must be a brave man. I've travelled to 80-odd countries and nowhere have I ever found such seething energy as in Nigeria - an electricity which translates into both rampant passion and expectation when applied to football.
While covering the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations, I'll never forget the outrage of Nigerian fans who - infuriated by the hosts' failure to beat group rivals Congo - smashed the team bus and were only prevented from accessing the dressing rooms by volleys of tear gas.
Many Nigerians believe football to be the only area which ever unites their vastly disparate land of over 300 tribes and 150 million inhabitants.
Now though, .
Read the rest of this entry
Perhaps it was predictable that Ivory Coast's Elephants should do just 30 miles from the Kruger National Park but the question now is whether this 'golden generation' will be put out to grass.
Following their early exit, was immediately asked whether he'd be back for Brazil 2014.
"That's a good question but I don't know what the future will hold," the Ivorian captain replied. "All I know is that I'm proud to be part of this team."
Ivory Coast's all-time top scorer will be 36 by the next World Cup, while all the rest of the starting line-up in Nelspruit - bar , just 23, and Cheik Ismael Tiote - will also be in their 30s.
Read the rest of this entry
South Africa's players left Bloemfontein's on Tuesday feeling enormous pride rather than dismay at creating unwanted history.
They gave a terrific display when to avoid becoming the first World Cup hosts to never win a game.
And though they did become the first hosts to miss out on qualifying for the second phase, a visit from South Africa President Jacob Zuma revived their spirits.
"In the dressing room, we were very disappointed but the president came in and told us the nation is proud of us," said Siphiwe Tshabalala. "Most of us had never played at such a high level before, but we finished on a high and showed great determination."
Read the rest of this entry
was the type of result Bafana Bafana fans had long feared and coach Carlos Alberto Parreira had worked meticulously to avoid.
The Brazilian must be feeling crushed after his charges froze on a bitterly cold night in Pretoria and now face the very real - and unwanted - prospect of becoming the first World Cup hosts to fail to reach the second phase.
Furthermore, it is next to impossible to see where Parreira can take a glimmer of optimism from a desperate display as he plots to beat a French side on Tuesday that is far superior on paper.
Read the rest of this entry
Six games played by Africa at the continent's first World Cup, but just the one win.
Not the start Africa was hoping for, especially given the perceived advantages of playing at home. But putting things into context, only Tunisia avoided defeat in the opening round of matches in Germany - whereas three of the record six finalists did here.
and history is on their side. Ever since Morocco became the first Africans into the knock-out stages in 1986, the continent's first team to win at the World Cup has always gone the furthest.
Read the rest of this entry
If South Africans want an omen in the run-up to Friday's opening clash against Mexico, they can take heart from the most tenuous of facts - that every time an African team has contested the World Cup opener, they have not only won it, but also made it to the quarter-finals.
Cameroon in 1990 and Senegal in 2002 are the two major highlights of Africa's World Cup adventure, but what about the rest?
And what about the lowlights? Here are my African highs and lows.
Read the rest of this entry
This week some of our regular bloggers are answering your World Cup questions. South American expert Tim Vickery and European expert Phil Minshull have had their turn, now it is African expert Piers Edwards's chance to give his views.
Q. Who do you think will win the World Cup and who do you think will be the star of the tournament. I think Netherlands could win, and I think the star of the tournament could be Luis Fabiano, so what do you think?
Andrew David, Wales
A. I think Brazil will beat Argentina in the final, however insane it may be to back a team coached by Diego Maradona. The World Cup does throw up the implausible and I think this one will have a few shocks.
This isn't really answering your question, but I can't wait for the competition to start, especially after three years' build-up here. Perhaps I'm just hoping to be entertained but the prospect of both Maradona and Messi lighting up South Africa could be memorable. The Zanetti and Cambiasso decisions were strange but Maradona does have incredible talent at his disposal.
I also think the Dutch may do well, especially given Arjen Robben's fantastic displays for Bayern in recent months. Play and score goals like that at the World Cup and he'll be a major star. I agree that Brazil's Fabiano will have a good tournament and think he'll actually finish as top scorer but I'm not sure he'll be the star as his clinical style of play won't light up a World Cup like a Messi, Rooney or Ronaldo.
Read the rest of this entry
Born in Wimbledon, my enthusiasm for the global game was already sizeable before the tragic demise of the boys from SW19. Having covered football in over 50 countries, I've been working in the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s African sports section since the early noughties, recently spending three years in Africa to report on the run-up to the continent's first World Cup.
