“I have a dream that soon and very soon, an African country will
win the Fifa World Cup tournament”. – Pele (Glasgow, Scotland, 1989)
It is 23 years now since one of the greatest footballers of all
time, if not the best, when Brazil’s top world soccer super star Arantes do
Nacsinmento aka Pele said at the World Under 17 championship in Scotland when
he saw the skills of Ghana’s Nii Odartey Lamptey, Daniel Addo (the darling
boy), Sammy Osei Kufour, goalkeeper Ali Jara, Abdul Karim Midjima, Isaac Asare,
Sabestian Barnes, Kofi Nimo and other Starlets who had been grouped to
represent the resourseful West African nation.
Pele was convinced because he saw something and up till now what
he dreamt had not been realized. Why?
Does it mean that Ghanaians are doing some things wrong? May be, Ghana
was the first African country to win an Olympic medal in football in 1992, but
this feat was broken when Cameroun and Nigeria won gold in football at the
Olympic Games later.
Ghana was able to grab the gold at the World Youth Cup in 2009.
Now we have to go for the ultimate. Ghana has always taken the lead for other
Africans to follow and 2014 should be another time to make history.
We, as Ghanaians who love football and believe Ghana can win the
World Cup know we can make amends and corrections to be on track and make
Pele’s dream come true.
Ghana’s Black Stars have qualified for the third to to represent
Africa together with Nigeria, Algeria, Cameroun and Cote d’Voire. All these
contries have tasted World Cup fever and they know how the festival feels like.
Ghana and Nigeria are the two African countries coached by their
own indigenious coaches in the persons of James Kwesi Appiah for the Black
Stars and Stephen Keshi for the Super Eagles.
These two countries are the only two who have come out clearly to
announce that they want to win the mundial.
The task seems unattainable as all the top European football
nations, the dreaded South Americans and unpredictable Asians are
also come with very good players.
For Ghana, the analysts believe can go further than 2006 and 2010
when they reached the second round and quarter finals respectively. And now
that the team is even stronger with the return of Michael Essien and the
inclusion of Kevin Prince Boateng, all is set for a real Agoro versus Samba
showdown.
Nigerians are also saying they will win the FIFA 2014 World Cup
because, they are the current African Champions, they are also the current
World Under 17 Champions and they have once won the Olympic gold.
Cameroun qualified on a good note, and they have been to the
competition more than any African nation, yet they have not come boldly to say
they will win like Ghana and Nigeria. Their top world class star Samuel Etoo
Fils is not as sharp as he used to be and the youth must take over.
Cote d’Voire also plays wonderful football and they are certainly favourites
with world class players like Drogba, Solomon Kalou and others, but would they
have the composure, temperament, vigor, attitude, comportment, patience,
courage and zeal to beat other nations and reach the prize?
Algeria was lucky to qualify at home in a one nil win over my
favourite team of the season, Burkina Faso. As the second best country in
Africa after CAN 2013, they should have qualified to make it a West African
affair for the world to know and see and feel that the best comes from West
Africa. I miss creative players like Patriopa and Bance.
But I have to salute the Algerians for their hard work to score
two goals against Burkina Faso at home in a 2-3 thriller. Algeria will be the
white skinned Africans in Brazil and for sure Africa will support them to go
far.
Certainly Brazil 2014 will be an exciting football festival and
all advantages must be utilized. The government of Ghana must find ways and
means of doing business and establishing relations. The same advice goes to the
business community and the sports people especially as Brazil is a huge sports
nation.
It would not be easy for
Ghana to win thw World Cup, but a semi – final appearance is a big achievement,
and coming home with the bronze, silver or gold should be something else. It can
be done, as Pele predicted in 1989.
Ghana became the 25th team in the World to
confirm their place at next year's World Cup following qualification on Tuesday.
The
Black Stars, despite losing 2-1 to Egypt in the second-leg secured passage to
the finals in Brazil on a 7-3 aggregate win.
Ghana
took a commanding lead from last month's first-leg in Kumasi where the Black
Stars thumped Egypt 6-1.
Qualification
means, the Black Stars will be making their third-straight appearance at the
finals and this is the time to show something.
African Qualified Teams
Ghana,
Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Algeria
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