To describe about history of African football, it should be started when Egypt was the first African team to participate in World football. They entered playing in the 1924 Olympic Game Cup and is the first African team to participate in World Cup as its national team is the oldest national team in Africa. There were a few African nations to have its football association before 1960. Accordingly, the World Cup qualification zone Africa during the 1950s was majority competed just limited teams and mostly were from North Africa. After the confederation of African football was established, the majority of football associations were created during the early 1960s. In 1962, the FIFA World Cup qualification zone Africa was first formed for its own. However, All African teams withdrew in the 1966 tournament to protest allocation of spots that caused no African team in the FIFA World Cup final between 1950 and 1962. Eventually, FIFA agreed to give one qualifier to African zone for the 1970 tournament and Morocco won it. African qualifier was increased to two teams in 1982, three teams in 1994 and five teams in 1998. Note that it is only 1994 Africa was credited to increase team due to their performance directly after Cameroon built victory as the first African team to reach FIFA World Cup quarter-final in which is a best achievement in history of African football. Afterwards, Senegal and Ghana could also reach this honour. In the present, African football has been developing until there are very many equal high standard teams in the continent to raise the level of competitiveness. The strong factor is the support of foreign coaches and many African teams have been appearing of playing in the Europe. Due to the fact that many World-Class African primitive has been belonged to European team, the greatness of African football has never matched with their number of top legends.
African Cup of Nations is sanctioned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and was first held in 1957. In 1957 there were only three participating nations before increased to nine teams include qualifying round in the next tournament in 1959. Since 1968, it has been held every two years. Since then, the tournament has grown greatly, making it necessary to hold a qualifying tournament. The number of participants in the final tournament reached 16 in 1998.
Regional Tournament
West African Championship was divided into 3 zones;
1) CEDEAO Cup was available between 1983 and 1991 for five tournaments. Main participants were combined between Zone 2 and 3 and add Nigeria.
2) Amilcar Cabral Cup was competed between 1979 and 1989 as annual tournament and between 1991 and 2007 as biannual tournament. Main members were Senegal, Guinea, Mali and Sierra Leone.
3) CSSA Nations Cup was held between 1982 and 1987 for five tournaments. Main members were Ghana, Togo, Ivory Coast, Liberia and Burkina Faso.
Central African Championship or UDEAC Cup was held every year between 1984 and 1990. CEMAC Cup has been available since 2003 to the present. Main participants were Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Chad and Central African Republic.
South African Championship or COSAFA Senior Challenge Cup was competed every year between 1997 and 2009. Main participants are South Africa, Zambia, Angola, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
East African Championship has been played every year since 1973 until the present. Main participants are Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi.
North African Championship has not been created. Some of them has participated for a few tournament in ARAB Nations Cup with Asian teams. However, Union of North African football Federation was launched in 2005 but Egypt just withdrew in 2009.
20. Gabon
Zone : Central Africa,Stadium : Omar Bongo (30,000 Seats)
All-Time African Cup of Nation Table : 16th
Central African Championship : WN (3), RN (1), 3rd (2)
African Cup of Nation : QF(2), R12 (5), R16 (2)
FIFA World Cup Qualification : R12 (1), R16 (1)
FIFA World Cup : None
All-Time Top Scorer : Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (23 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever : Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
The Greatest Manager Ever : Gernot Rohr
Gabon played its first international match in 1960. Them it affiliated to FIFA in 1966 and CAF in 1968. Gabon first entered to the African cup of nation qualifying round of the 1972 tournament and first qualified for the final tournament of the 1978 competition. It first participated in World Cup qualification of the 1990 tournament. Gabon's best era is the 1990s when it qualified for the African Cup of nation 4 tournaments consecutively between 1994 and 2000 and qualified for the 1990 and 1992 for the 16-team model. It achieved its best performance in FIFA World qualification of the 2010 tournament when finished second place among five groups in the final stage.
19. Uganda
Football Association Year of Establishment : 1924Zone : East Africa
Stadium : Mendela (45,202 Seats)
All-Time African Cup of Nation Table : 23th
African Cup of Nation : RN (1), 4th (1), R12 (3), R16 (1)
FIFA World Cup Qualification : R16 (1)
FIFA World Cup : None
All-Time Top Scorer : Unknown
The Greatest Player Ever : Phillip Omondi
The Greatest Manager Ever : Peter Okee
18.
