Former Germany international Gerald Asamoah has cast doubt on the prospect of an African nation winning the FIFA World Cup anytime soon, citing internal team issues as a major barrier to success on the global stage.
The ex-Schalke 04 forward, who is of Ghanaian descent, shared his concerns in an interview reported by Joy Sports, stating that while he hopes to witness Africa’s breakthrough at the World Cup, the path remains steep.
“I want to see this before I leave the earth, but it is not going to be easy,” Asamoah said. “It is about teamwork, and this is a problem Africans have. We have always had some issues in the team.”
So far, no African nation has reached the final of the World Cup. Morocco came the closest in 2022, making history as the first African side to reach the semifinals before eventually losing to Croatia in the third-place match. Ghana and Senegal also reached the quarterfinals in 2010 and 2002 respectively, but fell short of making the final four.
The next FIFA World Cup will take place in 2026 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Qualification is currently ongoing, with Ghana leading Group I on 15 points. The Black Stars are set to face Chad and Mali in crucial qualifiers this September as they aim to secure a place at the tournament.
