Secretary General of the World Football governing body FIFA, Fatma Samoura has revealed her thoughts about the likely winners of the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The latest edition of Football's most prestigious competition, the FIFA World Cup, is scheduled to kick off on Sunday, November 20 in Qatar with 32 countries participating.
Of the 32 countries, five (5) will fly the African flag with Ghana, Morocco, Cameroon, Tunisia, and Senegal picking up the five World Cup tickets awarded to CAF.
Samoura hoping for best African performance in Qatar
Africa's best performance in World Cup history so far has been the quarterfinal stage with Cameroon (Italia '90), Senegal (Korea-Japan '02), and Ghana (South Africa '10) all reaching the last 8 but never progressing from there.
However, in a FIFA-issued press statement obtained by Pulse Sports Nigeria, Samoura stated that she dreams that one of the African representatives can lift the trophy this year in Qatar.
Samoura said: “As you know, the Lions of Teranga, the African champions, will also be in Qatar, as well as Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana and Cameroon.
"So, let’s put it this way: I would love, and I’m dreaming about it every day, to see this most coveted trophy being lifted one day, and why not in Qatar, by one of these five countries of the African continent."
I want football celebrated - Samoura
Furthermore, the FIFA Secretary General admitted that beyond having an African winner at the World Cup, she hopes that the World Cup would bring about football being celebrated across all countries of the World.
"But more seriously, as FIFA Secretary-General, my biggest [desire] will be to see football being celebrated in all corners of the world," Samoura concluded.
Reigning African champions Senegal are drawn in Group A alongside hosts Qatar with Ecuador and Netherlands rounding off the group.