being one of the standout goals of the tournament.
As reported by france24.com.
