World Cup Qualifiers - Africa

[nelsonrivas2011]

First matches will be played on 1 September 2021

 

[nelsonrivas2011]

FIFA are showing African WC Qualifiers for free on YouTube. Watching Niger x Burkina Faso rn.

 

[brehme1989]

These African competitions would have been far more interesting if Europe didn't steal most of their top talent and the rest of these players didn't feel the need to embrace this modern, sick mentality where their homes feel secondary.

 

[nelsonrivas2011]

The game between Guinea and Morocco got supended due to a coup d'état in the Sub-Saharan country.

 

[ADRossi]

These African competitions would have been far more interesting if Europe didn't steal most of their top talent and the rest of these players didn't feel the need to embrace this modern, sick mentality where their homes feel secondary.

This feels like a massive stretch.

 

[brehme1989]

This feels like a massive stretch.

Is it though?

Think of how recently some players of African descent didn't play for their current national teams hoping to secure a spot for the (usually) French NT. And others who got tired of waiting.

N'Golo Kante rejected Mali's call in hopes to play for France. Now he plays for France.

Koulibaly switched to Senegal because he wasn't selected for a qualifier.

Kondogbia changed his NT despite featuring initially for France several times in friendlies and through all youth teams.

Aurier was ignoring Ivory Coast in hopes that he'd receive a French passport. Eventually he caved and accepted an Ivorian call up and the rest was history.

I'm pretty sure there are several other examples, these are just the big ones I remember.
It's no different that picking a club to play for. Players choose their NT based on exposure and how much of a chance to participate in or win the World Cup.

There's also the vastly inferior CONCACAF, where Jamaica gets to call up various England players. I hear Mason Greenwood is sort of threatening to convert to Jamaica NT if he's not called up for England. There's even less incentive to play there. I read that our Denzel Dumfries rejected Aruba's call up when he was younger in lower divisions because he felt he was good enough for the Netherlands NT.

Aubameyang could have played for France or Italy iirc and he's one of the few who I think rejected a France call up in order to play for Gabon, despite being a youth player for France.


When guys like Ziyech and Mahrez opt to play for their ancestral nations, it's actually news. I find that rather sad.

International football feels really awkward now with brothers not even playing for the same national team (the Boatengs, the Xhakas, Rafinha & Thiago Alcantara, the Pogbas). It's not the rule of course, but it does make the whole nationality thing seem needless.


National teams shouldn't be based on a career choice, that's what my post implied.

 

[thatdude]

I will admit it’s weird when brothers play for different national teams. I’d be lying if I said I think Thiago Alcantara or Diego Costa should be playing for Spain. However, that would be pretty hypocritical of me when I’m a USA fan. I don’t know where you draw the line to be honest. The system is probably a bit flawed, I think it should most likely be where you’re born unless there is a “special exemption” on a case by case basis. However, what would constitute a special case? That just leaves the door open to a lot of preferential treatment.

 

[ADRossi]

Kante was born in Paris. Why would he play for anyone other than France? You can't criticize players for playing for the countries their parents immigrated to.

No point in going on a case-by-case basis. My point is that what country you choose to represent is a personal decision. Everyone wants to make some clean rule, but nationality is fluid in the 21st century. And I'm sure in many cases the choice is made based on things like winning, or exposure, but those cases are the exception and simply something we need to live with.

 

[Ethor]

Rooting for Cameroon , but they lost to my second favorite Cote d' Ivoire 2-1.

 

[CoolMan44]

So one of Cameroon/Ivory Coast will be out in the 1st round of qualifying?

How did they even end up in the same group given there are 10 groups or so unless one of them has become a “Pot 2” team in recent years?

 

[nelsonrivas2011]

So one of Cameroon/Ivory Coast will be out in the 1st round of qualifying?

How did they even end up in the same group given there are 10 groups or so unless one of them has become a “Pot 2” team in recent years?

Ivory Coast became a Pot 2 team.

 

[nelsonrivas2011]

The third round is scheduled to be played in March 2022.

 

[Ethor]

With the above-mentioned squads, looking like this will be my " March Madness"!

 

[nelsonrivas2011]

 

[Stefan]

Senegal beating Egypt again on pens must hurt for Egyptian fans.

Cameroon went through on away goals with an impressive win in Algeria. Onana was impressive from reports.

Ghana going through on away goals nearly caused a riot.

Morocco easily through.
Tunisia did enough after the first leg.

 

[DiegoMilito22]

Senegal beating Egypt again on pens must hurt for Egyptian fans.

Cameroon went through on away goals with an impressive win in Algeria. Onana was impressive from reports.

Ghana going through on away goals nearly caused a riot.

Morocco easily through.
Tunisia did enough after the first leg.

Senegal Egypt penalty kicks were so unfair with all those lasers lol.