Unlike in Russia when gloom pervaded African football after the early exit of its five teams, this time there is hope that better days lie ahead
There were just five defeats for African sides, the fewest since 1990, and a record for tournaments containing five Caf teams, which has been the case since 1994. This neatly fits the narrative of a more open World Cup, with no team preserving a 100% record through the group stage for the first time since 1994.
In a major boost to underline the global character of the beautiful game, all but one of Fifa’s six confederations — Oceania being the exception — had representatives in the last 16. Six of the second-round fixtures featured teams from outside Fifa’s traditional strongholds of Europe and South America compared with only two in Russia four years ago.
This has significantly widened the talent pool and already the North African teams, particularly Morocco, have capitalised on recruiting European-born players with parental ties to their country. No fewer than 14 of the Atlas Lions’ 26-man World Cup squad were born in Europe, while three more left the country at an early age. This is in stark contrast to the 1998 World Cup squad that included only two players born outside the country.
It’s also been pleasing to see — while superstars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Luka Modric, Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller are likely to be playing at their last World Cup — there is a rich array of talent already picking up the baton. Players such as Gavi, 18, Jude Bellingham, 19, Jamal Musiala, 19, Pedri, 20, Mohammed Kudus, 22, Cody Gakpo, 23, and Kylian Mbappe, 23, have all displayed maturity beyond their years on the biggest stage of all.
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