African teams continue to struggle at own World Cup

The 2010 World Cup was meant to be an African World Cup. After all wasn't this the first ever edition of the world's tournament on African soil? With six countries appearing in South Africa, it's not as though the continent is short of representation, is it?

The hosts, South Africa along with Algeria, Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and the Ivory Coast have all traveled south in the hopes of shaking off the stereotypical response that African countries are simply not equipped to challenge for the top footballing honor.

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Unfortunately, after almost two rounds of play that stereotypical response rings true.

In Group A, the hosts, South Africa, are on a ventilator. It will need an appearance and a helping hand from Nelson Mandela himself to get anything out of their group because it is no longer in their hands.

To say the hosts folded meekly in their must-win match versus Uruguay would be an insult to folding.

In Group B, Nigeria find itself in a similar situation. It must win and hope for a lot of help even though they were pre-tournament favorites to advance with Argentina.

Algeria in Group C are alive, but just like South Africa and Nigeria it needs more help than a gambler chasing losses.

It's not until we get to Group D where an African nation shines. Ghana top the group but not through scintillating performance. It scraped past Serbia and collapsed over the line against a 10-man Australia.

Cameroon, who many fancied advancing from Group E, have had its swagger stolen. One might suggest that any team that loses to Japan, as Cameroon did, needs to take a long look at its level of ability. This comes despite the presence of Samuel Eto'o, three-time winner of the UEFA Champions League and twice African Player of the Year.

This leaves Ivory Coast in Group G. The Ivorians play Brazil tonight in Soccer City and anybody who says they can win obviously is oblivious to the bookies, form book, critics and local superstition.

So what went wrong with the African challenge?

In my book, nothing has gone wrong. They have neither exceeded nor performed below par. This is exactly where they're meant to be.

In the history of the World Cup only two African teams have made the last eight. Cameroon in 1990 and Senegal 12 years later in South Korea/Japan. It is not a record of which to be proud. Indeed, there has been little improvement since Zaire baffled everybody at the 1974 World Cup, losing 9-0 to Yugoslavia and, in one famous case, struggling to be acquainted with the rules of the game.

It is a harsh fact of life, but the African teams are not equipped to challenge for the World Cup and here is why:

1. They don't have the infrastructure in terms of domestic leagues.
2. Their players are scattered over the globe.
3. There can be too many differences within the squad based on tribal allegiances.
4. There are examples of money squabbles diminishing the World Cup challenge of an African team (Cameroon in 1994, et al).
5. Coaches come and go at whim, and are usually foreign and usually overpaid.
6. Pele predicted that an African nation would win the World Cup by the end of the 20th century (and anyone who knows anything about Pele's World Cup predictions would know that they are the kiss of death).
7. There is a lack of competition at international level (the African Cup of Nations, while taking place every two years, does not provide enough experience for African national teams, whereas European national teams have tough qualifying campaigns for the European Championships and the World Cup).
8. There appears to be an individual mentality rather a team mentality.

As much as it would be good for an African team to make a serious impact (i.e. reaching the World Cup semifinals), the wait will probably have to last at least another four years. The simple truth is that, for all talent that comes out of this great continent, it does not produce the truly great teams that can challenge at the business end of a World Cup.