When four-time World Cup champion Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 tournament, then-head coach Gennaro Gattuso questioned FIFA's expanded allocation of World Cup places to Africa.
"Africa deserves fewer World Cup slots," he said, referring to the continent's automatic qualification places increasing from five to nine under the expanded 48-team format. The total later rose to 10 after the Democratic Republic of Congo won an intercontinental playoff to secure its first World Cup appearance in 52 years.
But was Gattuso, who helped Italy lift the World Cup as a midfielder in 2006, right? Was Africa overrepresented in the United States, Canada and Mexico?
Apart from a disastrous showing by Tunisia, which axed coach Sabri Lamouchi after its first group game and lost all three matches, African flag-bearers proved competitive, justifying their presence.
The other nine representatives reached the knockout stage, five as group runners-up. The other four were among the eight best third-placed teams.
