Africa Now Capable Of Winning World Cup — Eguavoen
Former Super Eagles coach and ex-international Augustine Eguavoen has expressed optimism that African teams are now strong enough to compete for the FIFA World Cup title, pointing to the steady improvement of football across the continent.
Eguavoen noted that the performances of African nations in the early stages of the 2026 World Cup have shown clear signs of progress, with several teams holding their own against established football giants.
Morocco, Cape Verde, Egypt, and DR Congo all secured impressive draws against top-ranked opponents such as Brazil, Spain, Belgium, and Portugal.
In addition, Ghana and Ivory Coast recorded important victories over Ecuador and Panama, further boosting Africa’s reputation on the global stage.
According to him, these results highlight a shift in global football competitiveness, where traditional dominance by European and South American teams is no longer guaranteed.
He explained that modern football has become more balanced, giving well-prepared teams from any region a realistic chance of success. He also emphasized that tactical discipline and proper preparation are now more important than reputation.
Eguavoen added that the increasing number of African players featuring in top European leagues has significantly contributed to the continent’s rise.
Many of these players now compete at the highest level week in and week out, which helps them bring valuable experience and confidence to their national teams.
He further noted that because many African stars already play together or against each other in Europe, team chemistry at international level has improved, making African squads more competitive when they assemble for major tournaments.
The former Nigeria coach, who featured at the 1994 and 1998 World Cups as a player, believes the current generation has the quality and exposure needed to challenge for football’s biggest prize.
He concluded that while winning the World Cup remains a difficult task, Africa is now closer than ever to breaking new ground on the global stage.