Legendary Germany striker legend Miroslav Klose says an African country will win the FIFA World Cup if the continent has more slots like their European counterparts.
Africa are allocated five out of the 32 slots while World Cup power houses Europe and South America have 13 and five slots respectively.
While five countries from Europe have won the World Cup (England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain) three from South America (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay) have tasted glory on football’s biggest stage.
Also Read: Wrestling Legend Kamala Dies After Complications From Coronavirus
The farthest African teams have been at the World Cup is the quarter-final (Cameroon, Senegal, Ghana).
Co-host of the 2002 World Cup South Korea is the only Asian country that has gotten to the semi-final.
And according to Klose, the 2014 World Cup who is also the tournament’s all time leading goalscorer, posited that the five slots allocated to Africa limits the continent’s chances of winning it.
“There is no way Africa can win the World cup, unless FIFA brings balance to the number of teams that qualifies to the World cup,” the former Bayern Munich striker said, as cited by Soccer Scenes Africa.
“For now it is advantage to Europe and South America. The slot for African teams is very bad. Only five teams in a world cup that has almost 13 European teams. If Black lives really matter, we should show it by actions in every institution not only by kneeling down.
“We need to balance everything, no one must be considered superior than the other. Despite all the talent they have, but it would be absolutely impossible to go all the way to reach the World cup final with only five teams in the tournament, meanwhile other continents have more than five,” he added.
9 Comments
Well said, even better than the African would have said The injustice is so blatant. Statistically how will Africa make it to the final with the meagre slots allotted to her?
CAF should continue to lobby for FIFA to level the playing ground.
Nonsense,the best African teams crash out in the group stages of the world cup, maybe Malawi and djbouti can help us win it
South America too has 5 slots but has won the WC 8 times if not more. I dont see how having more slots will help Africa win the WC when the best of the best 5 are still struggling to make it out of the group stages.
Its always from one crises to another when African teams go to the world cup. If its not the players fighting amongst themselves, its the officials fighting the players for not greeting properly or for some very stupid non-footballing reasons. African FA officials will fly their entire families including girl friends to the WC in business class and leave the players in economy class. Every world cup year is always the most turbulent for most African FAs due to the massive corruption that comes out of it. And these dates back to the 70s when Zaire participated at the world cup and even refused to play their 2nd group match if their bonuses were not paid. 40 whole years latter African teams still battle these same issues.
Our own SE for instance…in 1994, it was players vs players….1998 players vs players (so bad that Amokachi and Adepoju described the team as the worst they ever played in and couldnt wait for the team to just crash out so that every one will go home)….in year 2002 it was FA, Sports ministry vs players and new coach with 3 months to the WC….in 2006 FA politics and lack of commitment from players ensured we couldnt even qualify from a group that had Angola, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Gabon and Algeria…..in 2010 it was FA, PTF and Journalists vs the entire team…..in 2014 it was FA vs Coach vs Bonuses…..2018 If was players being begged to play in the same positions they were playing in their clubsides. Always a case of 1 tournament one trouble. Go to cameroon…similar story…..senegal similar, ghana similar….CIV similar.
Africa should get its acts together, 1 or 2 quarter final placing every decade is not enough ground to canvas for more slot. Let all 5 African teams make it out of the group stages first and 2-3 make it to quaters and 1 make it to the semis in the next 3 world cups, that is when we can have a defensible basis to clamor for more slots. Even when we had 6 slots in 2010 on home soil it was same story….so what guarantees do we have that having 10 slots will help us win the WC when our camps are always in disarray and no clear cup plan and program for implementing our WC participation or where someone are proposing non qualified ex-internationals to lead the teams to the mundial…?!
Ask African FAs and even CAF to show you their 4 year WC development plan and I will be pleasantly shocked if they have 1
Klose is just trying to ride on the hypocritical bandwagon(Black lives matter) going around the world right now and trying to be political correct ; Saying what’s pleasing to the hears rather than what’s true. Trying to fight for equality rather than demanding equity. Must everything be about race?. Why can’t we be objective and professional!
How can we really ask for more slot when Egypt can’t even beat Saudi Arabia?
In fact Tunisia Tunisia to beat the same Saudi Arabia in a previous world cup.
I think if Africa is going to get more slot,then Asia deserves same as well; there is no much difference between both Federation in terms of size,association members and in terms of performance in global events.
In fact, in recent event,the Asian teams have tend to perform better even with smaller number of slot.
The reason the world cup is so revered is because it has been built as a tournament for the best. You have to earn the right to be there. Slots shouldn’t be given based on sentiments and political correctness or I fear we get to disintegrate the prestige the competition holds. It would lose that class.
Africa have to work for it and merit that slot.
Nice points@ drey. I have always wonder if its spiritual problem to africa FAs and their teams. Its always at important point of their teams progress that the confusion will show up. In addition to ur views. I think africa players should increase their level of comitment to their teams. They should respect the decision of their coaches for the sake of their country. Even if a european is worth billions when ever their called for national activities they always keep to time and commands, africans should look at their coaches as a commander in chief and they shouldnt have isues with captaincy position that is not a trophy. Sometimes i see the koreans and japanese put everything in their games like their military will do against europeans teams and it has paid them. We saw korea in the semifinal in 2002 and we have seen the japanese women won the worldcup. How can a player be questioning the coach formation or refuse to play in a position that the likes of marcello and dany alves proudly play for brasil with abondant skills that is beyond what you can offer to ur country? Lack of patrotism and ego.
Except we want to turn the tournament to a jamboree, Africa doesn’t deserve 13 slots yet. The WC should be a competition of the best footballing nations from each confederation. While I strongly feel Africa has more than five countries who can compete at the WC, I don’t think we have up to thirteen of such teams. Maybe Eight, as of now, but 13, hell no. Otherwise, we should always prepare for a replay of 1974’s disgrace every four years.
It doesn’t have to be 13 slots. That guy is talking about equality. European and South American slots could be reduced to make room for Africa teams.
Yes I sincerely agree with u..for equality,d European teams should be reduced to pave way for other continent like Africa, maybe den we might see d changes n maybe our darling African teams might do us proud..But honestly I really believe dat if d slot is increase to 8 or more African teams will go beyond quarter finals..Trust me!
Yes I sincerely agree with u..for equality,d European teams should be reduced to pave way for other continent like Africa, maybe den we might see d changes n maybe our darling African teams might do us proud..But honestly I really believe dat if d slot is increase to 8 or more African teams will go beyond quarter finals..Trust me!