Football Association Year of Establishment : 1959
Zone : West Africa
Stadium : Stade du 4 Aout (30,000 Seats)
All-Time FIFA World Cup Table : -
All-Time African Cup of Nation Table : 15th
African Cup of Nation : RN (1), 3rd (1), 4th (2), QF (1), R16 (7)
FIFA World Cup Qualification : QF (2), R12 (3)
FIFA World Cup : -
All-Time Top Scorer : Moumani Dagano (34 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever : Bertrand Traore
The Greatest Manager Ever : Paul Put
The Greatest Player Ever : Bertrand Traore
The Greatest Manager Ever : Paul Put
“
17. Republic of the Congo
Zone : Central Africa
Stadium : Stade de la Revolution (27,000 Seats)
All-Time African Cup of Nation Table : 15th
Central African Championship : WN (3), RN (4), 3rd (5)
African Cup of Nation : WN(1), 4th(1), QF(5), R12(1), R16(3)
FIFA World Cup Qualification : R12 (3), R16 (1)
FIFA World Cup : None
All-Time Top Scorer : ( Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever : Paul Moukila
The Greatest Manager Ever : -
16.
Zone : West Africa
Stadium : Stade de Kegue (30,000 Seats)
All-Time African Cup of Nation Table : 21th
West Africa Zone 3 Championship : RN (4)
All-Time African Cup of Nation : QF(2), R12(4), R16(4)
FIFA World Cup Qualification : SF(1), R12(1), R16(2)
FIFA World Cup : R32 (1)
All-Time Top Scorer : Emmanuel Adebayor (29 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever : Emmanuel Adebayor
The Greatest Manager Ever : Stephen Keshi
“The Sparrow Hawks” The national football team of Togo has just been a well-known African team in the modern era. Like most African nations, It was affiliated to FIFA and CAF in the early 1960s after its first international match was held in 1956. Togo first entered to play in African Cup of Nation in 1968 until qualified for the first time in the 1972 tournament. Two years later, Togo first participated in FIFA World Cup qualifying round in 1974. The team was not a regular participant of African Cup of Nation and qualified for only twice before it was started developing in the late 1990s and qualified for most tournaments since then. Even Togo has never reached deeper round than the first group in continental competition, they could build victory to qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup surprisingly but lost all three games in the final tournament.
15.
Zone : South Africa
Stadium : Soccer City (94,700 Seats)
All-Time FIFA World Cup Table : 43th
All-Time African Cup of Nation Table : 12th
African Nation Cup :WN(1),RN(1),3rd(1),QF(2),R12(1),R16(3)
Afro-Asian Cup of Nation : WN (1)
FIFA World Cup Qualifying : SF (1), QF (2), R12(1), R16 (2)
FIFA Confederation Cup : 4th (1)
FIFA World Cup : R20 (2), R24 (1)
All-Time Top Scorer : Benni McCarthy (32 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever : Patrick Ntsoelengoe
The Greatest Manager Ever : Jomo Sono
“Bafana” South Africa is one of the most famous African team as it is an icon team of the Africa continent. They played its first international match in 1924 as a unified team.However, its football history is not among the best group due to internal society problem. Football just first arrived in South Africa through colonialism in the late nineteenth century. From the earliest days, its football was organized and affected by the country's system of racial segregation. The football association was divided into four consist of All-White, Indian, Bantu and Colours. All were formed in the pre-war era. This reason caused them not to compete in any tournament until first participated in both qualifying round of FIFA World Cup and African Cup of nation of the 1994 after South Africa was unified in its football in 1991 and playe dfirst match in 1992. In 1996, it is their first appearance in African Cup of nation final tournament and they could win it as the only trophy in their history as host. South Africa qualified for World Cup for the first time in 1998 and its best place in World Cup is 17th in the 2002 tournament. In the 2010 FIFA World Cup, it is a honour for South Africa to be the first African nation to be host in history.
14.
