Sunday Oliseh Says an African World Cup Win Is His Final Football Dream

There have been 22 editions of the global showpiece since 1930. In that time 49 African sides from 13 countries have represented the continent. Only one has reached the semi-finals. That historic landmark came four years ago at Qatar 2022 when Morocco broke new ground for the world’s second largest continent.

The apocryphal prediction made by Brazil legend Pele in the 1970s has still not come to pass. He said an African nation would get their hands on the trophy by the year 2000. More than two decades later the question remains. How much longer will Africa have to wait.

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Africa produced three quarter-finalists before Morocco upset Belgium, Spain, and Portugal on their way to the last four in Qatar. Cameroon did it in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010. Morocco went one step further and the foundation beneath that success was long term investment backed by King Mohammed VI. An academy and a sixty five million dollar training complex both bearing his name opened in 2009 and 2019 respectively. Those facilities have helped the Atlas Lions establish themselves as Africa’s top ranked side.

Former Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong told Source that Morocco has created a blueprint for how it can be done. He pointed to years and years of investing in grassroots football and academies. It starts with structure and planning. Investment is very important. He said it has to come from federations being supported at a governmental level.

Troost-Ekong said Morocco invested not just money but time and effort with a clear idea of how they can progress. The facilities they have and the consistency throughout their age groups is the only blueprint to follow. The path is now visible. The question is which African nation will walk it next.