President of Rugby Africa, Herbert Mensah, has praised the impressive performances of African nations at the ongoing FIFA World Cup, describing the continent’s record representation as evidence of its growing quality and competitiveness in global football.
Speaking on the tournament, Mr. Mensah congratulated Morocco and South Africa for progressing to the knockout stage, saying their achievements were a source of pride for the entire continent.
He noted that Africa’s qualification of 10 teams for the expanded World Cup represents a historic milestone and reinforces the case for greater African representation at football’s biggest tournament.
“This is a record for Africa. It has never happened before, and it reflects the quality that exists across the continent,” he said.
Mr. Mensah pointed to the strength of Africa’s representatives, including Senegal, Morocco, Cape Verde, South Africa, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and Democratic Republic of the Congo, arguing that they have demonstrated the ability to compete with the world’s leading football nations.
According to him, the performances of African teams have dispelled long-held doubts about the continent’s footballing standards.
“The quality is here. African teams have shown that they can compete with and challenge the traditional powers of world football,” he stated.
Mr. Mensah highlighted several standout moments from the tournament, including Morocco’s continued rise as a global football force, Cape Verde’s impressive displays, the resilience shown by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Ghana’s performance against England.
He said the tournament has showcased the talent, athleticism and increasing tactical maturity of African players, further strengthening the argument that the continent deserves more places at future FIFA World Cups.
Reflecting on longstanding calls for expanded African representation, Mr. Mensah said football stakeholders have consistently argued that the continent possesses the quality and depth needed to justify additional World Cup slots.