Zone : West Africa
Stadium : Stade 26 mars (50,000 Seats)
All-Time African Cup of Nation Table : 11th
West African Zone II Championship : WN (3), RN (4)
African Cup of Nation : RN(1), 3rd(2), 4th(3), R12(5), R16(1)
FIFA World Cup Qualification : R12 (1), R16 (1)
FIFA World Cup : None
All-Time Top Scorer : Frederic Kanoute (29 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever : Saif Keita
The Greatest Manager Ever : Karl-Heinz Weigang
The Mali national football team is one of famous West African teams. They played first international match in 1960. It was affiliated to FIFA in 1962 and following up by CAF in 1963. Mali first participated in African Cup of Nation qualifying round in 1965 before qualified for the final tournament for the first time in 1972 and achieved their best ever result in history of the competition at once with finishing of runner-up. However, Mali was always unready to enter playing in FIFA World Cup qualification and withdrew for so many times until it first played in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Mali was also not a regular member of African Cup of nation final tournament. After 1972, they had to wait until the 1994 tournament to participate. Even so, Mali always achieved to deep round and participated almost every final tournament during the 2000s as their best era. Jean Tigana is noted as the greatest player ever to born in Mali.
13. Sudan
Zone : East Africa, Stadium : Al Merreikh (40,000 Seats)
All-Time African Cup of Nation Table : 19th
East and Central Africa Championship: WN(3),RN(2)
African Nation Cup : WN(1),RN(2-A,1-B),QF(4),R12(2),R16(3)
World Cup Qualifying : FN(1-A), SF(1), QF(1), R12(2), R16(3)
FIFA World Cup : None
All-Time Top Scorer : Haitham Tambal (26 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever : Haitham Mustapha
The Greatest Manager Ever : Burkhard Ziese
“Falcon of Jediane” Sudan national team is one of the greatest team in the earliest era in history of African professional football. The Khartoum state league is considered to be the first football league in the whole of Africa as it started in the late 1920s. It is one of the four African teams to have its football federation since the pre-war era. Sudan was affiliated to FIFA in 1948. The first international match was held in 1956 and it was one of the founding members of CAF in 1957 and is one of the three teams to participate in the inaugural African Nations Cup in 1957. After finishing of runner-up two times in the tournament, they won the first and only champion in 1970. In the same year, Sudan first participated in FIFA World Cup qualifying round after withdrew three consecutive tournaments between 1958 and 1966. After the 1970s, its football has gradually fallen until became a normal team in Africa, did not participated in African Cup of nation final tournament for three decades in row until 2008.
12. Guinea
Zone : West Africa
Stadium : Stade du 28 Septembre (35,000 Seats)
All-Time African Cup of Nation Table : 14th
West African Zone II Championship : WN (5), RN (1)
African Cup of Nation : RN(1), QF(10), R12(5), R16(2)
FIFA World Cup Qualification : SF(1), QF(3), R12(1), R16(5)
FIFA World Cup : None
All-Time Top Scorer : Pascal Feindouno (25 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever : Cherif Souleymane
The Greatest Manager Ever : Petre Mondoveanu
“National Elephant” The Guinea national football is one of strongest secondary level African teams. Its first international match was held in 1960 and was first a member of FIFA and CAF during the early 1960s. Guinea participated in African Cup of Nation for the first time in 1965 and first qualified for the final tournament in 1970. However, in the same year their first attempt to first enter playing in FIFA World Cup qualifying round was not accepted by FIFA before finally got permission of the 1974 tournament. Guinea met their best achievement in its history in continental level when they finished second place in the 1976 African Cup of nation. Their closest time to qualify for World Cup final was created in 1977 when it lost to the only qualifier Tunisia in the round of six teams narrowly., confirmed their golden age during the mid 70s.
11. Zambia
Zone : South Africa, Stadium : Konkola (15,000 Seats)
All-Time African Cup of Nation Table : 6th
East and Central Africa Championship : WN (3), RN (5)
South Africa Championship : WN (3), RN (4)
African Nation Cup: WN(1),RN(2),3rd(3),QF(4),R12(6),R16(5)
World Cup Qualifying : 2nd(1),SF(2),QF(4),R12(2), R16(3)
FIFA World Cup : None
All-Time Top Scorer : Kalusha Bwalya (50 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever : Kalusha Bwalya
The Greatest Manager Ever : Ian Porterfield
“The Copper Bullets” Zambia is all-time greatest African team to have never qualify for Word Cup and also never be champion of African Cup of nation. Zambia is one of the few African teams to have its football association before the 1930s. Before independence they were known as the Northern Rhodesia national football team and played its first international match in 1946. Nevertheless, Zambia was first admitted to FIFA and CAF lately in 1964. In 1970, it is a year they participated in both qualifying round of FIFA World Cup and African Cup of nation for the first time. Zambia first qualified for African Cup of nation final tournament in 1974 and immediately finished second place. The golden era of Zambian football was created in the first half 1990s, they finished runner-up in African Cup of nation once again and very close to qualify for the 1994 FIFA World Cup but missed it in the last game even their most top-class players were killed in air disaster before final round of qualifying was started.
