African Football's 40 Most Memorable World Cup Moments

This feature presents the 40 most memorable moments in the history of Africa nations' participation in World Cups. None of the continent’s sides have ever won the tournament, nor even reached the semi-finals, but over the years Africa has played its part in some of the most vivid and dramatic World Cup narratives and events.

There have been awesome highs and devastating lows, both are celebrated here.

This article is limited to those events that have involved players and teams directly representing Africa itself. Therefore, competitors who were born on the continent or have African origins, such as Eusebio and Zinedine Zidane, are not represented.

However, this list is not limited to the tournament proper and there are a handful of entries which recall outstanding moments that happened during the CAF Qualifying Programme.

Read on for a nostalgic journey through the triumphant victories, the bitter defeats, the beautiful goals and the dramatic controversies of Africa’s World Cup experiences.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, considering their regular qualifications and fine early showings, Cameroon are heavily featured with eight entries.

Interestingly, Ghana, with only two World Cup appearances to their name, top the list with nine.

They are followed by Nigeria (six), Senegal (four), Morocco and Algeria (three each).

40. The 2010 Opening Ceremony

David Cannon/Getty Images

The opening ceremony of the 2010 World Cup—the first on African soil—kicks off this list.

There were 94,000 in attendance at Soccer City in Johannesburg as South Africa’s much-anticipated World Cup finally kicked off.

Highlights of the 40-minute ceremony included a five-plane military fly-past, troupes of drummers and dancers, a giant beetle and an amazing map of the African continent.

Finally, the World Cup had arrived on African soil.

39. Tonton's Pair of Reds

Gallo Images/Getty Images

What do Rigobert Song and Zinedine Zidane have in common?

To date, the two are the only players to have been sent off in two different World Cup tournaments. While Zidane has won one tournament and made the final of another, this dire disciplinary record is Song’s sole legacy on the world stage.

In 1994, he received a straight red in the latter stages of Cameroon's 3-0 defeat against Brazil. Four years later, he was dismissed for two bookable offences during the Indomitable Lions’ 1-1 draw with Chile.

It’s remarkable to think that Song, once the wild boy of the national side, would go on to become the wise old head of Cameroonian football.

38. Boateng vs. Boateng (2010)

When Ghana and Germany met in the group stage of the 2010 tournament, the meeting was notable for the presence of two brothers. While siblings have played on the same side in past editions of the tournament, this was the first occasion in the competition’s history that brothers have competed on opposing sides.

It could have all been so different, as both Jerome and Kevin-Prince starred for Germany’s youth teams as younger men.

While the defender opted to stick with the European side in his later career, the attacking midfielder decided to represent that land of his father and threw his hat into the ring with the Black Stars.

This move, coupled with the tackle that injured Michael Ballack and put him out of the World Cup, temporarily made Prince persona non grata in Germany.

The Nationalmannschaft gained a measure of revenge with victory in the 2010 meeting between the two sides, but the brothers will receive the opportunity to cross swords once again with Germany and Ghana scheduled to meet in the 2014 group stage.

37. Ghana 6-1 Egypt

The most-recent addition to this list comes via the World Cup 2014 Qualifying play-off between Ghana and Egypt.

This match was, in principle, a battle between two of the continent’s titans. Neither were delighted to have been pooled together, with both teams representing an ominous prospect to the other: Ghana due to their litany of global stars and Egypt with a decade of continental dominance.

Remarkably, the Black Stars won the first leg 6-1—one of the most emphatic World Cup-qualifying victories in the history of the sport in Africa.

With Ghana closing in on the World Cup, a number of the squad’s “big names” returned to the fold after periods of self-imposed isolation. For one evening, Africa witnessed just what the Black Stars were capable of. The showings of Asamoah Gyan, Kwadwo Asamoah, Sulley Muntari, Andre Ayew and Michael Essien provided a glorious respite to a disappointing few years.

Can this exceptional collection of players recreate the magic of that night in Kumasi this summer in Brazil?

36. Ghana vs. Serbia (2010)

Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

In 2010, the Black Stars were pitted in a tricky group alongside Germany, Serbia and Australia.

They began their adventure in Pretoria against a Serbian side tipped by many to be the tournament’s dark horses.

