As the FIFA World Cup enters the quarterfinals, an entire continent looks to a single nation – Morocco – who take on France this Thursday in what many call an opportunity for the Atlas Lions to avenge Les Bleus, who denied them a historic spot in the final in Qatar four years ago.
Morocco made history as the first African country to reach a World Cup semi-final following their groundbreaking 1-0 win over Portugal at the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
While waiting for tonight’s game, Africans are taking time to digest the dramatic exits of the other representatives of the continent from the ongoing tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
What dominates conversations today is how South Africa, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Egypt, and the Democratic Republic of Congo lost their Round of 32 matches at the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup in the final few minutes despite showing great mastery of the game.
So, should Africa weep or wait for their time?
Gone are the days when Cameroon was an island in the history of the World Cup, standing tall as the only African nation to reach the quarter-finals of the most prestigious football event in the world.
Africa is a strong contender, gradually moving up the rungs of the football ladder where Europe and the Americas have stood for years.
Gone are the days when Cameroon was an island in the history of the World Cup, standing tall as the only African nation to reach the quarter-finals of the most prestigious football event in the world.
With Morocco tipped to reach back-to-back semi-finals, Africa might finally get the missing piece of the puzzle — confidence.
Confidence!
Confidence in football can be likened to forcing a path through dewy grass in the morning.
Morocco completing more dribbles against Brazil (sixteen against five) in their Group C opener at the ongoing tournament, for instance, spoke volumes about the confidence they had gained from reaching the semi-finals last year. They played with composure, optimism, and confidence — the same energy they have demonstrated in their subsequent games.
If Ivory Coast had that confidence, they would have gone for the winning goal after the equalizer against Norway
If Ivory Coast had that confidence, they would have gone for the winning goal after the equalizer against Norway. Instead, they fell back to protect the draw because they had not foreseen a victory against the Vikings.
Senegal giving away a 2-0 lead to Belgium after the 85th minute is not a story we can detach from that of Ivory Coast.
South Africa conceding the lone goal of the game in added time is a similar plot.
Egypt losing to Argentina after leading by 2-0 for most of the game is more of a battle lost in the head than a game lost on the pitch.
We can’t deny that in a football game, victory can go either way. However, when the sequence is endless, there’s a problem.
Let them weep who can afford the tears, and let them wait who can harbor the patience!
Africa is getting close to the target.
Africa has come a long way.
With one representative going to the next round, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) can rub shoulders with the Confederation of South American Football (CONMEBOL), whose only representative left – Argentina — had to pass through the eye of a needle against Egypt on Tuesday night.
Asia, North, Central America, the Caribbean, and Oceania couldn’t withstand the heat.
Basically, only the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has more teams (six) than Africa in the final eight.
