The World Cup is a great leveller. More so in Qatar 2022. Three teams from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) made it to the second round for the first time. Iran and Saudi Arabia came close to progressing.
This had briefly silenced the detractors of Asian football, till they were back in full force after the round of 16. True. South Korea were outclassed by the best team in the world; Australia’s heroic effort was not enough to contain, arguably, the greatest player of all time; and Japan, unlucky not to win before the penalty shootout, did not deserve to go through with their dismal kicks from 12 yards out.
The African story of grit and graft at Qatar 2022 also looked to be heading the Asian way until the Atlas Lions eliminated Spain in the round of 16. The eliminated African teams, too, gave a good account of themselves. In short, 10 of the 11 sides from the two largest continents did well.
The fact that Asian and African teams have become capable of challenging the European and South American teams is especially relevant ahead of the 48-team World Cup in 2026. There are those who say the expansion would result in more also-rans from Asia and Africa qualifying. But the determination of the Japanese and the fierce resistance of the Moroccans will inspire other Asian and African teams in future World Cups.
Interestingly, both these countries benefited from the European football ecosystem. Here is a closer look at the two successful models.
Japan: A league of their own
Brazil legend Zico, who has become a football guru of sorts for Asia, once said that India should learn from Japan when it comes to football. During its recovery from World War II, Japan had made progress in the sports arena, too. But, domestic football was played at an amateur level till the start of the 1990s. Everything changed after Japan won the AFC Asian Cup for the first time in 1992. The Japanese wanted more. They realised that a professionally run domestic league was needed for the national team to be competitive outside Asia.
Thus, in 1993, the J.League was officially launched. In 1998, Japan became the 10th Asian team to play at the World Cup, 60 years after the first Asian team ―Indonesia (as Dutch East Indies)―had debuted. Japan has qualified for all six subsequent World Cups and reached the knockout phase in 2002, 2010, 2018 and 2022. It also finished second to France in the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup and co-hosted the World Cup in 2002.
Key to Japan’s rapid rise was its “100 year vision”. The J.League started with the target that there should be 100 professional football clubs in Japan by 2092―there are already 60 in the J.League’s three-tier system. The development of such an ecosystem transformed Japanese football culture and produced quality players. This attracted the attention of foreign clubs, who started scouting and recruiting Japanese players. And the exposure Japanese players got playing in Europe helped strengthen the national team.
Of the 26 players who were in Japan’s squad at Qatar 2022, 19 were from European leagues; 15 from Europe’s top five leagues. The tactical awareness of these players was evident in Japan’s performances against stronger European teams. Also, the focus in the development of the domestic league has been on quality. This is clear from the players who have come to Japan―Zico, Gary Lineker, Dunga, Hristo Stoichkov, Michael Laudrup and Andrés Iniesta, among them.
Morocco: Diaspora-driven strength
The heart is the symbol of love in most parts of the world. In Morocco, it is the liver. This difference in culture is also reflected in Moroccan football. Watching the Casablanca derby between Moroccan clubs Raja and Wydad is not for the lily-livered.
This has resulted in an emphasis on bravery in Moroccan football culture and this came in handy at Qatar 2022, grouped as Morocco were with the second- and third-placed teams from 2018. After topping the group, Spain stood in their way. But, perhaps familiarity and proximity gave Morocco an advantage over their more illustrious opponent. On a clear day, Moroccans can see Spain across the Strait of Gibraltar and key players, including goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, ply their trade in Spain.
Morocco is an old force in African football. They were the first African team to qualify for the World Cup (1970). In 1986, Morocco finished ahead of England, Poland and Portugal to become the first African team to top a World Cup group. In 1998, the team also became the first side from the continent to break into the top 10 in world rankings.
The Morrocans are a scattered people and many in the new generation were born and brought up in European countries. And, crucially for the national team, they also received a European football education. Morocco realised the importance of the country’s diaspora, and the federation started inviting players of Morrocan descent to represent the national team. In 2020, they fought and lost a legal battle to get Barcelona academy product Munir El Haddadi into the national team. But, they were eventually successful, thanks to a FIFA rule change. Interestingly, El Haddadi was not selected for Qatar 2022.
The 26-member squad, which reached the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in the country’s history, has 16 players born or brought up in Europe. The captain Romain Saïss was born in France. Superstars Hakim Ziyech and Achraf Hakimi were born in the Netherlands and Spain, respectively.
Calling on the diaspora is something India can do to great effect, as many players of Indian origin have played in foreign leagues over the years. The Indian team needs steady players more than superstars. An example is English centre-back Danny Batth, who is of Punjabi descent. The 32-year-old never played for England at any level, but he would have been a bulwark for India. But, Batth’s attempt to play for India in 2017, when he was captain of Wolverhampton Wanderers, ended in frustration because of India’s residency rules and passport regulations.