After 92 years, 13 countries and 49 attempts, an African side has reached the World Cup semifinals

African countries have been competing at the World Cup since 1934 — Egypt withdrew in 1930 after missing their connecting ship to Uruguay as a result of a storm — and have made a total of 49 appearances in the competition.

Those appearances have been made up by 13 different countries, from Morocco, Tunisia and the aforementioned Egypt in the north to South Africa at the very southern tip of the continent.

The Athletic takes a look at Africa’s rich history at the World Cup and how each of these teams has got on.

• 1934: Egypt,


• 1970: Morocco,


• 1974: Zaire,


• 1978: Tunisia,


• 1982: Algeria & Cameroon,


• 1986: Algeria,


• 1990: Egypt,


• 1994: Cameroon & Morocco,


• 1998: Cameroon, Morocco, South Africa & Tunisia,


• 2002: Cameroon, Nigeria, South Africa & Tunisia,


• 2006: Angola, Ivory Coast, Togo & Tunisia,


• 2010: Algeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Nigeria & South Africa,


• 2014: Cameroon, Ivory Coast & Ghana,


• 2018: Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal & Tunisia,


• 2022: Cameroon, Ghana & Tunisia

Egypt were the first team from Africa to play at the World Cup — losing 4-2 to Hungary in the first round in Italy in 1934. Including their elimination, African teams have fallen in the first round 38 times.

However, even when African sides have bowed out early it has rarely been without incident. Some notable highlights have been Zaire reportedly not knowing the rules for a free-kick in 1974, Roger Milla dancing by the corner flag in 1990 and South Africa’s Siphiwe Tshabalala’s opening goal in the 2010 tournament — the only one to be held in Africa — resulting in a continent exploding in joy.

At this World Cup, Tunisia secured a famous victory over defending champions France and Ghana avenged their agonising exit in 2010 by helping to knock Uruguay out.

• 1986: Morocco,


• 1994: Nigeria,


• 1998: Nigeria,


• 2006: Ghana,


• 2014: Nigeria & Algeria,


• 2022: Senegal

African countries have gone out in the second round 0f the World Cup seven times.

Morocco in 1986 became the first team from the continent to get past the first round and Nigeria were the first side to do so twice in 1998.

Morocco topped their group in 1986 — ahead of England, Poland and Portugal. They beat the Portuguese 3-1 in their final group game — the only time they had beaten them before Saturday in Qatar.

Youssef En-Nesyri of Morocco takes on Pepe of Portugal during the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 quarterfinal match between Morocco and Portugal at Al Thumama Stadium on 10 December 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo: Justin Setterfield / Getty Images)

Morocco players celebrate at the final whistle after their side's 1-0 victory during the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 quarterfinal match between Morocco and Portugal at Al Thumama Stadium on 10 December 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo: Michael Steele / Getty Images)

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The north African team then lost 1-0 to eventual finalists West Germany in the last 16, with an 88th-minute Lothar Matthaus goal sending them home from Mexico.

Algeria also faced Germany in the last 16 in 2014. They took the eventual winners to extra-time and the world was treated to 30 minutes of gripping drama that saw three goals and the Germans triumph 2-1. The Algerians were greeted like heroes on their return home.

Senegal were the only African team in Qatar to exit in the round of 16 — losing 3-0 to a ruthless England team.

• 1990: Cameroon,


• 2002: Senegal,


• 2010: Ghana

Three African teams have gone out in the quarterfinals of the World Cup and all did so in painful fashion.

Cameroon became the first African side to make the last eight in Italy in 1990. They stunned defending champions Argentina in the tournament’s opening game at the San Siro and that momentum saw them go on and top a group also containing Romania and Soviet Union.

They then beat Colombia 2-1 in extra-time in the round of 16, with a 38-year-old Milla scoring a brace to sink the South Americans. With the continent in dreamland the Indomitable Lions took on England in the quarterfinals.

David Platt scored for England in the first half, before Emmanuel Kunde equalised from the spot in the 61st minute. Four minutes later Eugene Ekeke gave Cameroon the lead and the world was 25 minutes from a first African semifinalist.

However, Gary Lineker equalised from the penalty spot and then won it in extra-time with another penalty.

Cameroon were out but had taken a continent on the journey of a lifetime.

Senegal followed in Cameroon’s footsteps in 2002 in South Korea and Japan — in more ways than one. They beat the defending champions (France) in the tournament’s opening game on their way to qualifying for the knockout stages.

They played Sweden in the round of 16 and, just like it did with Cameroon, the match went to extra-time. Henri Camara scored a Golden Goal in the 104th minute to send the west Africans to the quarter-finals.

In the last eight they were defeated by a Golden Goal from Turkey, but left the Far East having won many hearts.

Ghana in 2010 came even closer to the semifinals than their two predecessors. They were the only African team to get through the groups that year, and just as it did with Cameroon and Senegal their round of 16 game went to extra-time — where Asamoah Gyan scored the winner against USA.

In the quarter-final against Uruguay, with the scores tied at 1-1 in the 120th minute, Luis Suarez deliberately handled the ball on the line to deny Ghana a goal. He was sent off but Gyan, under unbearable pressure, hit the bar from the resulting penalty and let Uruguay off the hook.

The South Americans won the penalty shootout and Ghana were out — to the dismay of all neutrals.

2022: Morocco

Morocco became the first African side to make the World Cup semifinals on Saturday after a controlled victory over Portugal. They topped their group in Qatar (ahead of Croatia, Belgium and Canada) and then beat former world champions Spain on penalties in the round of 16.

Morocco have only conceded once at this World Cup — a Nayef Aguerd own goal against Canada.

The north Africans will face France on Wednesday and will be backing themselves to go all the way now after surviving against so many heavyweights.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.