Cameroon international Michaela Abam has explained the reasons Ghana and the Democratic Republic of Congo could challenge for the African ticket for the 2023 Women's World Cup.
South Africa's debut outing in France last year saw African nations to participate at the global showpiece swell to six after Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea.
Cameroon were held to a 1-1 draw by Ghana at the Africa Women's Cup of Nations in 2018 before they edged the Democratic Republic of Congo 3-2 in the Olympic Qualifiers last October.
The Real Betis forward believes the Leopards and Black Queens, who have missed out since 2007, have the potential of upsetting the powerhouses to compete at future tournaments.
"It will have to be Ghana (to qualify for the World Cup) for sure," Abam told Goal with LaLiga.
"Even during the Africa Women's Cup of Nations, we were playing against them and I was watching them. They were a team that has a lot of strength.
"I feel like it’s a team that is continuing to grow and not getting the notice they should be getting but I believe at the right time it will definitely come.
"I think the Democratic Republic of Congo too. They are a very strong team.
"It is those teams that you have not really watched or had any background sense of how they play, how they are but when you get to the field with them, it is like a whole out there.
"The tactics behind everything with each team and mental strength as well is not something that is hard for us to grow as Africans in general.
"That will come naturally but them just getting that experience and appearances on a different level is going to be mind-blowing for those we’ve not seen yet."
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Born and raised in the United States of America, Abam was eligible to play for the Central Africans, having being born to Cameroonian parents and made her debut against Zambia in November 2018.
She made the Cameroon squad for the 2018 African Women's Cup of Nations in Ghana and later was part the team for the 2019 Women's World Cup in France, where the team reached the Round of 16.
And US-born Cameroon star believes Africa's potential in women's football is underutilised while calling on national federations to focus on creating and growing their football style and cultures.
"It's something we can do as a whole to grow better," she continued.
"I feel we’ve come to a far to an extent, though it’s just three years I’ve been in the process with the Cameroon team, coming from a US background going to an environment with so much potential and advantages that haven’t been utilized to its highest extent.
"I feel there could be the whole difference for the whole continent in general, there are so many talents that people look over too much.
"I think in the years to come when there is a coaching strategy by the Federations to set out their own style of play, that can be grown from, I think that will set the difference apart from other countries."
Despite missing out of the Olympic Qualifiers, she will aim to return to the Cameroon fold ahead of this year's continental showpiece.
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