Is Morocco's 2022 World Cup squad the best African team in history?

GhanaWeb Feature

As it turned out, it is the Atlas Lions of Morocco who will be flying their red with green pentagram national flag in the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar as the only pride of Africa.

Morocco came to the World Cup as underdogs but they have become the dark horse of the competition, a tag many slapped on the Black Stars.

The Moroccans have always been tagged as underachievers as they mostly parade superstars for major tournaments but end up failing woefully and their performance in the 2021 AFCON bears testament to this narrative.

However, many believe that the Moroccans have now made amends for their transgressions after eliminating 2010 Champions Spain on penalties in the knockout stage on penalties to become the 4th African country to reach to quarter-finals of the World Cup after Cameroon, Senegal, and Ghana.

Morocco has been widely praised on social media by Africans for giving Africa a good representation at the World Cup and are being touted by their fans as the greatest African team in World Cup history.

But is Morocco truly the greatest team Africa has ever paraded for the World Cup?

Here is an analysis by GhanaWeb's Joel Eshun on the greatest team Africa has paraded at the World Cup.

Strength of opponents they face

Out of the four African countries that have reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup, the Black Stars of Ghana had a fairly easy route as compared to Senegal, Cameroon, and Morocco.

Serbia despite finishing 4th in the World Cup twice (1930 & 1962) were not a force in 2010, Australia were not also a big fish and are still not one and Ghana beat the USA in the knockout stage who have been an average-ranked country in the World Cup despite finishing third in the 1930 Mundial.

The only real test Ghana faced in the 2010 World Cup was Germany but they lost 1-0 in what was the final group-stage game.

Cameroon in 1990 did the unthinkable after beating defending champions Argentina 1-0 in their opening group game. They beat Romania in their second game but lost their second toughest test in the group after a 4-0 humiliation to the Soviet Union.

However, they got a good opponent in the knockout stage in Columbia but they were able to progress by beating them 2-1.

Senegal repeated Cameroon's miracle in 2002 after beating defending champions France in their opening game before drawing with Denmark who were one of the highly ranked teams after finishing in the quarter-finals of the 1998 World Cup in France.

Senegal also drew 3-3 with Uruguay who are amongst the big boys in the World Cup after winning two trophies in 1930 and 1950 in their final group stage game before beating 1958 World Cup finalist Sweden in the knockout stage.

The Atlas Lions of Morocco on the other hand were drafted in a difficult group with Belgium and Croatia who finished second and third respectively in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Morocco drew with Croatia and beat Belgium 2-0 in their second group game before defeating Canada 2-1. They then eliminated 2010 champions Spain in the knockout stage on penalties to become the 4th African country to qualify for the quarter-final stage.

It is now clear that Ghana is the only country amongst the aforementioned that couldn't defeat a former champion in the Mundial.

Number of clean sheets

Morocco has shown that they have had the best defense in the ongoing 2022 FIFA World Cup as they are yet to lose a game and they have conceded only once in the tournament which was Nayef Aguerd's own goal against Canada.

In four games, Morocco has kept three clean sheets and they have played against some worthy opposition.

The Black Stars of Ghana, on the other hand, kept only one clean sheet in 2010 which was their opening game against Serbia, Senegal kept a single clean sheet after beating France 1-0 in their opening game and Cameroon also had one clean sheet after silencing Diego Maradona's Argentina at San Siro on June 8, 1990.

Goals scored and goals conceded

The Atlas Lions of Morocco scored four goals in the 2022 FIFA World Cup to become the 4th African country to reach the quarter-finals of the Mundial which is equal to Ghana's campaign in 2010 but less than Senegal and Cameroon's 2002 and 1990 campaigns.

Senegal scored 7 goals (5 in group stage, 2 in R16) before reaching the quarter-finals of the 2002 World Cup, Ghana scored 4 goals (2 in group stage, 2 in R16) in 2010, and Cameroon who were the first African team to set the record scored 5 goals (3 in group stage, 2 in R16).

While Morocco conceded only a goal before reaching the quarter-finals, Ghana conceded 3, Senegal 5, and Cameroon shipped in 6 goals. This means the Indomitable Lions had the most porous defense.

It is also important to note that no opposing player has scored against the Atlas Lions in the 2022 World Cup because the goal they conceded was an own goal scored by defender Nayef Aguerd.

Overall performance

Overall performance, Morocco has proven to be the best African team that has reached the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup after conceding fewer goals and amassing the highest points.

Ghana got 4 points in 2010, Senegal got 5 points, Cameroon 4 points but Morocco got 7 points from Group F after drawing with Canada and beating Belgium and Canada.

Morocco and Cameroon were also the only African teams who were able to top their respective groups and progress to the quarter-finals.

Author: Joel Eshun