Inspired by Morocco, African nations can dream big – but Gilberto Silva not confident about Brazil’s chances

By Velile Mnyandu
13th May 2026

Morocco’s exploits at the last FIFA World Cup in 2022 in Qatar has changed how the world views African nations at the big spectacle, former Brazilian national team player Gilberto Silva expects African teams to spring a surprise again in the upcoming edition.

The Atlas Lions became the first African team to reach the World Cup semifinals four years ago, losing to France 2-0 in the last four.

"Morocco has done great over the past three years. Not only their first team but their youth development as well. Let's see how they do. At some stage, we thought of Nigeria and at another, we thought of Ghana and Cameroon. Morocco is now the country that comes to my mind, but let's see when the tournament starts how they are going to approach their games," said Silva.

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Silva, a member of the newly introduced FIFA Technical Study Group (TSG) for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, says Morocco has shown – even as FIFA U20 world champions – that they can do it.

Silva, an Arsenal great who spent five years in North London, played with some of the great African players during his time in the English Premier League (EPL), from Nwankwo Kanu, Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Adebayor, and Alex Song – just to count a few. He says there are a lot of African players who can make an impact at this World Cup.

Meanwhile, Danish legend and former Swedish national team head coach John Dahl Tomasson has also played and coached against a number of African teams and does not doubt that the impressive form of Morocco in Qatar will spur on other African nations...

A member of the 2022 World Cup-winning squad of the Selecao under Luis Felipe Scolari, Silva, who featured in three World Cups in total, knows more about the expectations in this tournament. Brazil, now coached by Carlo Ancelotti, are the most successful football nation globally with five World Cup titles, but Silva doesn’t even see them coming closer to adding the sixth title in the next two months.

Silva is in a TSG that’s got other accomplished World Cup winners and greats like Jurgen Klinsmann and former Ghanaian national team head coach Otto Addo, who coached the Black Stars in Qatar and also qualified them to next month’s tournament. Capped 89 times at international level with Brazil, Silva also takes a keen interest in what Portugal can do at this World Cup.