The African continent has produced the finest set of teams rewriting their own history and competing with the other continents while giving a very good account of themselves.
The factors considered are of the highest quality
International performance-world cup,Olympics and the defunct confederation cup.
FIFA world ranking peak
AFCON performance
The list is dominated by the West and North Africans with four countries each with South Africa with Two.
All apart from one of them have not participated at the world cup.
The 11 Best African Teams
11. South Africa
They won their only AFCON title in 1996 and reached another finals in 1998 and have qualified for three world cups with their most memorable win when they defeated France 2-1 as host in 2010. The Bafana Bafana also finished fourth at the confederation cup which they hosted in 2009.
10.Zambia
The only team in this esteemed list without a world cup appearance from the most attempts but their 1988 senior Olympics impact will live long in the memory, dispatching both world super power Italy and Guatemala 4-0 to top their group and reaching the quarter finals as group leaders, Africa`s best performance at that time before the medals started arriving, Ghana with bronze in 1992, two gold medals in succession Nigeria in 1996 and Cameroun in 2000. Nigeria added more, silver in 2008 and bronze in 2016. it was the most dominating performance by any African side in the group stage of any edition.They won the AFCON title in 2012 and are the most successful team winning the COSAFA title seven times.
9. Tunisia
The Carthage Eagles have been very consistent they have the second most appearances at the world cup tied with six with Nigeria and Morocco, the first Afro Arab winners at the mundial when they defeated Mexico from a goal down scoring three second half goals at the Argentina 1978 world cup. They have a 16 consecutive appearance record at AFCON which started when they hosted it in 1994, ten years later winning the title in 2004 as host, defeating Nigeria in the semi finals and Morocco in the finals. Their highest FIFA ranking is 14th in April and May 2018.
8.Ivory Coast
The current African champions have been able to add to their two AFCON titles won in 1992 and 2015 both were earned on penalties against Ghana and the recent title at home when they defeated Nigeria 2-1, a team that won the next edition after their first win and the previous edition before their second title. They even lost to them in the group stage. Both are tied at three titles apiece at the continental level but their dismal performance at the world stage has kept them from ranking higher, they have failed to reach the knock out stages in three appearances despite reaching three world cups in succession 2006,2010 and 2014 failing to build on any momentum. They are tied with three wins with the north African teams Algeria and Tunisia at the world cup. They peaked at the 12th position in the FIFA ranking in February and again in April to May 2013.
7.Algeria
The desert warriors have been impressive in the eighties, the first African side to win two matches at the world cup, the first a shocking victory over football super power West Germany defeating them 2-1 and in their last group encounter against Chile which they won 3-2, they failed to qualify because of a collusion between West Germany and Austria which led to the subsequent last group matches of major tournaments to be played at the same time. At the 2014 world cup in Brazil, They reached the second round losing in extra time to eventual champion Germany. They won the AFCON title in 1990 and their second title in 2019.
6.Senegal
The Teranga Lions are the most improved African side since 2000 reaching two knockout rounds in just three encounters, 2002 was their break through year losing on penalties to the Indomitable Lions of Cameroun in the battle of the lions at the AFCON 2002 finals and reaching the world cup quarter finals equaling Cameroun`s quarter final record like Cameroun they also defeated the defending champion at the group stage a shocking 1-0 win against France. They went on to reach the second round in Qatar after winning their maiden African title in 2021. Like Cameroun, Nigeria and DR Congo they went to the world cup as African Champions. Senegal has five (just like Cameroun Ghana and Morocco) wins, the second highest from just 12 matches the fewest by more than 3 matches. one of the few African teams that you can bank on at the major international tournaments.
5.Morocco
The Atlas Lions of Morocco highlighted Africa`s progression at the world cup when they reached the semi finals in Qatar 2022 defeating Portugal and Spain at the knockout stages after qualifying from a group as top dogs that they were regarded as the underdogs, defeating Canada 2-1 and Belgium 2-0. and earning a draw with Croatia a team that later edged them at the penultimate match to win bronze. They were the first African side to both reach the knock out stage and top their group in 1986 they also defeated Portugal 3-1 with goalless draws against England and Poland in their other matches. They have won AFCON just once in 1976 and could have been higher but the top Four teams have been more consistent.
