Football is an incredibly popular sport in Africa, with a rich history and a passionate fan base. The continent has produced some of the world's finest footballers, who have significantly impacted the global stage. In this article, we will explore Africa's top ten footballing nations based on their historical achievements, player quality, and overall contributions to the sport. Most of us can rank the best national football teams in Africa. With performances in the Afcon and World Cup, we know the teams with tremendous shows. This article will discuss 10 of those strong and super African teams.
1. EGYPT (Pharaohs)
Egypt has a remarkable footballing history, with a strong national team and a thriving domestic league. The Egyptian national team, known as the Pharaohs, has won the African Cup of Nations a record number of times. Additionally, Egyptian clubs have enjoyed success in continental competitions, making Egypt a force to be reckoned with in African football. The large Egyptian stars include Hossam Hassan, Mido, Mohammed Aboutrika, and Mo Salah. These Factors make Egypt the best footballing nation of all Time in Africa.
2. Cameroon (Indomitable Lions)
The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon are straightforward lions on the field; they have defied expectations to triumph frequently in Africa and, unexpectedly, on the international scene. Cameroon have five victories in the African Cup of Nations, and they advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals in Italy in 1990.
Cameroon has likewise reliably delivered footballers of staggering quality; which is a significant motivation behind why Cameroon is one of the most outstanding football teams in Africa. It would be best if you simply saw the clasps of Roger Milla, Rigobert Song, and Samuel Eto'o to figure out the degree of significance that they have delivered. Cameroon has delivered the best player in Africa multiple times (11), which is more than any other person has at any point made due; Samuel Eto'o had the right to win it multiple times, eclipsing extraordinary players like Austin Jay Okocha of Nigeria. These Factors, among others make Cameroon our number two best footballing nation in Africa.
3. Nigeria (The Super Eagles)
The Super Eagles have had their own reasonable portion of difficulties lately, yet stay quite possibly of the best teams on the landmass. The Nigerian team has won the Africa Cup of Nations in three distinct events. As a matter of fact, as of the mid-1990s, the side was nicknamed The Giant of Africa for their ability in the game and their sublime achievement. In 1994, the team was put in the fifth spot in the FIFA World rankings and turned into the main African country that has arrived at such levels.
The Golden Generation of Nigerian Footballers was in 1994; they won the Afcon that year and put on astonishing shows at the World Cup.
Nigeria has three champ's medals, four silver medals, and eight bronze medals. Despite having never made it past the group stage; their exhibitions at USA 94 saw them positioned at number 5 on the planet.
A few Nigerian stars include; the Legendary Rashidi Yekini, Segun Odegbami, Jay Okocha, Kanu Nwankwo, Obi Mikel, and Victor Moses, among other great stars.
Therefore, the Super Eagles become our third-best footballing nation in Africa.
4. Ghana (Black Stars)
The Black Stars of Ghana is one of the most adjusted soccer groups in Africa. It has every one of the characteristics of an extraordinary and impressive side; including a strong history, extraordinary players, and enthusiastic fans that generally request more from their players as triumphs, great nature of play, and obviously medals. Ghana has an extraordinary association framework as well, and more youthful stars are continually being found consistently.
Ghana has won AFCON multiple times (4), and they have even played in the Quarter Finals of the world cup. They were one spot-kick away from a spot in the Semi-Finals, however, the spot-kick was missed.
A portion of the extraordinary players to have played for the Black Stars of Ghana include Abedi Pele, Michael Essien, and Asamoah Gyan, who holds the record for most appearances (109) and most goals (51) for Ghana National Team.
5. Senegal (the lion of teranga).
Prominently known as The Lions of Teranga, the team, which was laid out during the 1960s, Senegal has as of late won their most memorable African Cup of Nations title in Cameroon 2021. Senegal is one of the reliably predominant teams in Africa.
They play with such certainty; speed and energy that makes them inconceivably hard to play against. Senegal has been on the ascent for quite a long time; they reported their appearance in 2002 with players like Aliou Cisse, El Hadj Diouf, and Kalilou Fadiga. They came to the last yet lost to Cameroon. Consequently, they arrived at the World Cup quarter-finals, losing to Turkey.
The Players who carry distinction to Senegal include Aliou Cisse, El Hadj Diouf, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Sadio Mane.
6. ivory coast (The elephants)
In a generation that was full of African superstars, the Ivorians could boast of having the best squad for most of the late 2000s to the early 2010s. Still, history will always remember them for massively underachieving.
The golden generation of Ivorian football was the 2006-2014 squad packed with players such as Didier Drogba, Didier Zokora, Yaya and Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue, Gervinho, Salomon Kalou, Cheick Tiote, Max Gradel, Wilfried Bony and many more. It’s a huge surprise all they could achieve during that period was one AFCON trophy and three consecutive group stage exits at the World Cup.
They won the 2015 AFCON in the final year of their golden era, although without Didier Drogba, with the only other one coming way back in 1990.
