At the World Cup, five African teams participated, but only two were led by coaches from the continent itself. The remaining three teams appointed managers from Europe and South America, most of whom didn’t even speak the same language as the players. This growing trend raises eyebrows, especially among fans tracking global football developments through Bangla Cricket Live.

The disadvantages of hiring foreign coaches are obvious: language barriers, cultural differences, and a lack of deep understanding of the local football ecosystem. Interestingly, four of the five foreign coaches hired by African teams at the tournament spoke the same language—Spanish—and were all from South America. This further highlights a lack of cultural fit and communication between players and coaching staff.

Worse still, if the national football federation doesn’t fully support these foreign coaches, they struggle to operate effectively. African World Cup qualifiers also feature unique formats that outsiders often find hard to navigate. Even local teams struggle to adapt, as seen in Egypt’s case: despite winning three consecutive Africa Cup of Nations titles between 2006 and 2010, they failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup. Cameroon, who lifted the trophy in 2017, also missed out on the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

This inconsistency isn’t limited to World Cup qualification. Even Nigeria, one of Africa’s top footballing nations, failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations in both 2015 and 2017. Such volatility contrasts sharply with the structured progress seen in other continents. In South America, for instance, Tite coaches Brazil and Óscar Tabárez leads Uruguay—both native-born coaches managing their home countries.

The deeper issue seems to be systemic. African football lacks continuity. The continent has struggled to maintain stable performances, both at the team and individual levels. The Africa Cup of Nations being held every two years, along with its own qualification rounds, adds more stress to the already packed calendar. This means that during each four-year World Cup cycle, African teams must compete in three major tournaments, undermining consistency and long-term planning.

Fans watching Bangla Cricket Live can see this stark difference: while European and South American nations typically appoint domestic or regional coaches—19 of the 32 teams in 2018 were managed by coaches from their own continent, and 15 of those were led by coaches from their own country—Africa continues to rely heavily on foreign leadership. Among the exceptions in Europe and South America, three of the four teams with foreign coaches at least hired ones who spoke the same language.

So why do so many African teams turn to foreign coaches? It appears driven by impatience and short-term thinking. Federations desperate for quick results often assume that hiring a well-known foreign name will bring success. Yet, for Egypt (coached by Argentine Héctor Cúper), Morocco (led by Frenchman Hervé Renard), and Nigeria (under German Gernot Rohr), this approach has created distance between players and coaching staff—both geographically and culturally.

Meanwhile, South American teams like Colombia and Peru show a different model. Though led by Argentine coaches José Pékerman and Ricardo Gareca respectively, these managers share linguistic and cultural bonds with their teams. That shared foundation has played a key role in their cohesion and performance.

Until African federations prioritize continuity, development, and cultural alignment—over prestige and imported success—teams may continue to fall short of their potential. For now, simply reaching the knockout stage is seen as a major achievement, and making it to the quarterfinals remains a rare feat. As this pattern persists, many fans following these journeys on Bangla Cricket Live are left wondering when the continent will trust its own.