Sven-Göran Eriksson: African team to win World Cup sooner or later

Sven-Goran Eriksson has tipped an African nation to win the World Cup in the near future.

The former England manager believes that the African continent has the talent required to effectively challenge the top nations in Europe for the diadem.

Africa currently has five countries – Nigeria, Senegal, Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt - fighting for the 2018 World Cup in Russia though they have not registered positive results in their respective Groups.

Nigeria lost 2-0 to Croatia, Egypt went down 1-0 to Uruguay, Morocco suffered similar defeat against Iran while Tunisia were due to face England in their opener on Monday and Senegal take on Poland on Tuesday.

However, Eriksson, who was in charge of England during the 2002 and 2006 World Cups is confident that with proper planning, an African nation can win the coveted crown. “Sooner or later, an African team will win the World Cup.

“But so far, they haven't done it. There is so many good people in Africa. And a huge talent among the football players,” Eriksson told Goal in an exclusive interview.

The Swedish coach however, blamed African nations for not sticking with one coach for a long period saying the problem was affecting the result on the pitch.

“I think, that it's sort of a dream, for many coaches to have a long contract with African countries. The problem in Africa, they do the qualifiers with some coaches, and when the World Cup comes, they change to have bigger names.

“And then, they recruit a coach for two, three months and when the World Cup finish, they send him back. It's an African particularity to have that kind of commitment.”

Eriksson took charge of the England national team at three major tournaments across his five-year spell as manager, being eliminated at the quarter-final stage in both the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and also the 2004 European Championship.

His appointment as national team manager came after successful spells in Italy with Roma and Lazio and was followed by stints in charge of Manchester City, Leicester City and the Mexico national team.