It was the great Brazilian Pele in 1977 who said that an African team would win the World Cup by the year 2000. Sadly, it is a prediction that is 22 years out of date and counting.
However, the encouraging reality is that Africa is finally getting closer as the latest World Cup winner odds prove with Morocco at 40/1 to go all the way in the Middle East in 2022.
To some, those may appear as speculative odds but what this price doesn’t tell you is that the courageous Moroccans knocked Spain out to reach the quarterfinals in a memorable penalty shootout.
In doing so, the Moroccans became only the fourth team from Africa to reach the last eight of the competition since the World Cup was first played in Uruguay in 1930.
In short, this was a spellbinding moment in history that will undoubtedly live long in the memory of those that love the beautiful game.
In addition to bringing the hairs on your neck to an upright position, this result against Spain will also do an untold amount for African football and may give the continent the belief that is needed to see Pele’s prophecy eventually come true.
Doors that were previously locked will open in 2026
In many respects, this result couldn’t have come at a better time when you consider that there will be nine qualifying slots available for Africa during the playing of the 2026 World Cup, which is up from the five that the continent is typically allocated every four years.
It should also be pointed out that a tenth African team will enter a World Cup qualifying playoff tournament that consists of six countries, following the conclusion of the playoffs, the two successful nations will then advance to the World Cup in the United States.
In essence, this all means that there is the potential for Africa to be represented by as many as ten teams at the next World Cup which would be double the usual amount.
This a crucial development and as briefly touched on, the timing couldn’t be any better as the participating teams from Africa will have the wind in their sails owing to Morocco’s extraordinary accomplishments in the desert in 2022.
Can the Super Eagles fly?
As far as matters closer to home go, this will certainly benefit Nigeria after the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2022 showpiece in Qatar following a heartbreaking playoff loss to Ghana. Needless to say, with more qualifying slots available and a promising Nigerian team beginning to gel, the World Cup in America could be the best in the country’s history.
Although you get the distinct feeling that if it isn’t Nigeria that ends up going all the way in the US, then it may well be another African team that capitalizes on the momentum the continent has been gifted courtesy of the history-making Moroccans.
After years of making up the numbers, Africa is set to rise up in the land of the free.