10.
Zone : Central Africa
Stadium : Stade Des Martyrs (80,000 Seats)
All-Time FIFA World Cup Table : 76th
All-Time African Cup of Nation Table : 10th
African Nation Cup : WN(2),3rd(2),4th(1),QF(9),R12(6),R16(1)
FIFA World Cup Qualifying : 1st(1), QF(2), R12(1), R16(3)
FIFA World Cup : R16 (1)
All-Time Top Scorer : Shabani Nonda (20 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever : Tshimen Bwanga
The Greatest Manager Ever : Blagoja Vidinic
“The Leopards” The Congo DR national football team or Zaire is one of the legendary African team. The Fédération Congolaise de Football-Association is the oldest football association in the Africa. Nevertheless, its first game has to wait until 1948 and was first admitted to FIFA and CAF in the early 1960s. Zaire first entered to play in African Cup of nation in 1965 and qualified for the final tournament at once prior to win their first trophy in the next tournament in 1968. In 1974, it is the victory year in history of their football, they could qualify for the FIFA World Cup as the first-black Africa to do so as well as the only appearance in World Cup in their history, acquired the second African Cup of nation champion. However, they lost all three games in World Cup final tournament. From 1978 to 1986, it is regarded as their crisis period when the country did not qualify for any other African Cup of Nations before return to success as regular quarter-finalists during the 1990s and the 2000s.
9. Senegal
Zone : West Africa
Stadium : Stade Leopold Senghor (60,000 Seats)
All-Time FIFA World Cup Table : 47h
All-Time African Cup of Nation Table : 13th
West Africa Zone II Championship : WN (8), RN (5)
African Cup of Nation : RN(1), 4th(3), QF(7), R12(7), R16(3)
FIFA World Cup Qualification : QF(1), R12(2), R16 (6)
FIFA World Cup : QF (1)
All-Time Top Scorer : Sadio Mane (34 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever : Sadio Mane
The Greatest Manager Ever : Bruno Metsu
“Lions of Teranga” Senegal is one of the most popular African teams in the modern era. It was affiliated to FIFA and CAF and played the first international match during the early 1960s. Senegal's first appearance in the African Nations Cup was in 1965 and was able to finish fourth place in the tournament. However, Senegal was not a regular member in African Cup of nation final tournament until the 1990s. In 2002, it is the greatest year in history of Senegal football after they reached their best achievement in continental level with African Cup of nation runner-up after lost on penalties as well as reaching quarter-final in the 2002 FIFA World Cup despite it is their first participation. All of this are the symbol of their golden era in the early 2000s. Senegal also holds the record most winners in Amilcar Cabral Cup.
8. Ivory Coast
Football Association Year of Establishment : 1960
Zone : West Africa
Stadium : Stade Felix Houphouet Boigny (35,000 Seats)
All-Time FIFA World Cup Table : 42th
All-Time African Cup of Nation Table : 4th
West Africa Zone I Championship : WN (3), RN (1)
African Cup of Nation : WN (2), RN (2), 3rd (4), 4th (2),
QF (8), R12 (3), R16 (2)
FIFA World Cup Qualifying : FN(3), QF(4), R12(2), R16(1)
FIFA World Cup : R20 (2), R24 (1)
All-Time Top Scorer : Didier Drogba (65 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever : Didier Drogba
The Greatest Manager Ever : Henri Michel
Zone : West Africa
Stadium : Stade Felix Houphouet Boigny (35,000 Seats)
All-Time FIFA World Cup Table : 42th
All-Time African Cup of Nation Table : 4th
West Africa Zone I Championship : WN (3), RN (1)
African Cup of Nation : WN (2), RN (2), 3rd (4), 4th (2),
QF (8), R12 (3), R16 (2)
FIFA World Cup Qualifying : FN(3), QF(4), R12(2), R16(1)
FIFA World Cup : R20 (2), R24 (1)
All-Time Top Scorer : Didier Drogba (65 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever : Didier Drogba
The Greatest Manager Ever : Henri Michel
The Côte d'Ivoire National Football Team or Ivory Coast is one of the highest potential African teams in the 2000s. The first international match was held in 1960. They was affiliated to CAF in 1960 and FIFA in the next year. Ivory Coast first participated in African Cup of Nations in 1965 and reached semi-final round for consecutive three times since then. However, they met a hard time disqualify for most final tournaments during the 1970s. They entered to play in FIFA World Cup qualification for the first time in 1974. Ivory Coast finally touched their first and only African cup of Nations title in 1992. However, it was not great enough to qualify for World Cup for the first time until it was fulfilled in 2006 and went on qualifying once again in 2010. They have won total two games in groups of death in two final tournaments, it caused the second half 2000s became their most accomplished era finally.
