Wenger backs African team to lift World Cup trophy soon, says ‘Data shows it’

Wenger noted that African teams lost critical games in previous World Cup tournaments because they “could not maintain focus consistently”.

​By Kehinde Okeowo

​Former Arsenal manager and FIFA Chief of Global Football Development, Arsène Wenger, has said an African team could win the World Cup in the no distant future, adding that available data backs his forecast.

​The French tactician made this known recently while addressing participants at a CAF Strategic Conference in Santa Maria, Sal Island, Cape Verde.

​During the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, nine of the ten African teams that took part in the tournament advanced from the group stage.

​Reacting to the feat, Wenger noted that African teams lost critical games in previous tournaments because they sometimes lost their formations and “could not maintain focus consistently”.

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He, however, argued that the trend has changed, whilst insisting that data shows teams from the continent could win a World Cup trophy in no distant time.

​Speaking at the conference, the Frenchman said: “In the past, African teams sometimes lost because their formations weren’t compact enough, there was too much space between the lines, and they could not maintain focus consistently.

​“In this World Cup, it was difficult to beat any African team because their discipline and organisation reached top levels.

​“Africa has made an excellent step forward, but it needs to take another step. We want to see an African team win the World Cup, and the data shows that this is achievable.”