The encounter was tight, as many anticipated the group would be, but Ghana won through following a late Asamoah Gyan penalty. The matchup was also notable as it pitted the Black Stars’ Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac against the land of his birth.

The penalty was to be the first of several notable Gyan contributions throughout the finals, and the striker dedicated the goal to the entire continent: "Every African is behind us. I salute all you guys. We win this match for you."

After the match, John Paintsil debuted his World Cup novelty of running around the perimeter of the pitch waving a Ghana flag. It was a celebration we would grow accustomed to as the tournament wore on.

35. Morocco 3-1 Portugal

Despite appearing in eight World Cups between them, the national teams of Morocco and Tunisia have enjoyed limited success on the international stage. They have, in fact, only won three matches.

Morocco’s first victory, in only their second appearance at the global high table, came in 1986 when they made it to the last 16.

This was the pinnacle achievement for an excellent Atlas Lions side that included Maghrebi luminaries such as Badou Zaki, Aziz Bouderbala and Abdelmajid Dolmy.

They topped a group containing England and Poland before unfortunately running up against finalists West Germany in the second round, losing to a late Lothar Matthaus goal.

Their finest hour game in their group game against Portugal; goals from Abderrazak Khairi and Krimau gave the North Africans a 3-1 victory over the Selecao.

34. Ghana Beat the Czechs in Koln

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Having lost their first-ever World Cup game 2-0 against Italy, Ghana faced the unenviable proposition of meeting the Czech Republic in Koln.

The Europeans were coming fresh off their third-place finish at Euro 2004 and a magnificent 3-0 victory over the United States in the opening game.

Ghana could have been forgiven for approaching such a fixture with trepidation.

Instead, they made an explosive start, Asamoah Gyan scoring after only two minutes. A team containing the likes of Pavel Nedved, Tomas Rosicky, Karel Poborsky and Petr Cech huffed and puffed for an equaliser, but none was forthcoming.

Their task was made harder by a 65th-minute red card for Tomas Ujfalusi (who had a poor evening all-round) and became impossible in the 82nd minute when Sulley Muntari doubled the Black Stars’ lead.

Ghana had struggled against the Italians but against the Czech Republic they looked composed, organised and, perhaps most importantly, carried a genuine attacking threat.

Most impressively, perhaps, was the fact that Ghana’s starting line-up that day was the youngest of all of the World Cup finalists. The Black Stars had an average age of 24 years and 203 days.

It was a watershed moment for the nation’s football.

33. Zambia Win After Tragedy

Simon Bruty/Getty Images

In 1994, the talented Zambian national side were devastated when their aircraft crashed into the sea off the coast of Gabon on their way to a World Cup Qualifier in Senegal. Everyone on board, including the legendary Chipolopolo forward Godfrey Chitalu, was killed.

The only surviving member of that fine side was the star player, Kalusha Bwalya, who had been travelling from Holland to rejoin his team-mates.

Bwalya, with support from the federation, rebuilt the side using young players from the domestic league and the diaspora. Remarkably, he managed to lead the newly-assembled team to victory in their postponed game against Morocco just a month after the accident.

Unfortunately, the team were unable to continue their momentum and, devastated by their losses, they failed to qualify for USA ’94. Kalusha did lead the team to the final of the 1994 Cup of Nations tournament in Tunisia.

32. The Emergence of El Hadji Diouf

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

He may have accrued many enemies over the subsequent decade or so, but it’s hard to deny that El Hadji Diouf was one of the darlings of world football when he first burst onto the scene in 2002.

One of the great joys of the World Cup is the emergence of new, unheralded young players. Michael Owen and Pele, in 1998 and 1958 respectively, are two prominent examples of prodigies who burst onto the scene on the grandest stage of all with acceleration and inspiration.

Diouf is probably the closest Africa has to such a revelation. His magnificent wing play terrorised the French defence that, although ageing, had been largely impermeable up to the opening game of the 2002 tournament.

BBC Sport reported after the game: “Diouf repeatedly harassed the French defence into mistakes and was instrumental in Bouba Diop's goal.”

Senegal were a devastating force on the counter-attack during the summer of ’02 and that was due, to a large extent, to Diouf’s speed and excellent footwork.