7. Algeria
Zone : North Africa, Stadium : El Djezair (66,000 Seats)
All-Time FIFA World Cup Table : 41th
All-Time African Cup of Nation Table : 9th
African Cup of Nation : WN (1), RN (1), 3rd(2), 4th(2), QF(8), R12(4), R16(3)
Afro-Asian Cup of Nation : WN(1),Olympic Games : QF(1)
World Cup Qualifying : FN(3),SF(2),QF(1),R12(2),R16(3)
World Cup : R16(2), R24(1), R28(1)
All-Time Top Scorer : Abdelhafid Tasfaout (35 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever : Riyad Mahrez
The Greatest Manager Ever : Mahieddine Khalef
The Greatest Player Ever : Riyad Mahrez
The Greatest Manager Ever : Mahieddine Khalef
“The Desert Foxes” Algeria is one of the most recognized North African teams. They played its first international match in 1957. It was first admitted to FIFA in 1963 and CAF and 1964. Algeria participated in African cup of nations for the firs time in 1968 and qualified for the final tournament before first entered to play in the FIFA World Cup qualification of the 1970. The early 1980s became their golden age after Algeria qualified for the 1980 Olympic game, won the 1980 African Cup of Nations runner-up and built the memorable performance, won two games in the group round and very close to qualify for round of 12 just missed for goal different in the 1982 FIFA World Cup as the first appearance. The rest of 1980s was still performed well and it was beautifully ended after Algeria could win their only African Cup of nation in 1990. Zinedine Zidane built a huge reputation to Algeria nation for his Algerian primitive, is considered as a Citizen of Algeria as well.
6.
Zone : North Africa
Stadium : Olympic Stadium of Rades (65,000 Seats)
All-Time FIFA World Cup Table : 52nd
All-Time African Cup of Nation Table : 7th
African Cup of Nation : WN(1), RN(2), 3rd(1), 4th(2),
QF(8), R12(4), R16(4)
QF(8), R12(4), R16(4)
World Cup Qualifying: 1st(1),FN(3),SF(3),QF(6),R16(1)
FIFA World Cup : R12 (1), R24 (1), R28 (1), R32 (1)
All-Time Top Scorer : Issam Jemaa (36 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever : Tarak Dhiab
The Greatest Manager Ever : Roger Lemerre
“The Eagles of Carthage” Tunisia is one of the authorized North African teams during the first half 2000s. They played its first international match in 1957. It was first admitted to FIFA and CAF in 1960. Tunisia was first participated in the African Cup of nation and the FIFA World Cup qualifying round of the 1962 tournament and achieved qualifying for the first one, finished third place. However, they met their hard time between the second half 1960s and the first half 1970s, did not qualify for the final tournament. In 1978, Tunisia could qualify for World Cup final tournament for the first time and it is also their best achievement as the closest to qualify for quarter-final round in their all-time record. Even so, they had a failure era once again between the middle 1980s and early 1990s, was unable to qualify for African Cup of nation for five times in row before came back to be a regular participant of the tournament and finally won their victory title as the only one in their history in 2004. Tunisia also qualified for World Cup three tournaments in row between 1998 and 2006.
