World Cup 2014: Underrate Africans at your own peril!

Ghana Black Stars can't wait to run the show in Brazil!

African countries that qualified to next summer's FIFA World Cup in Brazil have not been given even a dog's chance to make it to the second stage of the competition.

In fact, the so called soccer pundits in Europe and America have predicted that all five African torch bearers will fall on the way side after the first round with the funny thoughts that they find themselves in groups that are beyond their capabilities.

For me, such claims are laughable, to say the least.

If you claim to know more about the game and your country is drawn against any African team, then you better brace yourself up for more surprises because you can only underrate an African side at the World Cup at your own peril.

Since 1986, at least, a single African side has made it to the second stage of the competition to defy the odds. To put it in numbers, the second stage of  seven consecutive World Cups have always recorded an African participant, albeit, some of these countries made it from an insurmountable groups.

For instance, mention can be made of Ghana in a group with Germany, Serbia and Australia in 2010; Ghana in a group with Italy, Czech Republic and United States in 2006; Senegal in a group with France, Denmark and Uruguay in 2002 as well as Nigeria in a group with Spain, Bulgaria and Paraguay in 1998.

Then, there was Nigeria again in a group with Bulgaria, Argentina and Greece in 1994; Cameroon in a group with Argentina, Romania and Soviet Union in 1990 likewise Morocco in a group with Poland, England and Portugal in 1986.

There were periods African teams were counted among the mere participants but we proved the bookies wrong and even went as far as the quarter final.

One more chance for  these group of Ivory Coast  players to make a mark on the world stage

Talk of Ghana's wonderful run in the 2010 World Cup, Senegal's amazing performances in 2002 as well as Cameroon's swashbuckling form in 1990;  yet some pundits don't want to give us the needed respect. Haven't we done enough to earn that all important respect?

Even before they condemn us as one of the also-rans in the upcoming tournament, they should, at least, acknowledge how difficult the African qualifiers were.

Out of 52 nations, only five made it to Brazil after a tortuous, winding and  tedious qualifying rounds. There were three rounds of qualifying. The first round found 24 teams trying to make it into the second round of competition, where there were 10 groups of four teams. In the third round, the 10 group winners played off over two legs to determine who took Africa's five places in Brazil. It was a no joke format and those who sailed through must be respected!

Let us advance the arguments by taking a closer look at the groups that the African representatives find themselves in. 

Cameroon has done it before and the onus lie on the current players to repeat the dose

Cameroon find themselves in Group A alongside host and of course, one of the favourites,  Brazil, as well as Croatia and Mexico. Cameroon got this far after topping a qualifying group that consisted of Libya, Congo DR and Togo and later defeated Tunisia 4-1 on aggregate in two legged play off.

Mexico, after a disastrous campaign in the CONCACAF zone, had to settle with a play off with lowly rated New Zealand before qualifying to the World Cup. They had an emphatic  9-3 victory over New Zealand after two legs. But who cares? After all, which African team can't beat New Zealand and which of the five African representatives can't qualify automatically from the CONCACAF zone?

During the UEFA World Cup qualifiers proper, Croatia were housed in Group A with Belgium, Serbia, Scotland, Wales and Macedonia. Croatia placed a distant second behind Belgium and had to qualify after beating Iceland 2-0 after two legs. Again, how many African teams can Iceland beat?

Now let's look at Group C that consist of  Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast and Japan.

In the African qualifiers, the Ivorians won a group that consisted of Morocco, Tanzania and the Gambia and had to go into a serious tango with Senegal before booking a place to the World Cup after a 4-2 aggregate score over their west African rivals.

Colombia made it to Brazil after placing second behind Argentina in the CONMEBOL or the South American zone while Japan, from Asia, were the first country to qualify for the World Cup. As for Greece they were forced to engage Romania in a play off before they made it to the World Cup. They defeated Romania 4-2 on aggregate after placing second behind Bosnia-Hercegovina in the UEFA Group G. This writer would not be far from right to suggest that Cote d'Ivoire, in a good day, may force the other group opponents to laugh at the wrong sides of their mouths.