31. Yakubu's Miss

Aiyegbeni Yakubu will be remembered as one of the more deadly Premier League hitmen. The Yak had pace, power and excellent finishing ability.

Or so we thought.

The former Everton man will be desperate to forget this horrendous effort which, in many ways, summed up Nigeria’s disastrous 2010 campaign.

With the goal at his mercy, the burly Super Eagles frontman managed to miss the target entirely…from point blank range.

Immediately after the incident, Yakubu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry—we suggest the latter; few World Cup misses have been more horrific and, to make things worse, Nigeria were eliminated. A goal would have changed that.

30. Desailly's Celebrations

Marcel Desailly may have been a World Cup winner with France, but he was also born in Accra before moving to his adopted country as a four-year-old.

He has always retained a great affection for the land of his parents and of his birth, and this was never more evident than during the Black Stars’ magnificent run in 2010.

Desailly, then working for ITV Sport, was caught on camera, in a beautifully candid moment, dancing in celebration as Ghana's Sulley Muntari scored a magnificent long-range goal against Uruguay during the quarter-final.

29. Nigeria vs. Denmark: The Passing of a Generation

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Not a nice one to remember for Nigeria fans. After topping their opening group, beating Spain and Bulgaria in the process, the Super Eagles came up against Denmark who had, themselves, been pipped to top spot by hosts France.

Unfortunately, an air of complacency slipped into the Nigerian camp and, perhaps, with one eye on a potential quarter-final with Brazil, the Super Eagles started sluggishly and were 2-0 down within the first 15 minutes.

By the end of the match they had been defeated 4-1 and were heading home, while Denmark were set for that clash with Brazil (a thrilling match that ended up being one of the tournament’s best).

The devastating defeat against Denmark makes this list because it was the threshold for Nigeria’s Golden Generation. A team that featured Peter Rufai, Taribo West, Sunday Oliseh, Finidi, Jay-Jay Okocha, Rashidi Yekini, Tijani Babangida, Garba Lawal, Victor Ikpeba, Mutiu Adepoju, Celestine Babayaro and Nwankwo Kanu had, largely, enjoyed the successes of the 1994 Cup of Nations and the 1996 Olympics together. Many of the key players starred for some of Europe’s major sides and, in Denmark, they faced beatable opposition.

Babayaro, Kanu, West, Finidi, Adepoju, Okocha, Lawal, Babangida, Oliseh and Ikpeba would take silver at the Cup of Nations two years later, but by the time the 2002 World Cup rolled around, the team had taken on a new look.

28. Wome's Penalty Heartache

Another moment to come from the CAF Qualifying System, rather than the tournament itself, comes from 2005.

Cameroon were involved in a magnificent, edge-of-your-seat, three-way tussle for a qualifying spot with Egypt and surprise package the Cote d’Ivoire.

In the group’s decisive final game, the Indomitable Lions won a penalty. With the scores tied 1-1, at home, against Egypt, a winner would have been enough to see the Central Africans through to their fifth consecutive Mondial.

Having pushed for a goal throughout the second period, this felt like fate for the home side but, coming in the fifth-minute of stoppage time, the pressure was intense.

Nominal penalty-taker Samuel Eto’o and captain Rigobert Song both shirked the responsibility through fear of failure, and Wome stood up, perfectly slamming the ball in the opposite direction of the goalkeeper, only to see it cannon off the post.

The veteran left-back was banned from the national team as a result and the Cote d’Ivoire qualified for their first World Cup.

Cameroon’s Golden Generation were never quite the same.

27. Cameroon vs. England (1990 Quarter-Final)

David Cannon/Getty Images

Cameroon’s run to the quarter-finals in 1990 is, quite rightly, held up as a pioneering achievement for African football and, indeed, the standard to which future competing nations should emulate.

What is often ignored, however, is that it could…and possibly should…have been so much more.

In the quarter-final, the Indomitable Lions encountered an England side who had finally begun to find their feet after a ropey opening to the tournament.

In hindsight, the Three Lions, who largely underestimated their opponents, were there for the taking. England took the lead through David Platt, before Roger Milla, introduced as a substitute, inspired Cameroon to a fight back.

The Central Africans responded from the spot with Emmanuel Kunde, before Eugene Ekeke, another substitute, put the underdogs ahead.

