Fifa World Cup: Ghana boss Carlos Queiroz rues African limitations after Colombia loss
Only two teams from continent left standing, seven European teams, four from South America and three North Americans made it into last-16 draw
Carlos Queiroz believes African football is “far from” crowning its first World Cup winner, after his Ghana team were outplayed in their 1-0 last-32 defeat by Colombia in Kansas City on Saturday.
Of the record nine African sides that advanced from the group stage, only Morocco and Egypt survived the opening knockout round following penalty shoot-out victories over the Netherlands and Australia, respectively.
Semi-finalists in Qatar four years ago, Morocco swept aside Canada 3-0 in their last-16 tie to set-up a quarter-final in Boston against France, the team that eliminated them in the last four in 2022.
Including the highly dubious African Cup of Nations title they were awarded earlier this year, Morocco are now unbeaten in 34 matches, stretching back to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Kenya in August last year in the in the African Nations Championship, a tournament solely for players in Africa’s domestic leagues.
Egypt, meanwhile, face defending champions Argentina on Wednesday having beaten Australia in Dallas.
Appointed in April, after Otto Addo’s ill-starred two-year reign, former Real Madrid boss Queiroz has also managed South Africa and Egypt.