Last update 8 julio, 2013 by Alberto Llopis
In 1990, Cameroon surprised the world reaching the quarterfinals of the World Cup in Italy 90. The company Milla and astonished the world with his extraordinary physical abilities to the point of defeating Colombia in the second round and to suffer more than necessary to England in quarterfinals. Four years later, Nigeria Okocha, Yekini or Ipkeba was planted in the second round after beating Greece and force extra time against Italy, in which only one incomenmensurable Roberto Baggio avoided greater evils. That same Nigeria, four years later he won Spain in the World Cup in France in what was one of the big surprises of the tournament and confirmation that Africa was serious.
Its increasingly high quality with the ball at his feet, his powerful physique and the output of the leading figures abroad propitiated half the world bid on the talents of the black continent. Ghana certificaba all with a quarter-final of the World Cup on penalties only avoided having an African semifinalist for the first time in history.
And if that was not enough, at lower levels, Ghana earned a sub World 20 in 2009, and Nigeria reached two finals over the same championship. The threat was such that the Olympic Games fell rendered to the African power with the triumph of “the Green Eagles” in 1996 and Cameroon in the year 2000, in that finale playing with 9 against Spain.
What seemed an unstoppable access to the top as happened in other sports such as athletics, however, It has stopped causing still in 2013 No African team has been able to reach semifinals of a World Cup and worse: that increasingly more inferior to Europe and South America.
¿Los motivos? as several, but mainly those set forth below:
– tactical disaster: They have advanced tactics but still remain far in structure and defensive organization of the major world powers. Mismatches between lines are obvious and that is very difficult to compete against the best.
– physical improvement in Europe and South America: It is true that while Africans have improved tactically and technical, Europeans and South Americans have increased their physical performance significantly causing a minor difference to Africans pictures. And if not the physical aspect is not better…bad way.
– nationalizations: many African players decide to play with European teams in part because they live there most of the time, partly by sporting interest and partly even economic interest. Con lo cual, large affected are African teams.
– scarce resources: there are still scarce means both structure and installations. No money and what little there is badly distributed. Local teams are left in the hand of God in many cases and there are leagues are played on fields unfit to play football.
– egos: in most selections are many egos and envy to excel on the same computer. This causes bad environments and generates hurting the box.
It's true, there are exceptions and that in a tournament sets isolated as Ivory Coast or Ghana anyone can win, but make no mistake it is difficult. Increasingly.
The greatest achievements of African football:
– Olympic gold with Nigeria 1996 and Cameroon in the 2000.
– World quarterfinal with Cameroon 1990 and Ghana 2010.
– Ghana, World Champion sub 20 in 2005.
– Ghana, twice world champion sub 17, Cameroon, three times world champion sub 17.