Eventually, after changing their system and winning two penalties, Sir Bobby Robson’s men won the contest in extra time. Fatigue eventually caught up with the Indomitable Lions and they couldn’t muster a response.

FIFA, in their “Classic Matches” Series, described the clash as a “roller-coaster encounter”, it could, on another day, have been the greatest occasion in the history of the African game.

26. Elephants Comeback Against Serbia

David Cannon/Getty Images

In both of their World Cup appearances to date, the Cote d’Ivoire have received fiendishly difficult draws. Latterly, in South Africa, they were pooled with both Portugal and Brazil, while four years previously, in Germany, they had to contend with Argentina, Holland and Serbia.

Despite some feisty showings against the South Americans and the Dutch, two defeats meant that the Ivorians were certainly going home during the group stage in 2006.

Twenty minutes into their final game against Serbia and Montenegro, the Elephants were 2-0 down and, to all intents and purposes, were going to end their debut showing in the tournament on a bleak note.

However, in one of the greatest hours in the history of African participation at the World Cup, the West Africans struck three times, through an Aruna Dindane brace and a late Bonaventure Kalou penalty, to secure the three points.

The thrilling encounter and bold victory ensured that Henri Michel’s men left Germany with their heads held high.

25. Hadji Brilliance

It’s not unfair to consider Mustapha Hadji an “unfulfilled talent”. For all of his agility, his innovation and his imagination, the playmaker had a stop-start club career which involved a meander through destinations such as Spain, Portugal, Germany and Luxembourg.

In 1998, he was at his peak. As well as being named African Footballer of the Year, he also starred for Morocco at the 1998 World Cup.

Despite delivering some fine performances, and battering Scotland, the North Africans were eliminated in the first round. This wasn’t before Hadji had scored an outstanding individual solo goal against Norway.

His performance against the Norwegian side remains one of the finest by an African player on the global stage.

24. Khumalo & Mphela Beat France

Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

While South Africa, in 2010, became the first World Cup hosts to be eliminated in the first round, Bafana Bafana actually performed above expectations during the tournament, especially as they were faced with a difficult group.

Their 2-1 victory over France in the group stage was only their second-ever victory at the World Cup and, coming against such a star-studded side, should be remembered as one of the finest underdog triumphs in the history of the tournament.

Admittedly, France had their problems; they were a camp divided and riddled with mutinies under the bizarre stewardship of Raymond Domenech, but, nevertheless, they ought to have done better against the hosts.

Two first half goals from Bongani Khumalo and Katlego Mphela gave the home side the lead and a late Florent Malouda reply wasn’t enough to spare French blushes.

Both sides were eliminated but at least, as reported by BBC Sport, South Africa had given their fans “moments to savour in the tournament.”

23. Ghana vs. USA (2006)

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

How the United States must dread the prospect of meeting Ghana in the World Cup.

In both 2006 and 2010, the USA have been eliminated by the Black Stars; the second of these meetings features later in this list, but the first, in its own right, was a special occasion.

With Italy beating the Czech Republic in Hamburg, the winner of the Ghana-USA tie would advance, alongside the Azzurri, into the second round.

Having progressed to the quarter-final at the 2002 edition and after an impressive draw against the Italians in Kaiserslautern, the Americans were favourites.

Two goals from Haminu Draman and captain Stephen Appiah gave the Black Stars the victory, however, and sent them, on their first ever World Cup outing, into the second round.

22. Camara's Golden Goal

After felling France in their opening Group A fixture at the 2002 World Cup, Senegal escaped from their group only after unconvincing draws with Denmark and Uruguay. In the latter game they let a 3-0 lead slip and were, ultimately, fortunate to sneak through.

Few gave them much of a chance against Sweden who had, after all, escaped from the tournament’s “Group of Death.”

Henrik Larsson’s early goal seemed to give the Swedes the platform to advance to the quarter-finals.

Gradually, however, the West Africans began to get to grips with their Scandinavian opposition and Henri Camara pulled them level before half time.

The match went to extra time and, in an incredible moment of action, Anders Svensson’s pirouette and shot hit the corner of the goal frame before Senegal tore forward on the counter attack.

As described by BBC Sport: “In the 103rd minute, Camara, who had earlier scored Senegal's equaliser, latched on to Pape Thiaw's clever backheel, ghosted past Johan Mjallby and netted off the post.”

