The Question: is African football progressing?

[MrCoffee]

When Luis Suárez handled that Dominic Adiyah header on the line in the final minute of the World Cup quarter-final between Ghana and Uruguay, he stopped the vibrant Ghanaian team becoming the first African side to reach the semi-final of a World Cup.

For Ghana to do so was what Fifa wanted, probably what the world wanted. They wanted an African side to break new ground at the African World Cup, because that would allow everybody to believe in progress. Or, rather, "Progress". For this isn't a fact, it's a dream, a seductive myth that distorts the narrative so that we can all believe everything's getting better.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/jan/17/the-question-is-african-football-progressing

Jonathan Wilson is my favorite football writer.

[redqueen]

1. Good article,

but depressing.

[mactime]

2. Surprisingly honest

Good article that is surprisingly honest. FIFA has been pushing African football at least since the late 80's, probably even earlier. Every World Cup was going to be the breakout year for the African teams. Sure, you can give them all the 'help' you can but sooner or later they are going to have to play the match and that is were they fail every time.

[DaveBrett]

3. Pele's Prediction

In the 1970s Pele predicted that by the end of the 20th century an African team
would win the world cup.

That turned out to be wrong. But keep in mind that an African team (Nigeria) did
win the Olympic soccer tournament in 1996.