5. Ghana
Football Association Year of Establishment : 1957
Zone : West Africa
Stadium : Ohene Djan Sports (40,000 Seats)
All-Time FIFA World Cup Table : 36th
All-Time African Cup of Nation Table : 2nd
West Africa Zone 3 Championship : WN (5)
African Cup of Nation : WN(4), 2nd(5), 3rd(1), 4th(3), QF(7), R12(5), R16(1) : Olympic Games : 3rd (1)
World Cup Qualifying : FN(1),2nd(1),SF(1),QF(4),
R12(1), R16(3)
R12(1), R16(3)
FIFA World Cup : QF(1), R16(1), R24 (1)
All-Time Top Scorer : Asamoah Gyan (48 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever : Osei Kofi
The Greatest Manager Ever : Milovan Rajevac
“The Black Stars” Ghana is one of the most successful African teams of all-time, was famous for its technical style. The first international match was held in 1950. It was first a member of FIFA and CAF in 1958. Before gaining independence from Great Britain in 1957, the country played as the Gold Coast. Ghana entered to play in qualifying round of FIFA World Cup and African Cup of nation of the 1962 tournament for the first time but disqualified both. Ghana first qualified for the 1963 African cup of nation and won the champion immediately. Before went on holding the record most consecutive final matches with four. Regrettably, The allocation of African team wasn’t advantage to them during that golden period. Even Ghana won four African Cup of nation trophies in seven final games by 1992, it was incredible the team has never participated in World Cup until it was finally achieved in the 2006 tournament and Ghana is the best African team in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in the Africa when finish as quarter-finalist. Ghana tied with Egypt to hold the record most appearance in African Cup of nation final match with eight. They also holds the record longest consecutive unbeaten games in Africa with 24 between 1981 and 1983.
4. Egypt
Zone : North Africa
Stadium : Cairo International (75,000 Seats)
All-Time FIFA World Cup Table : 65th
All-Time African Cup of Nation Table : 1st
African Cup of Nation : WN (2-A,5-B), 2nd(1), 3rd (3), 4th(3), QF(6), R12(4), R16(1)
Olympic Games : 4th (2), QF (2)
FIFA World Cup Qualification : 1st (1-A), FN (1),
2nd(1-A,1-B), SF(1), QF(4), R12(5), R16(1)
2nd(1-A,1-B), SF(1), QF(4), R12(5), R16(1)
FIFA World Cup : R16-A(1), R20(1)
All-Time Top Scorer : Hossam Hassan (69 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever : Mohammed Salah
The Greatest Manager Ever : Mahmoud El Gohary
The Greatest Manager Ever : Mahmoud El Gohary
“The Pharaohs” Egypt is the greatest African team of all-time in history of African cup of nation as they hold the record most winners with seven and place as number one in all-time African Cup of nation table. It is also the only African nation to have ever achieved both top ten FIFA ranking (2010) and Elo rating (2010). Egypt is the oldest team in Africa when it first international match was held in 1920 and is the only African team to affiliate to FIFA in the pre-war era in 1923. They first appeared to the official match in the 1924 Olympic game. It is the first African team to participate in World Cup final tournament in 1934. Egypt is one of the founding members of CAF in 1957. It was a representative of the Africa in the 1954 FIFA World Cup qualifying international play-off. Egypt won the first ever African Cup of nation in 1957. They came back to enter in FIFA World Cup qualifying round again in 1974 and they could qualify for the 1990 FIFA World Cup just once time after the post-war era despite Egypt was known as “The King of African Cup of Nation” . They hold the record most consecutive champions in African Cup of nation with three between 2006 and 2010 and the record most consecutive unbeaten in African Cup of Nation with 19 between 2004 and 2010.
3. Morocco
Football Association Year of Establishment : 1955Zone : North Africa
Stadium : Stade Mohamed V (67,000 Seats)
All-Time FIFA World Cup Table : 44th
All-Time African Cup of Nation Table : 8th
African Cup of Nation: WN(1), RN(1), 3rd(1), 4th(2),
QF(6), R12(8), R16(2)
QF(6), R12(8), R16(2)
FIFA World Cup Qualification :1st(2), FN(3), SF(2), QF(3), R12(1), R16(1)
FIFA World Cup : R12 (1), R16 (1), R20 (1), R24 (1)
All-Time Top Scorer : Ahmed Faras (42 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever : Noureddine Naybet
The Greatest Manager Ever : Jose Faria
“Lions of the Atlas” Morocco is the greatest North African team of all-time in history of FIFA World Cup qualification zone Africa. They played the first international match in 1957. It was first affiliated to FIFA and CAF in 1960. Morocco first participated in FIFA World Cup qualifying round of the 1962 tournament and the 1963 African Cup of nation but disqualified both. In 1970, Morocco was the first African team to appear in FIFA World Cup since the post-war era. It is the first time for them to participate in African Cup of nation final tournament in 1972 and finally success their only champion in the history in 1976. Morocco became the first African team to qualify for FIFA World Cup second round in 1986. They met their successful era again during the middle 1990s, qualified for World Cup for two consecutive tournaments. There were Moroccan-born players that achieved world-class performance in the Europe, are Just Fontaine and Larbi benbarek.
