Africa’s next target is winning the World Cup, not participation — Kojo Addae Mensah
Africa must shift its ambitions from participation to winning the FIFA World Cup, sports analyst Kojo Addae Mensah has said, insisting the continent has progressed enough to compete for the title. Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Thursday (11 June), he said the increase in African slots to 10 teams should not b...
Africa must shift its ambitions from participation to winning the FIFA World Cup, sports analyst Kojo Addae Mensah has said, insisting the continent has progressed enough to compete for the title.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Thursday (11 June), he said the increase in African slots to 10 teams should not be seen as tokenism but as recognition of the continent’s growth.
“It’s not just about participating now… the next step is lifting the trophy,” he said.
He traced Africa’s steady progress from group-stage exits to semi-final appearances, highlighting Morocco’s historic run in 2022.
“We’ve done the quarter-finals several times… now it’s time for us to lift it,” he stressed.
Addae Mensah predicted that at least two African teams could reach the semi-finals in the upcoming tournament.
“I’m tipping Morocco and Senegal, with Côte d’Ivoire as an outsider,” he said.
He also pointed to a psychological barrier holding African teams back.
“We need to believe that getting to the semi-final is not enough… it’s time to win,” he added.
The analyst expressed confidence that an African nation could win the World Cup within his lifetime.
“I strongly believe an African team will lift the World Cup in my lifetime,” he said.