African Champions Nigeria to prove a point in Brazil

Another African representative, Nigeria (current African champions) will battle Argentina, Bosnia-Hercegovina, and Iran in Group F. Argentina, as expected, topped the CONMEBOL zone in the qualifiers while Iran also won the Asia Group A ahead of South Korea. 

In the UEFA World Cup qualifiers, Bosnia-Hercegovinah only had Greece to contend with in the Group G as they only beat the Greek to the first place by superior goals. The likes of Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia and Liechtenstein were no match for Bosnia and I believe a lot of African countries can also beat such teams in every competitive encounters. So why should Bosnia-Hercegovina be seen as much superior than Nigeria?

Group G will see favourites Germany, Portugal and USA coming face to face with Ghana and again, many have predicted that Ghana wont survive the first round in this group and I ask why?

These group of pundits forget that Ghana qualified from a tough group from the CAF qualifiers that included the 2012 African Champions Zambia, Lesotho and Sudan before calling off the bluff of mighty Egypt in the play off.

Of course, Germany were peerless in their qualifiers as they shrugged off challenges from Sweden, Republic of Ireland, Austria, Faeroe Island and Kazakhstan in UEFA Group C while Portugal had to beat Sweden in the play off to book a place to the World Cup after they had failed to win their qualifying Group F that housed winners Russia, Israel, Azerbaijan, Northern Ireland and Luxembourg. Portugal couldn't beat Russia to book an automatic place to the World Cup and had to rely on a Cristiano Ronaldo magic to beat off competition from Sweden in the play off and the pundits want us to believe they are far better than the Black Stars of Ghana. 

Make no mistake, the Ghanaians also boast of stars but they always go into competitions as a unified force - their trump card. 

Then come the USA who won the CONCACAF zone that included lowly rated teams like Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Panama and Jamaica. Once again, let me place on record that any of the five African representatives to Brazil could beat any team from the CONCACAF region.

Algeria has been tagged as the dark horses among the African representatives to Brazil  and they had to contend with Belgium, Russia and South Korea in Group H. And one may not be far from right to condemn Algeria in such a group but again, there are surprises in the game of soccer.

Certainly, Belgium has rediscovered their form with more talented players scattered all over Europe.  That was why they defeated Croatia, Serbia, Scotland, Wales and Macedonia in UEFA Group A qualifiers. 

It is also no secret that Russia qualified ahead of Portugal, Israel, Azerbaijan, Northern Ireland and Luxembourg in UEFA Group F  qualifiers but that cannot write off the Algerians just like that.

South Korea also qualified after placing second in the Asia Group A behind Iran while Algeria managed to beat Burkina Faso in the play off after battling to win a tough CAF Group H that had the likes of Mali, Benin and Rwanda.

Honestly, if Algeria gets their acts together and plan adequately, they can rob shoulders with any of these teams. seriously, every African team that made it to the World Cup is capable of going beyond the first round and can progress to the semi final of the competition.

Algeria - Can they spring a surprise?

There are so many active African players playing top level football in the various European leagues as well as the UEFA Champions League and the Europa Cup that will stand to be counted among top performers in Brazil.

The qualified African teams still boast of players who  have seen it all at the international stage. There are players who have tasted senior World Cup before so I don't think players of the African teams would be overawed when they come face to face with the Neymars, the Falcaos, the C Ronaldos, the Messis, the Eden Hazards, the Ozils etc.

I believe the Essiens, the Muntaris' the Asamoah Gyans, the Eto'os, the Drogbas, the Yaya Toures, the Mikel Obis, the Victor Moses, the Madjid Bougherras at any given time can rise to the occasion.

Not only names, but all the five African countries boast of a unified team that can cause a stir at the World Cup.

Pundits in Europe and America don't want to admit that the likes of Ghana, Nigeria and Algeria boast of a young team and very organised sides with many players having European football experience as well as the likes of Cameroonian and Ivoirian stars who have played together for a long period and have amassed a lot of experience globally.

Africans are no longer minnows on the world stage, hence, whoever underrate Africa in Brazil 2014 does so at their own peril. we have come of age and can not be seen as pushovers!