The Problem With African Football   

Legendary French midfielder, Zinedine Zidane, tells TUNDE OYEDELE what he thinks is the problem of African football

•Zinedine Zidane.

How would you rate the performances of African teams at the 2010 World Cup?
With the exception of Cameroun, Senegal and I think Ghana that are in the quarter-finals in South Africa 2010, African teams have not played beyond the second round of the World Cup. It’s obvious that Africa did not perform well here, but the continent made a statement as one of the best hosts of the tournament.

What do you think went wrong with African teams at this year’s World Cup?
African teams played the very best of their football with their stars that came from many leagues in Europe and rest of the world. Their performances only showed there is a wide gap between African football and that of developed European countries.
Teams like Ivory Coast, Cameroun and Nigeria have players in European and other leagues across the world. Algeria, South Africa and Ghana featured some young players, but many of them came from abroad to represent their countries. That shows Africa has many talented footballers. If one looks at the big leagues in Europe, African players are doing very well for their clubs. It’s because this continent has the most skilful players. I played with many of them and I know Africa has a great future in international football. I believe they lack organisation; that’s a major problem for Africa. The World Cup is a big competition that requires good organisation with creative, disciplined and experienced players.

Who are the stars that have caught your eye?
There are many top stars in this World Cup. Even, the teams that were knocked out in the first round have top players. Lionel Messi of Argentina is a great talent. Cristiano Ronaldo, Frank Ribery, Fernando Torres, Didier Drogba and many others are quality players.

The French team appeared disorganised in South Africa.
I think so. They didn’t show any sign of discipline. The way France started made it difficult for them to compete. The World Cup is a big stage, where each team exhibit its very best. I didn’t see that in their squad.

You accused Raymond Domenech of leading the team astray.
Yes. The coach was responsible for France’s failure because he didn’t organise them well. They were not serious, especially in the first match. The future looks bleak for them if they continue playing like that.

Which country do you tip for the trophy?
It will be difficult to say this or that country will emerge winners. But we have seen some teams with enough potentials and ability to play all the way. We’ll see that on 11 July because the game is unpredictable.

What do you miss most about football?
I would have loved to play till eternity. This is a game I love so much. I know that I played my own part and won the World Cup at home in  1998. That is an unforgettable experience. Our achievement at Euro 2000 is there to cherish before the worst happened in Germany, where we lost to Italy. That still haunts me. Oh yes, it hurts. I had good and bad memories that are brought back to my mind in South Africa.

You mean the clash with the Italian player?
Forget that, please.

Algeria, your country of origin went out early.
Yes, just like the hosts, the Bafana Bafana of South Africa. These are teams that I supported apart from France. My heart thumped all through Algeria’s stay in South Africa because my parents are from Algeria. It’s sad they were knocked out, but I love their game. South Africa also played with determination and I’m proud of Africa’s performance, especially being a great host of the World Cup.

What do you think of the decision to bring legends of the game to South Africa?
It’s a nice decision by the organisers. I’m glad to be part of it in South Africa and kudos to SAFA that invited me for a youth development programme, Cashbuild, which gave me an insight into the raw talents on this great continent.

Tags:  Cameroun, French, Ghana, Legendary, Senegal, South Africa