What might have been a glorious winner for the Swedes became a stunning finish for the Lions of Teranga—in advancing, Senegal became only the second African nation to reach the quarter-finals.

21. Enyeama vs. Messi

Nigeria may have fallen to defeat against Argentina in their opening match of the 2010 World Cup, but the one player who couldn’t be blamed was Vincent Enyeama.

The Super Eagles stopper delivered an inspired performance, arguably one of the greatest individual showings by a goalkeeper in the tournament, and he produced a litany of awe-inspiring saves.

As Nigeria wilted and as Lionel Messi’s influence grew, the match boiled down almost to a one-on-one between the African keeper and the Barcelona starlet.

Gabriel Heinze’s early goal gave Argentina the victory, but Enyeama took home the match ball.

Speaking about the match later, as reported by the Guardian, Enyeama said: "It was God that did it for me, I had watched Messi in a few La Liga matches but God is my secret, my friend, he makes the difference in my life—he made me so calm out there."

20. Egypt & Algeria Create a Diplomatic Incident

Such was the animosity between local rivals Egypt and Algeria and such was the value of the prize on offer—a place at the 2010 World Cup—that their World Cup Qualification double-header in November 2009 was never going to pass without controversy.

The first match was the decisive game in Group C. The two met in Cairo on November 14, with Egypt’s 2-0 victory being, as fate would have it, the one result which would tie the bitter rivals in top spot in the group.

Thus, a playoff match in a neutral nation was required to separate the two sides. This took place in Sudan, four days later, with Algeria winning 1-0 and taking Africa’s final spot in the continent’s first World Cup.

The violence that surrounded the matches—particularly the stoning of the Algerian team bus as it arrived in Cairo—was rightly (and roundly) condemned. On the pitch, however, the games were thrilling examples of what North African football can be.

They were bitter and nasty encounters, but for drama, particularly Emad Moteab’s 95th minute goal in the first match, they were outstanding.

19. Roger Milla and the Oldest Goal

While Cameroon were unable to match their terrific 1990 showing four years later in the United States, the Indomitable Lions did bring the irrepressible Roger Milla back to the world stage.

Now 42, Milla was unable to have the same effect as he did in Italy, but the veteran did manage to find the net against Russia.

It was a bad day all-round for the Central Africans, who were battered 6-1, but after entering the fray as a half-time substitute, Milla made an instant impact, finding the net a minute later.

The goal made him the oldest scorer in the tournament’s history (beating his own record, set four years earlier). It is an honour unlikely to be taken from him anytime soon.

18. Ghana Beat the United States After Extra Time

Ghana’s two World Cup showings to date have given us numerous moments to celebrate. Their outings have often been characterised by comeback triumphs, late goals or intense drama.

Having beaten the United States in 2006, Ghana encountered the Stars and Stripes again four years later, this time in a last 16 clash in Rustenburg.

Kevin-Prince Boateng scored within the first five minutes, but Landon Donovan responded from the penalty spot just after the hour mark.

Neither side could find a winner, beneath the watching eyes of former president Bill Clinton, and so the match went to extra time.

Asamoah Gyan was the hero for Ghana once again as he demonstrated impressive technical skill and upper body strength to give Ghana the lead in the 93rd minute.

The States were unable to respond, and Gyan’s goal confirmed the Black Stars as Africa’s third-ever representatives in the quarter-finals.

17. Cameroonian Aggression

The Indomitable Lions’ opening match victory over holders Argentina in 1990 is remembered as one of the great underdog shocks in the history of the tournament. What’s often overlooked is the brutal side to the Africans’ play.

Instead of being intimidated by the occasion, the opposition (including a certain Diego Maradona), or the 73,780 in attendance, the debutants set about intimidating their illustrious opponents.

The Indomitable Lions pushed the game to its physical limits with some particularly “robust” play and some fairly over-zealous tackling.

Claudio Caniggia seemed to have been targeted for special treatment—one suspects he still bears the scars of that bruising encounter.

Andre Kana-Biyik saw a red card on 61 minutes, while Benjamin Massing received a second yellow in the game’s dying minutes for that tackle on Caniggia.

Welcome to the World Cup, boys!

