The Football World Cup is set to begin on June 12 in Brazil, and the five African nations – Algeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Nigeria – eagerly await the draw on Friday to determine their groups. Ahead of their battles on Brazilian soil, these African teams are gearing up for a tough competition, and Alain Giresse, the national coach of Senegal, emphasized the importance of thorough preparation.
According to Giresse, with proper preparation, African teams have the potential to aim for the quarterfinals and beyond. He stressed that good preparation can significantly impact the final results, accounting for 50-60 percent of success. Giresse believes that a well-organized strategy can propel African teams past the initial rounds.
Setting the quarterfinals as the first objective, Giresse aims to demonstrate that African football has not regressed. He expressed the belief that once this milestone is achieved, anything becomes possible for the African teams in the tournament.
It’s worth noting that no African country has progressed beyond the quarterfinals of the World Cup so far. Cameroon achieved this feat in 1990, followed by Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2006 and 2010.