Roger Milla, former striker for the Indomitable Lions, participated in three World Cups (1982, 1990, and 1994), reaching the quarter-finals in the tournament held in Italy. He spoke exclusively to Africafoot about his predictions for the African teams involved.
A Regrettable Absence for Cameroon
Cameroon missed out on the competition, eliminated after being outpaced by Cape Verde in the group stage and then losing to the DRC in the playoffs (0-1). This leaves the former international with regrets.
“It’s a shame, I would have liked Cameroon to qualify, but now we need to prepare the team to qualify for the next World Cup.”
Chances for African Teams
The former Cameroon international (102 caps, 36 goals) believes African teams have what it takes to make an impact in the finals.
“Nothing will be impossible. I think they all have a chance to get past the first round, especially with the qualification of the eight best third-placed teams. Of course, we expect more from the big African teams, like Morocco, Senegal, and Ivory Coast. On paper, they have their chances. But a World Cup is tough, all teams are highly motivated.”
Challenging Draws Ahead
Several African nations will face particularly tough opponents, according to him.
“Morocco will face Brazil, Senegal will take on France, Ivory Coast will meet Germany, Cape Verde will challenge Spain, DRC will play Portugal, Tunisia will face the Netherlands, Egypt will meet Belgium, and Ghana will go up against England. That means they will all be up against favorites. But African football is improving every year, and it can compete with the best teams in Europe or South America.”
Regarding Morocco’s journey in the 2022 World Cup, he remains cautious about a possible repeat of their success:
“It will be difficult to replicate the same journey. It’s not quite the same team anymore, and they will need to get out of the group first. The Moroccans can do it, of course.”
Cape Verde Viewed Without Pressure
He is more optimistic about Cape Verde, believing they can surprise everyone.
“This will be their first World Cup, they will play without much pressure, and they can surprise.”
Portugal as the Favorite
For the Portugal national football team, he names them as his main favorite while mentioning other serious contenders.
“I really like Portugal, they play well and have top-level players. They are my favorite, but there are others like France, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, and England.”
Finally, he reminds us that the finals often bring surprises, with unexpected journeys from several teams throughout the World Cup editions.
