Nodley Wright, Freelance Writer
ONE OF the greatest African footballers ever, Abedi 'Pele' Ayew, believes that an African country could claim football's biggest prize, World Cup champions, in 2010 when the showpiece event will be hosted by South Africa.
"In Africa with all the experience that we have acquired, Africa will be prosperous and could even win the Cup," said Ayew, commonly referred to as Abedi Pele because of his football brilliance, which earned him comparisons to the legendary Brazilian Edson Arantes do Nascimento - the original Pele.
Abedi Pele, who was speaking with The Gleaner from Berlin, Germany, where he was one of 11 people, along with Jamaica's Captain Horace Burrell, named an Ambassador for the 2010 World Cup by South African president Thabo Mbeki, based his assertion on the history of the competition.
"If you look at the history of the World Cup, whenever the competition is played in South America a South American team wins. When it is played in Europe, a European team wins. The exceptions are Brazil who won in Europe in 1958 and in Asia in 2002. Argentina also won in Mexico in '86," Ayew said.
LOGICS
"Based on that, it is logical that an African team will come to the fore in 2010," said the man who helped Ghana win the Nations Cup in 1982 as a 17-year-old and went on to become the first African representing Africa to make a mark in Europe.
According to the man who played in France, Italy, Germany and the Middle East, the World Cup, which ended on Sunday, continued the preparation for an African team to make the big leap, especially for his own country, Ghana.
"For Ghana, the players of my generation did qualify, but we played our best and we were hoping that this generation would have done it and they did. They played well and got good experience, which put them in a better position next time.
"Other teams such as Ivory Coast and Angola showed that they belonged and could compete," he said, adding that he was not disappointed that some of the more famous African football countries such as Nigeria, Cameroon and Senegal did not qualify.
"Honestly, I was not dis-appointed. I was not dis-appointed because they played well and did not make it. It showed that it is not only a few countries in Africa that can play well," he said.
"I was happy that other teams such as Ivory Coast, Angola, Ghana and even Togo showed what they could do," said Abedi Pele, who is also an ambassador for his country.
For the teams which were present at the 2006 World Cup and in particular Ghana, improvements will have to be made in their finishing, Abedi Pele said.
"We all agree that team was very solid in the goal in defence and in midfield, but that it lacked the striking punch.
"It is important though that we stick with the squad and work with them and maybe add a few new faces. It is a sign of what is to come and if you look at the ages you will see that the squad was extremely young so they will improve," he said.
