EXCLUSIVE — World Cup 2026: African Teams Showed Promise, Yet Super Eagles Could Have Excelled More — Kalika

Simon Kalika, a Dutch coach and former assistant to the Flying Eagles of Nigeria during the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup in the Netherlands and the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China, has praised the efforts of African teams in the ongoing World Cup 2026, as reported by Completesports.com.

However, Kalika contends that Nigeria’s Super Eagles would have excelled even more had the three-time African champions made it to the global event.

Ten African nations—Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Cape Verde, DR Congo, and South Africa—secured spots in the tournament, with only Egypt and Morocco advancing to the Round of 16.

World Cup 2026: Kalika Applauds Africa’s Rising Competitiveness

In an exclusive conversation with Completesports.com on Monday, July 13, 2026, from his home in the Netherlands, Kalika remarked that the performances of African teams indicate that the continent is swiftly bridging the gap with the world’s established football powers.

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“Who could have imagined that Cape Verde had the talent and skill to impress the world at the World Cup 2026?” Kalika began.

“Or who would have predicted that DR Congo could progress to the Round of 32 prior to the tournament? This demonstrates the vast talent present in Africa and the rapid advancement of football across the continent.

“Africa is quickly catching up with the global football scene, and this credit goes to the various football federations (associations).”

Cape Verde’s World Cup Achievements Receive Special Recognition

The former assistant coach to Samson Siasia expressed particular admiration for Cape Verde, who, despite making their first appearance at the FIFA World Cup, nearly created one of the tournament's most significant upsets.

Also Read: World Cup 2026: Morocco Coach Ouahbi Acknowledges France Deserved Victory

“They astonished everyone with their performance against Argentina. Had it not been for their lack of experience, it could have been the highlight of the FIFA World Cup 2026,” Kalika stated.

Egypt and Morocco both made it to the Round of 16 before being eliminated by Argentina and France, respectively.

Kalika: Super Eagles Could Have Advanced Further

Nigeria did not qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026 finals. Nevertheless, Kalika is convinced that the Super Eagles had the quality to surpass Morocco, Egypt, and all other African representatives in the tournament.

“Nigeria is exceptionally rich in talent. You can find Nigerian players in all the prominent leagues across Europe and beyond.

“Given their current form, yes, they would have performed better at the World Cup. It’s unfortunate that the Super Eagles didn’t qualify for the World Cup 2026. The world would have witnessed one of the most gifted teams in the tournament,” Kalika concluded.