Why African teams can’t win World Cup – Keane, Desailly

Marcel Desailly

Former Ireland captain Roy Keane and former France captain Marcel Desailly have said it will be difficult for African teams to win the World Cup unless the domestic leagues are improved to produce quality players.

Both football icons were guests at Guinness VIP ‘An Evening With…’ held in Lagos on Monday.

Keane, former Manchester United from 1997 to 2005, said it was possible for an African team to win the competition but they must work hard to get to that stage.

“It is possible but it is also difficult when the players don’t play together in the same league and only get together when they are preparing for the World Cup,” the Irish said.

“Spain never won the World Cup until 2010 but before they did the Spanish league had improved and the players were consistently at the top. African teams have to be like that before they can win the competition.

“Brazilian legend Pele said an African team would win the World Cup soon but nobody would hand you the cup easily without working for it.”

Desailly, a former Marseille and Chelsea player, said, “The domestic leagues in Africa must be developed to improve the players.

“The home-based players in the African teams at the World Cup always show signs of psychological exhaustion as soon as they qualify from their groups. The overconfidence does not prepare them for the tougher stages; this is why no African team have made it beyond the quarterfinals.”

Desailly, who led France to win the 1998 World Cup, said Africa’s plight were made worse as young footballers left the continent to Europe for professional football before understanding the basics of the game.

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