Africa battles stereotypes at FIFA World Cup

Eddie Chikamhi

Senior Sports Reporter

AFRICA is throwing heavy punches in battling stereotypes at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar where Morocco defeated one of the global powerhouses of football – Spain – to book their place in the quarterfinals of the tournament. Morocco’s feat, following the 3-0 penalty shootout win over the European giants in the round of 16 on Tuesday, has got the whole world talking.

International football is changing and it is shifting fast, many have reckoned. Despite being the underdogs, Morocco held their nerve to emerge victorious against the 2010 champions.

The Moroccans have received plaudits from all over the globe following their amazing run which saw them finishing top of their group and going on to eliminate Spain in the knockout stages.

Legends like Samuel Eto-o and football luminaries like the celebrated South Africa coach Pitso Mosimane have watched with admiration as the Atlas Lions inscribed their name in the books of history.

ZIFA technical director Wilson Mutekede said Morocco and all the African representatives at this year’s World Cup have gone the extra mile in fighting the stereotypes against African football.

African football has always been looked at as second class. Having started off with a quota of five representatives in this World Cup, four have fallen by the wayside. But not without having made their impact felt.

Disappointing as it may be to have only one representative in the last eight, there has been some positive light on African football in Qatar.

Africa had never registered more than three group stage victories in a single World Cup and this year there were seven wins during the first round, including Cameroon’s shock win over tournament favourites Brazil and Tunisia’s stunning victory over France. Morocco beat world number two Belgium in their group and advanced to the knockouts at their expense.

Mutekede told The Herald that African football, despite the apparent lack of resources, is closing the gap with Europe and the rest of the world and would do even better if backed by more resources.

“This is very promising for Africa. Indeed, Morocco in particular are enjoying a fairy-tale at the World Cup. We have a representative in the quarterfinals as Africa. Of course we would have loved to have more African teams in the last eight.

“But we are all seeing the progress Africa is making, if the results in Qatar are anything to go by. On any given day, no one would have given Morocco a chance against Spain.

“Spain usually bully opponents with their possession-based type of football. Yet Morocco put up a brave performance, they were not bullied.

“So this indeed is a fairytale run for Morocco at the World Cup.

“There have also been some brilliant performances by Africa’s other representatives. It shows the gap between Africa and Europe is closing.

“I think those teams that fell short in the first round, they just lost on the psychological aspect but technically, Africa is getting there. With more resources and better planning, Africans can do more,” said Mutekede.

He said ZIFA also picked some crucial lessons from Morocco’s success. The North Africans have been making huge progress both at home and abroad in the men’s and women’s game.

“The lessons we can draw from this is that nothing can beat planning, especially when we look at long-term player development.

“This is a key ingredient for success. Coming back home, when the FIFA ban is lifted we must do likewise, we have to identify an age-group that we can nurture and set targets to say we should aim at least to qualify for the World Cup at such and such a time.

“Success is not an accident. With all the talent we have on the continent, and here in Zimbabwe in particular, we have to put our minds together, plan and work hard towards the goal,” said Mutekede.

Since 1998, Africa has been represented by five nations at the World Cup. This year there was Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, Ghana and Cameroon.

Only Morocco and Senegal made it to the knockout stages. Senegal, however, were eliminated by England in the round of 16.

Morocco’s incredible feat meant they became only the fourth African side to reach the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup after Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010).

African football legend Eto’o, who is now the president of the Cameroonian Football Federation, also congratulated Morocco for the achievement.

“History is made. The fourth African team to ever make it to the quarter finals. Bravo Morocco,” wrote Eto’o on Twitter.

What has been remarkable about this year’s World Cup was that all the African nations were led exclusively by local coaches. Morocco’s Walid Regragui was one of the five.

Mutekede said it was encouraging to have homegrown coaches doing wonders for the continent.

“We have one of our own leading his team to the quarterfinals and it’s very commendable, having faced top football teams such as Belgium and Spain along the way.

“Coach development programs in Africa have turned the corner. We have moved from the stereotypes that only European or South American coaches have the capacity to do that,” said Mutekede.

Morocco’s Regragui is even dreaming big despite an intimidating quarterfinal date against Portugal, who thrashed Switzerland 6-1 in their previous knockout game. To him, a change of mentality by Africans is everything. He was only appointed on August 31 and three months down the road, he has set new records for Morocco as well as Africa.

The goalless draw against Spain during regulation time made Morocco the first African country in history to keep three clean sheets during a World Cup campaign.

The team is also the first African nation to win a World Cup shootout. After winning the first round group that also had ageing world number two Belgium, he said: “Finishing first in the group is not for everyone.

“We wanted to show them that Africa was there. We, the Africans, are special. We need to change our mentality. Why don’t we think about winning the World Cup?”

“We tell this to our kids that you have to have dreams. Africa has never won a World Cup. Why not give them this dream? In 20 or 30 years’ time maybe Morocco or Senegal will win the World Cup and then you will look back and say: ‘He did say that.’”

South African coach Mosimane said Regragui and his Moroccan outfit were representing all the African players and coaches at the big stage.

Prior to the World Cup, the former Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundown coach had made comparisons between his own country and the pace at which Morocco were travelling with their game.

“The difference between South Africa and Morocco is big. Morocco have been aggressive in their development, and I have no doubt they will dominate African football soon.

“They have the biggest vision on the continent, and they take their football very seriously. South Africa is 20 years behind,” Mosimane was quoted by the Sunday World.

“Here at home, we are big on doing talk shows and everyone sounds clever calling and saying ‘we have the infrastructure and all that’. But football is played in the townships, where we have no facilities, and we need government support, SAFA can’t do it alone.”

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