The Good, Bad and the Ugly of the 2014 World Cup: African Perspective

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Every FIFA World Cup tournament since its inception in 1930 is filled with beautiful memories as well as woeful unforgettable ones and the just ended World Cup in Brazil was no different.  

For many football pundits and supporters, especially Brazilian fans, the 7-1 demolishing their country suffered at the hands of the Germans, but wait! I don’t mean to remind Brazilians of this nightmare.

However, on the African side, there are equally good, bad and ugly moments at the world cup that will forever be in the history books of world football for generations yet unborn. Here is a look at the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Algeria Squad

The Good

For the first time in  
the FIFA World Cup tournament, two African Nations, Algeria and Nigeria qualified to the second round of the global football fiesta. 

These countries were given the dog chance of progressing from the group, but they defied the odds and made their respective countries and the African continent proud again at the world cup. 

Algeria achieved this feat for the first time whiles Nigeria was making it the second time to have qualified to the next round since 1998.

Again, the thrilling and exciting match between the Ghana and Germany which FIFA rated it as the best match in the tournament will forever be in the minds of Ghanaians. Had it not been some selfish play, the Black Stars would have gotten the maximum points in that crucial encounter.

The real Bruce Lee

The Bad 

Poor defending cost the downfall of African teams who participated at the World Cup. Since none of the teams was making its debut at the tournament, one would have expected the African teams to have done their home work well before the competition. 

But they entered the tourney with less preparation concerning all departments of the game, especially their defensive set up.

Even Cameroon was fortunate to have benefited from two “legal” goals which were disallowed by the referee in their opening game against Mexico, but they still managed to lose the match by a lone goal.

On the side of the Elephants of Ivory Coast, many football connoisseurs were hoping that this time around they would be able to qualify to the second round for the first time. But again, they were in the news for the wrong reasons. 

Could this possibly be the end of the team’s golden generation who failed to win a silver ware?

Again, after many warnings thrown at the door steps of the Black Stars by the Coach of USA Jurgen Klinsmann, Ghanaians thought it was just a mere talk coaches are fond of firing to their opponents. Indeed the Americans deserved the victory. 

On the field of play, their players were more determined and hungry for victory more than our gallant Black Stars. You could be yearning for the Black Stars to beat USA in future tournaments to wipe away the disappointment they caused the nation. It is possible, but this time football has changed. 
Either than that the Brazilians would not have suffered two defeats in a row… sorry! I promised not to go there again.

Ghana's "Jet Li", Muntari shows
USA player, Jones where power lies

Ugly

I think with respect to this, the Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez appeared in the Ghana camp. 

However, this time it was for the right reasons. Apart from biting, Suarez is also noted for using his hand on the field of play. Maybe he might have taught Kwasi Nyantakyi how to use his hands in times of chaos outside the pitch. 

In case you have forgotten, GFA president used his hand to save Mr. Moses Parker from further harm when Sulley Muntari threw a glass at him (Parker). Ugly scene righ; but Mr. Nyantakyi might have taken his lessons seriously from Suarez.

Every Ghanaian knew that we had taken footballers to play at the world cup to make our country proud again. But we never knew there was “Bruce Lee” or better still "Jet Li" among the players. 

Moses Parker is also noted to giving punches without missing the target. Can I call him Van Damme? How interesting and disappointing it was. To some people, it was fun to them because it was a long time they saw well cultured gentlemen exchanging series of punches to the extent that one finished the first round of the fray with blood oozing from his mouth.

Moses Parker, Ghana's Van Damme

Who said the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon were the only African side who disgraced themselves at the world cup? The sending of $3m over the pacific to Brazil, the exchange of punches between “Jet Li” and “Van Damme” and the appearance fees saga were not the only events that marred Black Stars Journey in Brazil. 

But over 200 Ghanaian football fans who have refused to return home and are seeking the Brazilian government to grant them asylum further put Ghana in a bad spotlight.

Here at home, we are encountering similar incidents. Not all of us supported that football retreat organized under the auspices of the Minister of Sports Hon. Mahama Ayariga. 

But come to think of it! The confrontation between Kwasi Nyantakyi and Harry Zakour during the football retreat points to the fact that we have still not learnt our lessons after disgracing our beautiful country in Brazil.

Upon all these development, I still plead that we must rally behind the Black Stars to succeed in future tournaments.