2. Nigeria
Zone : West Africa, Stadium : Abuja (60,491 Seats)
All-Time FIFA World Cup Table : 32th
All-Time African Cup of Nation Table : 3rd
African Cup of Nation : WN(3), 2nd(4), 3rd(7), 4th(1), QF(3), R12(2), R16(3)
All-Time Afro-Asian Cup of Nation : WN (1)
Olympic Games : 1st (1), 2nd (1)
FIFA World Cup Qualification : FN(1), 2nd(1), SF(6),
QF(4), R12(1), R16(1)
QF(4), R12(1), R16(1)
FIFA World Cup : R12(2), R16(1), R28(1), R32(1)
All-Time Top Scorer : Rachidi Yekini (37 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever : Nwanko Kanu
“Super Eagles” Nigeria is one of the strongest side of African football and is the greatest African team of all-time in history of World Cup qualifying round and Olympic games. Nigeria played its first official game in 1949, while still a British colony.The Nigeria football association was first admitted to CAF in 1959 and FIFA in 1960. Nigeria first participated in FIFA World Cup qualifying round in 1962. They first entered to African Cup of nation in 1963 and could qualify for the final tournament. Nigeria started to be the top African team during the second half 1970s, finished third place of African Cup of nation twice before won their first champion in 1980. They came close to qualify for World Cup several times during the 1980s but missed all. In 1994, it is the best year in history of Nigerian football, they won their second African cup of nation and came close to qualify for the 1994 FIFA World Cup quarter-final as their first participation and continued appearing in World Cup for three tournaments in row since then until 2002.
Football Association Year of Establishment : 1959
1. Cameroon
Zone:Central Africa,Stadium:Omnisports(38,720Seats)
All-Time FIFA World Cup Table : 31th
All-Time African Cup of Nation Table : 5th
Central African Championship : WN (8), RN (4), 3rd (2)
African Cup of Nation : WN(4), 2nd(2), 3rd(1), 4th(1), QF(8), R12(2), R16(5)
Afro-Asian Cup of Nation : WN (1)
Olympic Games: 1st (1),FIFA Confederation Cup: 2nd (1)
World Cup Qualifying : FN(3),SF(4),QF(2),R12(1),R16(3)
FIFA World Cup : QF(1), R20(2), R24(1), R28(1), R32(2)
All-Time Top Scorer : Samuel Eto’o (56 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever : Samuel Eto’o
The Greatest Manager Ever : Valeri Nepomniachi
The Greatest Manager Ever : Valeri Nepomniachi
“ The Indomitable Lions” Cameroon is the greatest African team of all-time in overall history and history of World Cup final tournament, holds the record most appearances in World Cup with six. They played the first international match in 1960 and It was first a member of FIFA and CAF during the early 1960s. They did not enter in the first five tournaments of African Cup of nation before first participated in qualifying round and final tournament in 1968 and 1970, respectively. Cameroon first participated in FIFA World Cup qualifying round in 1970. They became the best team in Africa in the 1980s. Cameroon qualified for World Cup for the first time in 1982 and it was the first African team to qualify for World Cup quarter-final and this achievement positively effect to history of African football when FIFA increase African teams in World Cup. Cameroon holds the record most consecutive appearances in World Cup for African teams with four between 1990 and 2002. In 2003, Cameroon became the only African team to reach FIFA confederation cup final match.
Honourable Mention
21. Ethiopia (East Africa)
22. Angola (West Africa)
23. Uganda (East Africa)
Statistics by Zone
7 : West Africa
5 : Northern Africa
5 : Central Africa
2 : Southern Africa
1 : East Asia
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