4.Ghana
The black stars of Ghana have been the leading lights in African football, the most successful side when they won their fourth AFCON title in Libya in 1982, then Egypt had just two with Morocco and Nigeria the defending champion with one, Algeria,Ivory Coast, Senegal, and even Cameroun yet to win. They reached the second round of the world cup in 2006 and four years later progressed to the quarter finals of the 2010 world cup, they narrowly lost to Uruguay when a penalty goal in regulation time would have been enough to take them to the semifinals. They were the first African side to win a medal at the Olympics in 1992 defeating Australia to win the bronze.
3.Egypt
The kings of AFCON, winning a record 7 times, winning it thrice in succession from 2006 to 2010, could have been higher on this ranking if they could translate their domestic superiority at the international stage. They stunned Italy at the 2009 Confederation cup in south Africa but failed to qualify from a difficult group that had winners Brazil and finalists the United States. They have reached just three world cup tournaments and peaked at 11th in the FIFA ranking.
2.Nigeria
The super Eagles of Nigeria have been a feature in major tournaments winning the AFCON thrice(1980,1994,2013) while reaching the world cup twice as African champions a record, in both, reaching the second round which was another record. The first to win the Olympic gold and the only African country with all the medals gold (1996) silver (2008) and bronze (2016). They reached the semi finals of the confederation in 1995 narrowly losing the classification match to Mexico on penalties, they have Africa`s biggest win, a thrashing of Tahiti by 6-1, they also have this record at the world cup when they defeated Bulgaria 3-0 in their debut match in 1994(in 1998, Morocco and Scotland, and in 2010 Ivory Coast and North Korea tied the 3-0 scoreline record). Their most outstanding record is still Africa`s best when they peaked at number five at the FIFA ranking in 1994.
Nigeria has the most appearances at the world cup knock out stages with three, the most wins with six and the most goals scored which is impressive considering that they have not played the most matches. between 1993 and 1998 was the golden era of Nigerian football they had won the U17 world title, AFCON title, the Olympic gold dispatching a very formidable Brazilian and Argentina teams and their successive runs to the second round of the world cup.
1.Cameroun
Africa`s finest side, they have been impressive since their break through years in the eighties.Significantly, Nigeria had won AFCON in 1994 and then two years later the Olympics but Cameroun won both in 2000, even defeating Nigeria in the AFCON finals in their own background. They have been African`s most outstanding team, the Indomitable lions had the best record in WC since 1990 before Morocco’s run in 2022, they are still Africa`s best in the defunct confederation cup reaching the finals in 2003 before losing at extra time to France. They had defeated Brazil at the group stage and were undefeated all through a habit they first achieved in the 1982 world cup, their first international tournament which they went unbeaten against winners Italy, semi finalist Poland and Peru but could not qualify from the group because of the rules at that time. they won their first AFCON title two years later and second in 1988 reaching three finals in succession they again won it in 2000 and defended it for the first time two years later, they captured the fifth when they won against the most dominant team Egypt in 2017, they peaked at 11th in the FIFA ranking.they are Africa`s record holder at the world cup with 8 appearances and also has the most matches played. they are the most successful international team in the continent with their achievement at both the regional and international stage.
These countries have produced the bulk of the greatest African players that have ever played football
South Africa-Benni McCarthy, Zambia- Kalusha Bwalya, Tunisia-Jemaa,Algeria-Madjar,Belloumi,Mahrez, Morocco-Hakimi,Hadji, Egypt-Hossam Hassan, Aboutrika,Salah, Ivory Coast-Yaya, Drogba, Ghana-Abedi Pele, Essien, Kuffour, Senegal-Mane, Diouf, Koulibally,Mendy, Nigeria-Okocha,Kanu,Enyeama,Yekini Cameroun-Eto,Milla,Nkono.
This does not in any way exhaust the list but a mention to reflect Africa`s contribution to world football.
