Ex stars differ on African team WC chances
Home Morocco stunned Spain and Portugal en route to the FIFA World Cup 2022 semi-finals Former Senegal star El Hadji Diouf shares the belief of CAF president Patrick Motsepe that an African team can win the 2026 World Cup, but Nigeria great Jay-Jay Okocha is unsure. Morocco stunned Spain and Portugal en route to the semi-finals at the last global showpiece in Qatar four years ago before falling to France. Now, as the United States, Canada and Mexico prepare to co-host a record 48 nations, the football world wonders whether Africa can go even further, or was 2022 a flash in the pan? "Why not?," responded ex-Liverpool striker Diouf when asked by AFP if an African captain could lift the trophy near New York on July 19.
"Take my own country. We have amazing players like Sadio (Mane), Idrissa (Gueye) and Edouard (Mendy). "They can match stars from any country. The 2026 World Cup — Africa is going there to win the tournament."
Published: May 21, 2026 4:17 pm
Source: The Express Tribune — Read original