16. Algeria's Finest Hour

As I will explore later in this feature, the 1982 Algeria side—one of the most talented ever to emerge from the African continent—was destined to be left forever unfulfilled on the international stage.

They had their moments though, the greatest being a victory over West Germany at the World Cup in Spain.

Rabah Madjer, arguably the nation’s greatest-ever player, later won the European Cup with FC Porto, but his greatest contribution for the Desert Foxes came with a goal against the Germans in Gijon.

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge responded some 15 minutes later, but the Algerians had more in the tank and Lakhdar Belloumi, another of that side’s outstanding individuals, scored a minute later.

The Maghrebi side clung on for their finest hour on the high table.

15. Milla vs. El Loco

Rene Higuita, aka El Loco, was an accident waiting to happen. The Colombian stopper, incidentally a dead-ringer for the cowardly lion from the Wizard of Oz, wasn’t content unless he was dribbling the ball past a striker or two or performing his patented “Scorpion Kick” to clear goal-bound shots.

He was caught short against Cameroon at the 1990 World Cup, however, when he tried one shimmy too many and was dispossessed by Roger Milla. The veteran forward made no mistake when faced with an empty net, and the Indomitable Lions were on their way to the quarter-finals.

Somehow, though, we doubt Higuita learned his lesson.

14. Tunisia Secure Africa’s First Win

Until 1978, African teams on the world’s grandest stage weren’t up to all that much. Despite sporadic appearances, no team had managed to secure a victory.

That all changed as the North Africans achieved a fine triumph at the Argentina edition.

One-nil down against Mexico at half-time, the Eagles of Carthage were transformed by some pertinent half-time words from coach and former international Abdelmajid Chetali.

Tunisia rallied and secured a 3-1 victory.

They may not have escaped the pool, but the North Africans did, at least, secure a historic victory for Africa.

13. "A Goal for South Africa, a Goal for All of Africa!"

Ahead of the 2010 edition, there was a genuine concern that South Africa would be the worst World Cup hosts in the history of the tournament. They were the first hosts to be eliminated in the first round, but Bafana Bafana didn’t go down without putting up a good fight and certainly didn’t embarrass the nation as had been feared.

In their taxing opening battle with Mexico, few had given them much hope of avoiding defeat.

After matching their illustrious Central American opponents, South Africa stunned the watching world by scoring a counter-attacking goal of genuine class.

The move was finished off by Siphiwe Tshabalala who finished with aplomb and sent the home fans into furious uproar.

Peter Drury, the ITV commentator, saw fit to respond with typical hyperbole, describing the goal as one for “all of Africa”; over the top, perhaps, but it’s hard to deny that Tshabalala’s finish provided one of the great “feel good” moments of the competition.

12. Morocco Bring the Continent Back to the Top Table

Strumpf/Associated Press

While Egypt had played (one match) at the 1934 edition of the World Cup, African sides had been excluded from the global centrepiece throughout the 1950s and '60s.

That all changed in 1970 when Morocco were admitted to the tournament.

The North Africans struggled and, indeed, crashed out in the opening stage after defeat to West Germany and Peru.

The Atlas Lions did manage to earn a point, in a draw with Bulgaria, but their showing will best be remembered as marking Africa’s re-admittance to the international high table.

11. The Nichtangriffspakt Von Gijon

One of the ugliest moments in World Cup history came in 1982, when the multi-talented Algerian side were eliminated in the group stage following collusion between West Germany and Austria.

Knowing that a German victory by one or two goals would be enough to see both sides through at the expense of the North Africans, the European neighbours agreed on a strategy and played for a specific result.

After the correct result—a 1-0 victory for West Germany—had been secured, the match lost any semblance of competitiveness and the two sides merely passed the ball between themselves.

Algerians, furious at the reality of the situation, burned money in protest.

FIFA, seeing the error of the system as it stood, decreed that from them on, all final group games would be played simultaneously to avoid a repeat of scenes that did such damage to the legitimacy of the tournament.

It wasn’t enough to help Algeria ’82 though and one of Africa’s finest sides crashed out, eternally unfulfilled on the international stage.

10. Sunday Oliseh vs. Spain

Nigeria’s opening match with Spain at the 1998 World Cup is remembered as one of the most thrilling matches involving an African side in the tournament’s history.

