Nigeria legend Jay-Jay Okocha unconvinced by Africa's 2026 World Cup chances

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/morocco/IDKYO3R8/"]Morocco[/a] stunned [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/spain/bLyo6mco/"]Spain[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/portugal/WvJrjFVN/"]Portugal[/a] en route to the semi-finals at the last global showpiece in Qatar four years ago before falling to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/france/QkGeVG1n/"]France[/a].[/p][p]Now, as the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/usa/fuitL4CF/"]United States[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/canada/x4toKORL/"]Canada[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mexico/O6iHcNkd/"]Mexico[/a] prepare to co-host a record 48 nations, the football world wonders whether [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-africa/W2ijYvlr/"]Africa[/a] can go even further, or was 2022 a flash in the pan?[/p][p][b]"Why not?,"[/b] responded ex-Liverpool striker [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/diouf-el-hadji/K6zgvzJq/"]Diouf[/a] when asked by AFP if an African captain could lift the trophy near New York on July 19.[/p][p][b]"Take my own country. We have amazing players like [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mane-sadio/xxskxOU0/"]Sadio[/a] (Mane), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gueye-idrissa/f12b2WQA/"]Idrissa[/a] (Gueye) and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mendy-edouard/8zpLkf6p/"]Edouard[/a] (Mendy).[/b][/p][p][b]"They can match stars from any country. The 2026 World Cup - Africa is going there to win the tournament."[/b][/p][p]Motsepe, a 64-year-old South African billionaire transformed from chairman of 2016 African club champions Mamelodi Sundowns to boss of CAF, echoes the views of Diouf.[/p][p][b]"We are confident that the 10 African national teams at the 2026 World Cup will make us proud and that an African nation will be champions.[/b][/p][p][b]"What we lacked in the past was self belief. Morocco changed that in Qatar four years ago. We can match the best in the world.[/b][/p][p][b]"I will work relentlessly until I see the captain of an African nation lifting the greatest football prize," [/b]he told AFP.[/p][embed guid="0cb2d1ab-2634-43c4-a9cc-66c5ff09b640" url="https://x.com/FIFAWorldCup/status/2039209000546238791" social-type="twitter" /][p]Midfield maestro [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/okocha-jay-jay/ljloIhke/"]Okocha[/a] featured for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nigeria/EBE2Xb3l/"]Nigeria[/a] at several World Cups, including the 1994 tournament staged in the United States.[/p][p][b]"My abiding memory of 1994 was the amazing atmosphere. Add the fact that it was the first World Cup appearance by Nigeria and it was special,"[/b] he told reporters.[/p][p][b]"Regarding the 2026 tournament, I am concerned about the chances of an African team going all the way.[/b][/p][p][b]"We talk a lot about the title contenders from Europe and South America, but what about the North Americans and Asians? They are improving rapidly.[/b][/p][p][b]"I will be very happy to be proven wrong. African footballers have shocked the world before. Let us hope it happens again."[/b][/p][h2]Morocco & Senegal strongest[/h2][p]The widespread belief among African footballers, coaches and officials is that Morocco and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/senegal/hOIsJLJr/"]Senegal[/a] are the strongest of the 10 qualifiers from the continent.[/p][p]Senegal beat Morocco in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final. Still, CAF overturned the result after an appeal by the losers based on a temporary walk-off by some Senegalese over a penalty.[/p][p]The Senegalese reacted to being stripped of the title by appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and await the verdict.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hakimi-achraf/MqFBkBsp/"]Achraf Hakimi[/a]-captained Morocco are in Group C with record five-time world champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brazil/I9l9aqLq/"]Brazil[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/scotland/fZRU25WH/"]Scotland[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/haiti/nk4v10Z1/"]Haiti[/a]. The Atlas Lions would be expected to finish second at least.[/p][p]Senegal tackle France, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/norway/8rP6JO0H/"]Norway[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/iraq/K8aAGt6r/"]Iraq[/a] in Group I, considered among the toughest of 12 mini-leagues.[/p][p]Teranga Lions coach Pape Thiaw was a substitute when Senegal stunned the then-defending champions France in the opening match in Seoul of the 2002 World Cup.[/p][p]"That (2002) is history. We know the current French team well. It is going to be a special match and let us hope we win again," he said in Dakar.[/p][embed guid="57cc6077-47a7-40e1-a801-8c9ae581fa6c" url="https://x.com/GaindeYi/status/2055591611002651020" social-type="twitter" /][p]While Africans dream of lifting the ultimate football prize, some competing coaches have lesser immediate goals.[/p][p][b]"Reaching the World Cup is complicated and playing there is even harder,"[/b] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/egypt/bejDn7NN/"]Egypt[/a] coach and former star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hassan-hossam/Q93FrVGg/"]Hossam Hassan[/a] told reporters in Cairo.[/p][p][b]"However, I see great ambition in my players. They want to achieve more than what Egypt did in the past."[/b][/p][p]Egypt first competed in a World Cup 92 years ago and have made just two subsequent appearances. The record seven-time African champions are still seeking a first victory at the global event.[/p][p]Recently appointed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tunisia/QqZVYk95/"]Tunisia[/a] coach Sabri Lamouchi was blunt when discussing a nation that has qualified for six World Cups, and exited after the first round each time.[/p][p][b]"I am not going to tell stories by pretending we will repeat what Morocco did in 2022. But who knows, maybe one day,"[/b] he told the Tunisian media.[/p][p]The African contenders are [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/algeria/nc87N1BR/"]Algeria[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cape-verde/MocyWdm7/"]Cape Verde[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/d-r-congo/phn9mm8H/"]Democratic Republic of Congo[/a], Egypt, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ghana/nNBjHale/"]Ghana[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ivory-coast/G2FRjBgn/"]Ivory Coast[/a], Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia.[/p]