Only Tunisia was eliminated from the first round, while the teams of Morocco, Egypt, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Algeria, Ghana, Senegal, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cape Verde qualified for the round of 32, which made the African presence this time collectively, not individually.
This transformation cannot be treated as a series of surprises. What is happening in this edition appears to be the result of a long path of development, whether at the level of professional players in Europe, or the improvement of organization within some federations, or the increase in the experience of local and foreign coaches working with African teams. In the past, talk was often about an African team capable of embarrassing adults or snatching a qualification card. Today, the continent appears to be present with a large number of teams, with greater confidence, and with a greater ability to compete in difficult matches.
According to observers and the international press, the main difference in this edition is that African teams no longer rely solely on individual skill, but rather have better organization and the ability to manage matches. The spread of African players in major European leagues has given these teams a stronger personality in major tournaments.
The real test will begin in the round of 32. Elimination matches are not like the group stage, and a mistake in them could quickly end the campaign. Therefore, this role will be an opportunity to see if African development is able to go further than just qualifying.
The confrontation between Morocco and the Netherlands stands out as one of the most sensitive and interesting matches, not only from a football perspective, but also because of the social and cultural dimension associated with the large Moroccan community in the Netherlands, and a number of players who grew up between two different football environments.
This match may sum up part of the story of modern football, as teams no longer express only geographical borders, but also immigration, identity, and cross-country football formation.
Therefore, can this continent turn the large presence into actual achievement in the decisive roles?