That the Super Eagles won the match only makes it sweeter.

Spain scored first, through Fernando Hierro, before former Real Madrid player Mutiu Adepoju responded four minutes later.

Raul, another Madrid man, found the net immediately after the break, but that too was matched as Garba Lawal found the net in the 72nd minute following an Andoni Zubizarreta blunder.

La Roja, wilting and beginning to allow the self-doubt that characterised the pre-Aragones years to encroach, retreated within themselves and struggled to rediscover their rhythm.

They were punished in the 77th minute as Sunday Oliseh, then still free of the controversy that would affect his later career with the national side, slammed the ball into the net with a delicious half-volley that just kept on rising into the Spanish net.

There was little Zubizarreta could do. Spain, shell-shocked, were defeated and heading towards the World Cup exit door.

Nigeria dispatched Bulgaria and progressed to the last 16.

9. Salif Diao vs. Denmark

During the 2002 World Cup, surprise package Senegal became the masters of the beautiful, intricate counter-attack. The pick of the bunch—certainly in terms of aesthetics rather than importance—came in the form of this marvellous effort by Salif Diao.

The towering defensive midfielder helped his team-mates absorb, then relieve the Danish pressure from their own goal, before powering forward to join the attack.

The ball was won by Henri Camara, who played El Hadji Diouf down the line. The future Bolton Wanderers winger flicked the ball infield to Diao who, after spotting the run of Khalilou Fadiga, played a sumptuous ball out to his left.

Diao then followed the play, charging through the middle of the park, taking advantage of a handy decoy run from Souleymane Camara, before receiving the ball just inside the box and holding off two defenders to poke the ball past Thomas Sorensen.

It was just about as good as things ever got for Diao, but boy, it was good.

7. & 8. Nigeria vs. Bulgaria-the Coming of a Generation & Yekini's Celebration

David Cannon/Getty Images

Nigeria’s matchup with Bulgaria in the 1994 World Cup provides us with two “moments” for this list.

The Super Eagles’ first-ever match in the tournament came in the Cotton Bowl, Dallas, on June 21 1994. Facing a side who would go on to make the semi-finals, a Golden Generation of Nigerians delivered a performance that stands, to this day, as possibly the most dominant and complete showings by any African nation on the world stage.

No African nation has ever enjoyed a larger scoring margin at the Mondial.

The power of the generation and the promise of the Nigerian future was encapsulated in Rashidi Yekini’s celebration after opening the scoring in the 21st minute. The Bull of Kaduna tore, celebrating, into the goal-net.

As a single moment captured in time, the late striker’s passion and power was presented perfectly in this magnificent image of his post-goal merriment.

Beyond this, however, the performance and the result stand as the greatest single expression of this great team—one of Africa’s finest of all time. They may have won the Cup of Nations title earlier in the year, and they would go on to win Olympic Gold in 1996 but things on a truly international stage, were never as emphatic, or as impressive, as their first-ever World Cup match.

It remains the standard which all future Nigeria teams must try to emulate.

6. Zaire vs. Brazil

Just as Van Morrison is horribly misrepresented by Brown Eyed Girl and just as Chris de Burgh is misrepresented by the Lady in Red, so the Zaire side of the late 1960s and early '70s are misrepresented by their showing at the 1974 World Cup.

The Leopards side that travelled to West Germany were one of the most fearsome in the history of the African game, they had won the Cup of Nations in both 1968 and 1974 and headed to the World Cup as the first sub-Saharan African nation to compete on the global stage.

Things didn’t go well.

The side conceded eleven goals in their first two group matches, including a 9-0 mauling by Yugoslavia. Morale was, to say the least, shot to pieces.

Heading into the final group match with Brazil, national president Mobutu Sese-Seko, who viewed the national side as an important vehicle for Zairean nationalism, allegedly warned the side that they would be punished should they receive another thrashing.

The game became famous for the actions of right-back Mwepu Ilunga who, when lining up to defend a Jairzinho freekick, charged out of the wall to kick the ball away.

The world laughed at the “naive” actions of the Africans, but the defender later revealed that his actions were in protest to the pressures and demands placed upon the side by the authorities back home.

