This year’s World Cup is already the most successful tournament for African nations on record, even after South Africa’s elimination by Canada on Sunday.
Nine of the 10 participating African teams progressed to the knockout stage, and while they have benefited from an expanded tournament — 48 instead of 32 teams — success was far from guaranteed.
There have been great stories along the way: Cabo Verde, an island of just over 500,000 people, qualified by holding football giants Spain and Uruguay to a draw, leading to a match-up with Lionel Messi’s Argentina. Meanwhile, DR Congo, back in the tournament after 52 years, earned a berth to face England.
But just getting this far isn’t enough, says African football journalist Osasu Obayiuwana. He wants to see more teams in the last eight or final four: “Then we can talk of African football doing well.”