There’s no look back at Ivorian football without thinking of all the things they could have achieved, or wondering why they didn’t work out quite as well as everyone expected, even FIFA rated them highly as they peaked at 12th on the world rankings in 2013.
In terms of winning the African footballer of the year award, Ivory Coast has a rich history with Yaya Toure winning the award four times in a row, while Drogba was named the best footballer in Africa twice, in 2006 and 2009.
This makes ivory Coast the sixth best footballing nation in Africa
7. Algeria (the desert foxes)
The best years of Algerian national football have been recent, adding hardware to their already impressive trophy cabinet.
The North African team has always been in the shadow of Egypt and Tunisia until a new generation of superstars scattered around the biggest clubs in Europe arose. This new wave of Algerian players has not only made them the best in the North but the best on the continent as well.
“The Desert Foxes,” as they’re so affectionately known, have won two AFCON titles, the first of which they won as hosts in 1990 and the second coming in 2019 on Egyptian soil, making them the current kings of Africa.
Their World Cup pedigree is not too shabby, either. Algeria qualified four times for the world’s biggest tournament, even beating defending champions West Germany in their World Cup debut in 1982. Controversially, Algeria left the tournament in the group stages after a blatant bout of match-fixing by West Germany and Austria.
The 1986 World Cup went the same way for them, but no controversy this time, they were just knocked out in the group stages. They would take 24 years to qualify for another World Cup in 2010. They again crashed out in the group stages, this time failing to score a single goal.
The 2014 World Cup produced a much better outing as eventual champions knocked out, Germany in extra time of their round of 16 games. It was an impressive tournament run fuelled by quality players such as Riyad Mahrez, Sofiane Feghouli, Islam Slimani, Yacine Brahimi, etc.
After climbing up to 15th in the world according to the FIFA rankings, the team would suffer another decline for the next four years before then rising up again to win the 2019 AFCON.
8. Tunisia
In recent memory, Tunisia sent shock waves throughout Africa by winning the African Cup of Nations in 2004. A win came despite the expected high level of performances from Cameroon, Senegal, and Nigeria. Perhaps, they deserve a higher place on this list.
The North African country has every reason to thank Nigeria, though, it was the Super Eagles of Nigeria that knocked out almighty Cameroon at the quarter-final stage of that AFCON thanks to a free-kick from Jay-Jay Okocha and a goal from John Utaka.
Tunisia would then go on to defeat Nigeria at the Semi-final stage of the tournament and eventually win the tournament.
Tunisia is one of those teams that has never really dominated African football. However, they always seem to come up in the discussion of the best teams on the continent, and that’s because of their consistency.
They have appeared in 19 AFCON tournaments, including every single edition in the last decade, winning just once in 2004.
The Carthage Eagles have also qualified for the World Cup on five separate occasions, the third-highest among African teams, but they’ve never made it past the group stage.
After some years in the dark, they appear to be on the rise again. In 2018, Tunisia earned a FIFA ranking of 14th in the world and finished 4th at the 2019 AFCON, where they lost the 3rd place game to Nigeria.
9. south Africa
A nation thoroughly engrossed and intertwined with the history of football on this great continent.
The list of achievements for South Africa is pretty long and impressive, especially considering that they gave their counterparts a 30-year headstart as they weren’t allowed by FIFA to participate in international football due to political reasons.
South Africa played their first international game in 1992 and played their first AFCON as hosts of the 1996 edition, which they went on to win. This win announced South Africa as Africa’s latest football powerhouse in the process by shooting up to 16th on the FIFA rankings.
The upward trajectory continued for Bafana Bafana, having finished 2nd at the 1998 AFCON. They qualified for their first-ever World Cup in 1998, where they crashed out in the group stage after a loss to hosts, France, followed by draws against Denmark and Saudi Arabia.
South Africa continued to go on strong but finished 3rd in the 2000 AFCON, meaning they had now won a medal in each of their first three nations cup appearances; really impressive.
10. Morroco (The atlas lions)
Morocco is another of those countries that are steeped in history, and the past is better than the present; although they’ve had a good number of top players in recent times, they’ve constantly continued to underachieve compared to their North African counterparts.
The Atlas Lions won their first and only AFCON title in 1976, becoming the first African team to top a World Cup group in 1986 and the first African team to reach the round of 16 in the process; before they were knocked out 1-0 by West Germany.
They were also ranked number 10 in the world in 1998, making them one of just three African teams to ever enter the top 10 of the FIFA rankings, alongside Nigeria and Egypt.
The Atlas Lions went decades as a lackluster football nation; however, through the efforts of top players such as Hakim Ziyech, Ryad Boudebouz, Achraf Hakimi, Mehdi Benatia, Nabil Dirar, Youseff En Nesyri, Sofiane Boufal, Nordin and Sofian Amrabat their fortunes have turned around in recent years.
Among the 10 outstanding African teams mentioned here, which is your favorite? Let's have your remarks in the comments in box. Check first comment for mine.
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