Friday 9 April 2010

The Prospects Of An African Team Winning The World Cup In South Africa


 By Hakeem Babalola

For one month starting from Friday 11 June to Sunday 11 July, millions of football fans and lovers across the world will be glued to TV or be physically present in South Africa to witness another football fiesta popularly called the World Cup. Apart from its usual glamour, the event will be recording a historical moment. 

The African Continent is hosting the most glamorous sport in the world for the first time in the tournament history. South Africa, home of Nelson Mandela, the man who spent 27 years in prison because of the then apartheid that segregated the country, was chosen ahead of other African countries. 

Mandela who had strongly opposed the segregation system was arrested and jailed by the then Racist Boers of President Verwoerd led apartheid government in 1962 but released on 11 February 1990 to become the first democratically elected president of Africa’s only Rainbow Nation.  

 There’s no need to contest the politics that heralded the choice of South Africa for the fiesta. What is important is the fact that an African country was finally chosen to host the prestigious competition organized every four years since the first tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946 when it was not contested because of World War11.

The ultimate question on the lips of many Africans probably is this: Can any of the five African teams participating in the competition do the continent proud by winning the coveted trophy? It seems impossible judging from their previous outings in the competition; even from recent friendly matches preceding the tournament. With the exception of South Africa which defeated Guatemala 5 goals to nil, others either lost or drew or narrowly won their friendly matches. 

Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and South Africa are representing Africa. Only Cameroon has once reached the quarter finals in 1990 in Italy. Nigeria came close to the quarter finals in 1994 in America but foolishly lost to the much experienced Italians by two goals to one in the second phase of the tournament. Since then, African teams have been trying but never reached the quarter finals. 

If recent friendly matches are a yardstick to measure the fitness and mental readiness of African teams, then perhaps one may put hope on the host nation – South Africa – which has won most of its friendly matches convincingly beating Denmark, Thailand, Colombia, Japan and Guatemala along the way. But there are many African footballers plying their trade abroad, especially in Europe, each African National team has not been formidable enough to withstand the rigor of winning the World Cup. 

The 27th African Nations Cup held in Angola earlier in January could be described as another poor outing for the African teams. The competition was won by the Egyptian National team which did not qualify for the World Cup. Most teams representing the continent simply played below expectations. Ghana was the runner up while Nigeria clinched the third position.

Although football is not like mathematics (in which 1+1 = 2) which often contributes immensely to its intrigue, many analysts will not bet their money on African teams to win the trophy. There are reasons for this. First, many African players are good individually but often unable to connect when it comes to the national team. 

Another point worth mentioning is the inclusion of what analysts have been describing as tired legs. For instance, the inclusion of players like Nwankwo Kanu, John Utaka and Yakubu Aiyegbeni in the Nigerian national team is being strongly criticized by the press in that country.Kanu especially was on the reserve bench of his Portsmouth Club in most part of last season. Utaka and Aiyegbeni have not been able to score as many goals as expected. 

The issue of foreign coach is another take as African teams are concerned. Only Algeria is being coached by indigenous coach, an indication that African national teams do not believe in their own football coaches. The argument seems to be that, since African teams cannot win the World Cup either with indigenous or foreign coaches, why not keep using the indigenous coaches until one day when they will be able to do the magic.  

Now let us look at the number of times when the continent that hosted the tournament actually won the trophy. In 2006, 1998, 1990, 1982, 1974, 1966, 1954, 1938, and 1934 it was hosted by Europeans and won by European teams. Similarly, in 1930, 1950, 1962, 1970, 1978, 1986, it was hosted by South Americans and was won by South American teams. Obviously, the World Cup has been dominated by two continents: Europe and South America.

Host countries have won the cup six times: Uruguay in 1930, Italy in 1934, England in 1966, West Germany in 1974, Argentina in 1978, and France in 1998. Finally, it won’t be a bad prediction to suggest that the 2010 World Cup in South Africa will go to either Europe or South America

However, what may be difficult to predict at the moment is the particular country between these two continents that will snatch the coveted cup. No matter what happens, enjoy the game for the good of the game.

A list of past World Cup football tournaments including the winner and runners-up of the competition and the host nations

Year
Winner
Runner-up
Host Nation
2010


South Africa
2006
Italy
France
Germany
2002
Brazil
Germany
Japan / Korea
1998
France
Brazil
France
1994
Brazil
Italy
USA
1990
West Germany
Argentina
Italy
1986
Argentina
West Germany
Mexico
1982
Italy
West Germany
Spain
1978
Argentina
Holland
Argentina
1974
West Germany
Holland
West Germany
1970
Brazil
Italy
Mexico
1966
England
West Germany
England
1962
Brazil
Czechoslovakia
Chile
1958
Brazil
Sweden
Sweden
1954
West Germany
Hungary
Switzerland
1950
Uruguay
Brazil
Brazil
1946
Not held
WW-II

1942
Not held
WW-II

1938
Italy
Hungary
France
1934
Italy
Czechoslovakia
Italy
1930
Uruguay
Argentina
Uruguay

 *Babalola is US-African Staff Correspondent in Eastern Europe based in Budapest, Hungary