At the FIFA World Cup tournament, many African nations put on outstanding displays and created major upsets. When we consider such circumstances, we are reminded of the 2002 World Cup encounter between Senegal and France, in which the underdogs defeated the then-defending world champions.
But as time went on, fewer African nations made it to the World Cup. The continent has produced legends like Didier Drogba, George Weah, and Roger Milla, but has failed to send any nation to the World Cup final.
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Ironically, numerous elite athletes who have made names for themselves abroad are immigrants from Africa. Had they played for African nations, the result would have been drastically different.
Regardless, several African nations participated in the World Cup and even made it to the knockout rounds.
Here are 5 best performances by African teams in FIFA World Cup history:
1. Morocco beat Portugal 1-0; 2022 quarterfinal
By defeating Portugal 1-0 on Saturday, Morocco became the first African nation to advance to the World Cup semifinals, effectively destroying Cristiano Ronaldo’s prospects of ever winning football’s most prestigious award.
To continue Morocco’s incredible run that has inspired an outpouring of patriotism in the Arab world during the first World Cup to be held in the Middle East, Youssef En-Nesyri scored the game-winning goal in the 42nd minute.
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In the semifinal match, Morocco will take on either France or England.
An African nation finally reaching the World Cup’s penultimate stage, which is usually attained by European or South American teams, is a watershed moment in tournament history. Senegal (2002), Ghana (2010), and Cameroon (1990) all made it to the quarterfinals but were eliminated.
Off the field, the Moroccan team, which consists of 14 players who were born abroad and is coached by Walid Regragui, a Frenchman, is bringing the Arab world together and sparking displays of Arab identity from supporters in many nations.
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2. Ghana beat USA 2-1; 2010 Round of 16
Due to the absence of their star player Michael Essien due to injury, Ghana did not have much luck leading up to the World Cup.
Few had predicted Ghana to make it through the group rounds at the time. However, they entered the competition with a sense of purpose and grit, making it past the group stages.
They overcame the United States in the round of 16 before playing Uruguay, and we all know what occurred afterward. Suarez’s handball gave Ghana a chance to go to the semi-final, but Asamoah Gyan missed the penalty attempt, forcing a sudden-death shootout in which Ghana was defeated.
3. Morocco beat Portugal 3-1; 1986 Group F
Morocco entered the World Cup as an underdog, and to make matters worse, they were drawn into the Group of Death, which also contained Portugal, Poland, and England.
Even yet, the African nation persisted in pursuing its goals, drawing with Poland and England before overcoming Portugal to record their biggest victory in football history. They lost to eventual runners-up West Germany, and their luck ran out when they were ousted from the competition.
Morocco also made history in 2022 by beating Portugal to secure the nation’s first-ever FIFA World Cup semifinal berth. By defeating Spain in penalty kicks, Morocco advanced to the quarterfinals. They had previously won against both Belgium and Canada, finished first in their group without suffering a loss, and advanced to the Round of 16 for the second time in their history.
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4. Senegal beat France 1–0; 2002 Group A
One of the greatest moments in Senegal’s football history was the country’s rout of France in the 2002 World Cup. They maintained their lead throughout the competition, eliminating powerful nations game by game.
As the only other African nation to advance to the World Cup quarterfinals, they were vying for immortality. But the Lions’ World Cup run was cut short by a heartbreaking loss to Turkey.
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5. Cameroon beat Columbia 2-1; 1990 Round of 16
Cameroon was an unavoidable force in the 1990s, aggressively confronting every country. For the English media and supporters, their match against a smug England was one to remember.
En route to the quarterfinals, Cameroon shocked the defending champions Argentina, as well as Romania, and Colombia. They were the first African quarterfinalists in a World Cup as a result, making history.
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The next opponent were England, a team who appeared overconfident and behaved as if they had already reached the semifinals. However, Cameroon had total control of the game and gave the Three Lions the appearance of a Sunday league team.
The game went into overtime with a tie score at the end of stoppage time, and England unexpectedly came back to win.
