At the beginning of every world cup, there is always a sense of hope that this time might be our chance. Unfortunately, this time again, a lot of African soccer fans got their heart broken. As always, blind faith or optimism is a recipe for broken dreams. Voodoo and prayers do not win soccer games. Winning the world cup requires more than passions, hope and prayers. It requires a tremendous commitment, investment and sacrifice. Plain and Simple. Compared to Europe and Latin America, Africa still produces fewer top class players, mainly due to a lack of investment, a weak medical systems, fewer qualified coaches and malnutrition.
Soccer, just like Basketball, is one of the most predictable sports. Realistically, the pool of winners is always limited to two or three teams. The rest only have a glim of hope. To join this pool of prospective winners, African nations must economically invest in building training facilities. Furthermore, they also have to culturally stop stigmatizing soccer and make it part of the school system. Kids need to play and learn how to play organized soccer. Investing in the development of youth players is not only a sound economic choice, but it is also a beneficial cultural decision. Soccer is a growing industry and provides an avenue for nations to win and to make money.
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