African football has recorded a landmark achievement at the World Cup, with nine out of 10 teams from the continent reaching the round of 16 for the first time in history, according to Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw, who says the development is clear evidence of progress.
Thiaw also paid tribute to the Democratic Republic of Congo, who secured Africa’s 10th and final qualification spot for the tournament through the intercontinental playoff against Jamaica, completing a record representation for the continent.
Reflecting on the overall performance of African nations, Thiaw suggested the current success is the result of consistent improvement and better use of opportunities at the highest level of international football.
“I believe Africa has shown today that when it gets opportunities, it makes the most of them. Usually, we’ve had just 5 teams at the World Cup. Today, we have 10. And in the round of 16, there are 9 African sides. We shouldn’t envy anyone. I think the work being done is excellent,” said the Senegal coach.
His comments come as Senegal prepare for a major test in the knockout stage of the competition. They are scheduled to face Belgium in the round of 16 at Lumen Field in Seattle, with kick-off set for 20:00 GMT.
The fixture is part of a historic phase of the tournament for African football, with multiple teams from the continent still competing at the business end of the competition.
Thiaw also highlighted the growing strength of African coaching and player development systems, arguing that the increasing presence of locally trained coaches is a sign of progress across the continent.
He praised the depth of talent available within African football structures and suggested that improved training and development have played a key role in recent successes on the world stage.
“When we see African national teams being coached by people from the continent, it means we have received quality training. We have the human resources and outstanding players. So African teams deserve to be congratulated.”
The Senegal coach also reserved special praise for the Democratic Republic of Congo, acknowledging their achievement in securing a place at the tournament through the playoff system, which ensured Africa’s record allocation of 10 teams.
“I also want to congratulate the Democratic Republic of Congo, who went out and secured qualification from elsewhere to become Africa’s tenth representative.”
Despite the historic achievement, the tournament has also seen the exits of Côte d’Ivoire and South Africa at the round of 16 stage. However, Thiaw insisted that African football has still made a strong impression overall, with multiple teams competing effectively against the world’s best.
He argued that the collective performance of African nations demonstrates that the continent is now able to compete consistently at the highest level, reinforcing the idea that progress is not only visible in qualification numbers but also in on-pitch results at major tournaments.
As the knockout stage continues, African teams remain central to the narrative of the competition, with hopes of further progress still alive as the tournament moves toward its decisive rounds.
