Chris Maduewesi
Member
Five African countries will be representing the continent at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil,hoping to make an impact in the tournament taking place in a South American nation.
To some,this is a tournament that the Africans are expected to out-perform their previous performances at any FIFA World Cup tournament,considering that the temperature situations during the tournament will be the same with what is obtainable on the continent.
No African country has ever gone past the quarter-finals of a World Cup before: Cameroon in 1994,Senegal in 2002 and Ghana at the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
President of the Confederation of African Football,Issa Hayatou this year urged African teams going to the World Cup to break their duck and aim for the trophy.
“What will make me happy now, after all these achievements, will be to get even more success for African football,” Hayatou told CAF website.
“We continue with massive strides on all fronts of football development and, going into the World Cup, I do not see why Africa cannot have one or two of our representatives reach the semi-finals or indeed even the Final of the World Cup during my time as President,” he added.
Also in the bandwagon of people who think Africa will do well in Brazil is Super Eagles goalkeeper,Vincent Enyeama who believes that it is time for African teams to make a statement at the World Cup,rather than just making up the numbers.
"But now I think it is high-time we started realising that we should go to a tournament and make a name,make a statement and that is one of the things that will drive us,the thing that would push us on to hold our own out there."
So we take a ''cursory'' at five players African players expected to shine and pioneer their country's charge at the tournament.
Sofiane Feghouli (Algeria)
An attacking midfielder who plays for Valencia,Feghouli is expected to pull the strings in midfield for his team.
#Feghouli would be laden with the responsibility to create and invent moves for his country.
How far #Algeria might go in the tournament will be hugely determined by how well he brings his artistry to the pitch.
And he equally provides varying options up close in attack,as he can fill in almost all the four positions upfront.
Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon)
The most decorated player in African's history,Samuel #Eto'o will be shouldering the goalscoring responsibilities of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.
Think what you may of the verbal spats he has directed at Jose #Mourinho,the former #Barcelona and Inter Milan player will be out to prove his critics wrong in #Brazil.
This could be Eto'o's last World Cup tournament(well Roger Milla played into his 40's) and he will be out to prove that there is still life in the old dog.
He is his country's leading goalscorer,having amassed a total of 55 goals in 112 appearances for his country.
Asamaoh Gyan (Ghana)
Captain of the Black Stars,Asamaoh #Gyan will have another shot at the World Cup tournament,after playing a sterling role in helping his team beat Egypt to qualification.
Since joining Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates Pro-League,Gyan has scored an unprecedented number of goals,scoring over 100.
The goals might be in an unknown league,but coach #KwesiAppiah will be hoping that he reignites the flames when they get to Brazil.
Fresh on Gyan's mind will be his penalty miss at the last World Cup against Uruguay in South Africa. Had he scored that goal,Ghana would have been the first African team to make the semifinals of the World Cup.
He will be looking to make amends this time around,and although Ghan have other stars in the mould of Kevin Prince Boateng and #MichaelEssien,Gyan will be the one to lead the attack
Yaya Toure(Ivory Coast)
Current African footballer of the year,Yaya Toure's game gets better by the day,like the proverbial wine getting better with age.
The 31-year Ivory Coast international is no doubt the best performing African in Europe,and all eyes would be on him in Brazil.
Having helped #ManchesterCity to a second Premier League title in three years,Yaya will be hoping to find the same form for his national team.
He hasn't really sparkled for Ivory Coast,and there can't be a better stage to erase that than now.
#DidierDrogba would have attracted all the attentions for Ivory Coast,but at the last Nations Cup his influence began to wane as he was dropped from some of the games.
Coming in for some heavy sticks,the Ivory Coast team has been criticised for not leaving up to billing,despite having an array of stars.
If there is anytime that Ivory Coast need a player to step up,it is now and it has to start from #YayaToure.
John Obi Mikel(Nigeria)
Was the shining light of the Nigerian team that got to the finals of the 2005 #FIFA under 20 World Cup in the Netherlands,and since then so many great things have been expected of John Obi Mikel.
With his club career demanding that #Mikel plays a defensive role,his offensive instincts has been somehow curtailed by Chelsea,which in turn affected his output for the #SuperEagles of Nigeria.
However Keshi seemed to have restored the old order,giving Mikel a free role to express himself on the field of play.
Mikel had his best time in the national team last year,helping the Super Eagles win the 2013 Nations Cup in South Africa,and equally having a respectable campaign at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup.
He is set to replicate that feat in Brazil and would be Nigeria's playmaker who would control the tempo of their games.
