Africa-Press – Ghana. Against all expectations, at least for the most sceptical, the African continent remains represented in the 22nd edition of the Football World Cup, Qatar 2022, via Morocco, winning 3-0, on penalties, the then candidate Spain, world champion of 2010.
England, France, Croatia, Holland, Portugal and Morocco, are the teams from Europe and Africa, while Brazil and Argentina represent America in the quarter-finals, step of access to the semi-finals scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday on Friday, at 20:00, at the Lusail and Al Bayt Stadiums.
Brazil, with five world cups in history, 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002, leads the list of champions present in the “quarters”. The list of winners also includes Argentina (1978 and 1986), France (1998 and 2018 ), England (1966) and Spain (2010).The Spanish title was won in the first World Cup organized by an African country, South Africa.
The Netherlands have reached the final three times, in 1974, 1978 and 2010, but have never managed to get the better of their opponents. In 2014, the Dutch ranked third and in 1998, fourth. The same is said in relation to Croatia, beaten finalist (defeat, by 2-4), against France, in the Russia World Cup 2018.
In that final they scored for the French Griezmann, Mbappé and Pogba, absent from the World Cup in Qatar. Striker Mandzukic scored an own goal and redeemed himself minutes later, scoring one of the Croatians’ goals. Midfielder Ivan Perisic also enjoyed the foot.
In the circumstance, the Gallic coach, Didier Deschamps, captain in 1998, equaled the feat of Mário Lobo Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer, as the only world champions in the guise of coach and player. Deschamps remains France coach.
Portugal and Morocco unique without final
Of the eight teams qualified for the quarter-finals, Morocco and Portugal are the only ones without any disputed final. The best ranking achieved by compatriots of Luís Figo, Rui Costa, Paulo Futre, just to name a few, was third place in 1966, with the Luso-Mozambican Eusébio, in the role of sparkling star. In 2006, in Germany, the “Portuguese” were in fourth place.
As for the Moroccans, in addition to being the first Africans to finish top of a group in the preliminary phase, they keep their goal of the cradle continent alive.
The quarter-finals begin on Friday and the line-up includes Croatia – Brazil, at 16:00h, and Netherlands – Argentina, at 20:00h. On Saturday, Portugal will face Spain, at 16:00, and at 20:00, England will face France.
Started with 32 selections, the competition had five African representatives, namely Senegal, Cameroon, Ghana, Tunisia and Morocco. Cameroon, Tunisia and Ghana, were eliminated in the first phase of the most mediatic competition in the calendar of FIFA competitions, while Senegal “fell” in the round of 16.
The triumphs of the Tunisians over the French by 1-0, the same result achieved by the Cameroonians against the Brazilians, both matches referring to the third and final round of the group stage, turn out to be, equally, great milestones of the African presence in the 2022 World Cup.
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