Drogba also said Bayern Munich striker, Sadio Mane would not have made a difference in Senegal’s 2-0 defeat against the Netherlands
By Kehinde Okeowo
Ivory Coast and Chelsea striker, Didier Drogba, has said African teams at the World Cup don’t go all the way because they rely on individual brilliance.
Drogba reached the conclusion while speaking to the BBC, saying African teams are yet to come to terms that working as a unit is the only way to success.
No African country has gone beyond the World Cup semi-finals, since the tournament began in 1930.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar commenced last Sunday and Senegal, who won the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, earlier this year, lost 2-0 against the Netherlands.
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The African champions played without their star player Sadio Mane, who was ruled out of the tournament due to injury.
Another African representative, Tunisia drew 0-0 against Denmark, while Morocco also played a stalemate with Croatia on Wednesday.
While Cameroon and Ghana are yet to play their first games, Drogba believes African teams struggle because the continent relies on individuals.
Analysing the matches played by African teams so far, the Ivory Coast’s all-time top goal scorer said:
“When you look at the game [Senegal against the Netherlands], [Sadio] Mane on his own could not have done much better than what we saw.
“It’s very difficult for African teams because you have got individualities. They are very good at their clubs, especially those playing in Europe.
“But when they come together, it becomes more difficult for the manager to find the right system. To play the right guys at the right position, to keep that intensity that’s required when you play at that kind of level.”
