Is the old order changing?
Spain….Italy….England….Cameroun….Cote d’Ivoire. The roll call looked more like countries that had, on the steam of their brilliant showing, qualified for the round of 16 at Brazil 2014. To the contrary, they were shock casualties who had to catch early flights back home.
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From what has happened so far at Brazil 2014, it is obvious the tournament hasn’t finished unleashing surprises, match after match. Perhaps the biggest surprises are yet to come.
No one in their wildest imagination had assumed that Spain, for instance, would tumble out of the World Cup in the most embarrassing manner imaginable, but that was what came to pass.
If there is a deduction that followers of the world’s most favourite sport can make from what is happening in Brazil, it is the fact that the global football landscape, in terms of leverage, is changing fast beyond expectation.
From all indications, countries like Costa Rica and Greece have exceeded their own expectations in Brazil. Costa Rica beat Italy and Uruguay and drew with England to top their group.
In respect of Greece, the race was down to the wire as they had to wait till the third minute of time added on to pluck victory from the jaws of defeat in their match against Cote d’Ivoire to make it to the next stage of the tournament.
In both cases, it marked the first time qualification of the countries for the round of 16. Whether or not they progress in the tournament there after, there will be no denying the fact that they helped in changing the face of the World Cup.
Without doubt, Costa Rica could sprint all the way to history by subduing Greece en route to the semi-final. They are reaping the fruit of a silent revolution underpinned mainly by rich technical expertise.
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In assessing whatever might have become of the African dream at Brazil 2014, some lapses can’t escape scrutiny. Loss of focus, naivety and, in some cases a delusion of assumed strength, combined to bring African representatives down. That was the price Ghana paid in the games against the US and Germany.
It was the same price Cote d’Ivoire paid when victory beckoned in their clash with Greece, not to make any reference to the disgraceful manner in which Cameroun conducted their campaign before being shown the exit.
Africa has a lot to learn if it is to make the desired impact the whole world believes it is capable of exhibiting at the highest level of the game.
For now it is becoming painfully clear that only Africa is making heavy weather of the race to get its deserved slice of glory in World Cup history.
• This piece was written before the Ghana-Portugal match.