Patrice Motsepe, president of the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF), expressed optimism that an African team would get to the FIFA World Cup final in 2026.
He made this statement in reference to Morocco’s amazing performance at the recently finished 2022 World Cup, where the squad became the first African team to go to the Semifinals since the competition’s start in 1930.
In addition to shocking Belgium in the group stage, the Atlas Lions also defeated Spain and Portugal in the elimination round before falling to France in the semifinals.
Ten African countries, according to Motsepe, are capable of competing at the highest level and even winning the World Cup, as he said during a news conference on Wednesday in Johannesburg.
“Morocco opened the door by reaching the semi-finals this month and I am confident an African nation will go further at the next World Cup,” said the South African billionaire.
“The main objective of CAF (Confederation of African Football) is for an African nation to win the World Cup and that goal is within reach.”
“We should be proud of what Cameroon and Tunisia achieved. These and other African countries must learn from Morocco,” said the CAF president.