Having missed the last World Cup through an injury,no better time to embed himself in Nigeria's World Cup folklore than this.
Photo Credits: Wikipedia
To some,this is a tournament that the Africans are expected to out-perform their previous performances at any FIFA World Cup tournament,considering that the temperature situations during the tournament will be the same with what is obtainable on the continent.
No African country has ever gone past the quarter-finals of a World Cup before: Cameroon in 1994,Senegal in 2002 and Ghana at the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
President of the Confederation of African Football,Issa Hayatou this year urged African teams going to the World Cup to break their duck and aim for the trophy.
“What will make me happy now, after all these achievements, will be to get even more success for African football,” Hayatou told CAF website.
“We continue with massive strides on all fronts of football development and, going into the World Cup, I do not see why Africa cannot have one or two of our representatives reach the semi-finals or indeed even the Final of the World Cup during my time as President,” he added.
Also in the bandwagon of people who think Africa will do well in Brazil is Super Eagles goalkeeper,Vincent Enyeama who believes that it is time for African teams to make a statement at the World Cup,rather than just making up the numbers.
"But now I think it is high-time we started realising that we should go to a tournament and make a name,make a statement and that is one of the things that will drive us,the thing that would push us on to hold our own out there."
So we take a ''cursory'' at five players African players expected to shine and pioneer their country's charge at the tournament.
Sofiane Feghouli (Algeria)
An attacking midfielder who plays for Valencia,Feghouli is expected to pull the strings in midfield for his team.
#Feghouli would be laden with the responsibility to create and invent moves for his country.
How far #Algeria might go in the tournament will be hugely determined by how well he brings his artistry to the pitch.
And he equally provides varying options up close in attack,as he can fill in almost all the four positions upfront.
Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon)
Think what you may of the verbal spats he has directed at Jose #Mourinho,the former #Barcelona and Inter Milan player will be out to prove his critics wrong in #Brazil.
This could be Eto'o's last World Cup tournament(well Roger Milla played into his 40's) and he will be out to prove that there is still life in the old dog.
He is his country's leading goalscorer,having amassed a total of 55 goals in 112 appearances for his country.
Asamaoh Gyan (Ghana)
Captain of the Black Stars,Asamaoh #Gyan will have another shot at the World Cup tournament,after playing a sterling role in helping his team beat Egypt to qualification.
Since joining Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates Pro-League,Gyan has scored an unprecedented number of goals,scoring over 100.
The goals might be in an unknown league,but coach #KwesiAppiah will be hoping that he reignites the flames when they get to Brazil.
Fresh on Gyan's mind will be his penalty miss at the last World Cup against Uruguay in South Africa. Had he scored that goal,Ghana would have been the first African team to make the semifinals of the World Cup.
He will be looking to make amends this time around,and although Ghan have other stars in the mould of Kevin Prince Boateng and #MichaelEssien,Gyan will be the one to lead the attack
Yaya Toure(Ivory Coast)
Current African footballer of the year,Yaya Toure's game gets better by the day,like the proverbial wine getting better with age.
The 31-year Ivory Coast international is no doubt the best performing African in Europe,and all eyes would be on him in Brazil.
Having helped #ManchesterCity to a second Premier League title in three years,Yaya will be hoping to find the same form for his national team.
He hasn't really sparkled for Ivory Coast,and there can't be a better stage to erase that than now.
#DidierDrogba would have attracted all the attentions for Ivory Coast,but at the last Nations Cup his influence began to wane as he was dropped from some of the games.
Coming in for some heavy sticks,the Ivory Coast team has been criticised for not leaving up to billing,despite having an array of stars.
If there is anytime that Ivory Coast need a player to step up,it is now and it has to start from #YayaToure.
John Obi Mikel(Nigeria)
Was the shining light of the Nigerian team that got to the finals of the 2005 #FIFA under 20 World Cup in the Netherlands,and since then so many great things have been expected of John Obi Mikel.
With his club career demanding that #Mikel plays a defensive role,his offensive instincts has been somehow curtailed by Chelsea,which in turn affected his output for the #SuperEagles of Nigeria.
However Keshi seemed to have restored the old order,giving Mikel a free role to express himself on the field of play.
Mikel had his best time in the national team last year,helping the Super Eagles win the 2013 Nations Cup in South Africa,and equally having a respectable campaign at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup.
He is set to replicate that feat in Brazil and would be Nigeria's playmaker who would control the tempo of their games.
Having missed the last World Cup through an injury,no better time to embed himself in Nigeria's World Cup folklore than this.
Photo Credits: Wikipedia
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