The amusing episode masked the tragic unfolding events under the tyrannical patrimonial regime of Mobutu.

That Zairean generation made a magnificent team, but unfortunately, the world will remember them for their dreadful summer in West Germany.

4. & 5. Gyan's Miss & the Hand of Suarez

Another two-in-one “moment” came at the end of a thrilling quarter-final between Ghana and Uruguay. This one had the lot, penalties, red cards, a pantomime villain.

Ghana, the only African side to have escaped the group stage in the continent’s first World Cup were, depending on who you believe, carrying the mantle for the whole of Africa.

After matching the impressive Uruguayans for the whole of the contest, the match went to extra time. No winner was found, but it was the Black Stars who were enjoying the majority of the ball.

In the last minute of additional time, it seemed like Ghana had finally become the first African side to advance to the semi-finals, but Dominic Adiyiah’s shot was blocked—illegally—by Luis Suarez.

The Liverpool frontman saw red for his deliberate act, but it was a gamble that paid off.

He celebrated from the sidelines as Asamoah Gyan’s penalty—the last kick of the game—came off the crossbar.

The initiative was lost and while Gyan bravely strode up to take (and convert) the first kick of the shootout, Adiyiah and John Mensah were not so lucky.

Ghana—and Africa—were denied a chance to make history as one of the most dramatic games in the competition’s history turned in favour of their opponents.

3. Omam-Biyik's Leap

I’ve already covered Roger Milla’s goals against Colombia, Cameroonian brutality and their pulsating quarter-final battle with England, but this list wouldn’t be complete without the leap that set the wheels of the Indomitable Lions’ summer in motion.

The Central Africans opened the World Cup with a daunting matchup with holders Argentina. In one of the greatest shocks in the tournament’s history, the Indomitable Lions stunned their illustrious opponents and secured a 1-0 victory.

The match itself was bad tempered and not your typical fairytale, but the winning goal itself was something out of a fictional narrative.

In the 67th minute, Francois Omam-Biyik leapt above the beleaguered Albiceleste defence to head past the stranded South American stopper.

The holders had no reply. Cameroon—and, in many ways, African football—were introduced, in vivid multicolour, to a watching world.

The stage was set for a fine campaign.

2. Senegal Stun France

Gary M. Prior/Getty Images

Cameroon’s victory over Argentina in 1990 remains the “classic” African giant-killing but in terms of being a stunning achievement, one can make a case that Senegal’s victory over France 12 years later was even more memorable.

The Teranga Lions’ opening day triumph against Les Bleus will forever be remembered as one of the most iconic moments in WC history and as one of the tournament’s greatest upsets.

France were not only the holders, they had also won the European Championship two years earlier and boasted an incredibly complete, star-studded team. They were, surely, one of the greatest collection of players to have graced international football.

Yet, they were completely undone by a scruffy Papa Bouba Diop goal; the minnows, in their first-ever World Cup appearance, stunned the watching world and achieved the unthinkable.

The fact that France were Senegal’s former colonial masters, that almost the entire African team played their football in the French league pyramid and that some were even born and bred in L’Hexagone, only made the occasion all the more magical.

1. Roger Milla

Roger Milla’s corner flag dancing during the 1990 World Cup was recently voted the most memorable moment of the competition by Goal.com readers. I would argue that it is the most unforgettable moment by any African representative in the history of the tournament.

Milla’s celebration was the emotional heartbeat of Cameroon’s campaign as celebrated within these slides.

As I wrote for Goal, “It encapsulated the flair and the unorthodoxy of Africa and generated sentiments that still linger to this day. The man himself was a perfect caricature of an African footballer, recapturing something of the naivety, the innocence and the mystery of the Zaire team that had been so emphatically undone at the 1974 event in West Germany.”

What Milla did, however, was redefine the world’s image of Africa in the eyes of the world. The joy and the character remained, but the failures of Zaire were replaced by the triumphs of the Indomitable Lions.

Millas’s hip-shimmying, “Oldest Swinger in Town” celebration is remembered so fondly because, within and external to the cynical nature of the 1990 tournament, it was “a glimpse of joy, of an old professional enjoying the game, the sport and the moment with the passion and the pleasure of a young boy.”

It encapsulates the joy, the character and the individualism that make the African game so celebrated across the world.