No breaks for a united Africa
WASHINGTON DC (AFM) - Though three-time World Cup winner Pele famously predicted in the late 70s that an African team would win the World Cup by the end of the 20th Century, many observers were taken aback recently when his namesake, Ghana great Abedi ‘Pele’ Ayew, said that an African side would do just that next summer on the ‘home continent’ in South Africa.

The Ghanaian, who never got a chance to grace the finals but won an African Cup of Nations in 1982, no doubt had fresh in his mind the dramatic triumph of his younger countrymen (and his son) in the U-20 World Cup earlier this year. However, he made that statement before the bright lights of the draw exposed the six African representatives in the finals to the demanding, bloodshot eyes of the world’s expectations. 

Orange and black are blue
There is little question that football in Africa has continued to develop rapidly since Italia 90 when Cameroon announced the continent’s ‘arrival’ as a challenger to the established strongholds of European and South American football. The depth and consistency of the players and teams has improved vastly, there has been considerable success at youth levels, but only Senegal in 2002 - throats cut in the last eight by a golden goal from Turkey’s Ilhan Mansiz - has managed to mount a sustained African challenge deep into the World Cup.

However in the last five years, the continent has managed to produce arguably two of the most promising teams in its history in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. Stunningly then for a continent absolutely determined to impress the world on the pitch and off it in 2010, both sides were handed the roughest possible outcomes at the draw for the event, leaving the two with little to do but argue over which was really drawn into the ‘Group of Death.’

With a savvy and talent-laden spine and the boundless potential of Chelsea target man Didier Drogba at the point of a lethal attack, the orange-shirted Ivorians are everybody’s favourite to make a big impact on the world stage. However, that was before ‘the Elephants’ were matched up with five-time world champions Brazil, 2006 semi-finalists Portugal and Asian unknowns North Korea in Group G. 

Ironically for l’Oranje of Africa, they were also drawn in Germany 2006’s toughest group, that time in a ridiculously rugged quartet along with Argentina, the Netherlands and Serbia. That difficult but affirming experience - they gave up two early goals in all three of their matches but also scored in all three, shocking the Serbs 3-2 in their closer - might help them do one better this summer. 

Ghana, who are led by the muscular dynamism of Drogba’s Chelsea teammate Michael Essien, have a similarly unenviable task against Germany, Serbia and ‘Asian’ qualifiers Australia in Group D. ‘The Black Stars’ did reach the second round four years ago in their World Cup debut after emerging from an equally difficult group made up of Italy, the Czech Republic and the USA. Ghana beat the latter two before being exposed 3-0 by Brazil in the second round with Essien suspended, but they’re also counting on their increase in experience and purpose.

Return of the giants?
With the up-and-coming duo of Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire likely to struggle in their groups and probably exhausted by the effort even if they do emerge, that leaves the door open for Africa’s two most traditional powers, also from West Africa, to play continental heroes this summer.

Though Cameroon were plagued by organisational problems the last time they qualified for the World Cup in 2002, ‘the Indomitable Lions’ have a nice blend of experience and youth, a wily coach in Frenchman Paul Le Guin and one of the great wild cards in world football: a top-notch striker, in the form of Samuel Eto’o. A hot streak by the Inter Milan man could easily be the difference between a mediocre campaign in South Africa and a return to prominence for the four-time African champions. Surprise runners-up at the 2008 CAN in Ghana, Cameroon will be one of the sides to watch most closely at January’s African Cup of Nations in Angola.

Like Cameroon, Nigeria are back in the World Cup after missing out in 2006, but ‘the Super Eagles,’ only reached the finals after a late goal in their final qualifying match against Kenya. And their prospects are suitably low this time around, which actually might suit the speedy but shaky side that showed such flashes of brilliance at the 1994 and 98 World Cups.

From south to north, hope
The weakest of the African teams on the surface, South Africa will need every bit of their home (and likely neutral) support to escape from Group A alongside a particularly savvy trio of France, Uruguay and Mexico. If they don’t, they will have the humiliating distinction of being the first host not to advance to at least the second round.

The unquestionable experience of their coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira, will be Bafana Bafana’s ace in the hole. However it’s worth noting that the 1994 World Cup winner has never led a team other than Brazil to a winning match at the World Cup, with just one draw in eight matches coaching Kuwait, UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Steven Pienaar is South Africa’s main mover and shaker in the middle of the pitch, but the side could be lifted (or distracted) by the return of volatile striker Benni McCarthy, to who Parreira has made ‘please come back’ overtures. There are also a handful of promising youngsters in the side that could spark a surprise.

The final African side, Algeria, are among the biggest mysteries in the finals for most, though ‘the Desert Foxes’ have been drawn into a manageable group alongside England, the USA and Slovenia. They also beat two-time defending African champions Egypt in a one-match qualifier on neutral soil, which bodes well for their tournament steel.

It’s worth remembering that little was expected of Cameroon in 1990 or Senegal in 2002, and it’s often the African teams without the burden of expectation that perform best. Traditionally, once the hype machine starts, a team’s infrastructure and discipline can be stretched beyond its capability. In that way at least, maybe Africa will benefit from their its underdog status.

Copyright African Football Media (AFM), 2010

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