Samuel Etoo's Cameroon, Didier Drogba's Ivory Coast, Victor Moses' Nigeria, Asamoah Gyan's Ghana and Majed Bougerra's Algeria will be the five African nations representing Africa in Brazil this time around. Algeria will be the only Arab team making their fourth World Cup appearance in Brazil after taking part in the 1982, 1986 and 2010 World Cups. On all three occasions, the Algerians were eliminated from the first round after being part of some extremely tough groups. However, their fans will be hoping their national team can reach round 16 this year after gaining the needed experience in the last edition of the biggest and most prestigious competition on the planet four years ago, in addition to being put in a relatively easier group compared to their previous World Cups. Known as the Desert Foxes, Algeria will be coming up against Belgium, Russia and Korea in a group that includes very strong teams, but not one of the top guns. Belgium is the favourite to win the group, given their unbelievable rise in the last couple of years in addition to having one of the best squads in competition, with most of their players stars of their teams already. Apart from Belgium, both Russia and Korea are certainly beatable; Algerians will feel they have every chance of defeating them to the second spot in the group. Algeria's road to Brazil was somewhat easy, coming top of a group that included Mali, Rwanda and Benin, before defeating Burkina Faso in the final qualifying round on away goals rule after losing 3-2 away from home and winning 1-0 at home. Moving from Algeria to Ivory Coast, this is probably the unluckiest, yet weirdest team in Africa in the last decade. In terms of players, no team in Africa can compete with the names in the Ivory Coast's squad, but somehow this team has always managed to underachieve in both the World Cups and the African Cup of Nations. Didier Drogba's team took part in two World Cups, which were the last two editions. On both occasions, they were eliminated from the group stages. Being fair to them, their groups were no less than scary both times; the first time taking part in a group that included Argentina and Holland and the second time taking part in a group that included Brazil and Portugal. They were magnificent in both World Cups, but the end result was as disappointing as it gets. As for the Ivorian chances in Brazil, it could not get any easier for them. They will come up against Greece, Colombia and Japan. Theoretically, a team that includes the best African player, Yaya Toure, and arguably the best African striker in the last decade, Didier Drogba, in addition to some other superstars in the team will surely be expected to notch the top spot of this group. Their biggest rivals for that top spot should be Colombia, who is set to miss star man, Falcao, from their squad as he has yet to recover from his knee injury suffered four months ago. As for Greece and Japan, both are good teams but are not set to create many problems for Ivory Coast. Drogba and Yaya Toure themselves admitted they are more than satisfied with their group and that they have absolutely no excuses this time if they failed to make it to round 16. However, if a squad of that superiority cannot win the African Cup of Nations with their last title going back to 1992, then it would not be the biggest surprise in the World Cup if they failed to qualify once again. The Ivorian Elephants' road to Brazil was not as easy as Algeria's, as their group included Morocco, Gambia and Tanzania, before defeating African giants Senegal 4-2 on aggregate in the final qualifying round to qualify to Brazil. Ghana are taking part in their third World Cup after taking part in the last two editions. On both occasions, Ghana made the Africans proud, reaching round 16 in 2010. They reached the quarter finals the last time around after playing some mesmerising football before being denied a semi-final spot when Asamoah Gyan missed a penalty against Uruguay and they went on to lose the game. However, they might find it considerably more difficult to have the same success in Brazil, being in a tough group that includes Germany, Portugal and USA, which will mean they need to put in special performances to reach round 16. Germany seem all but guaranteed the top spot of the group, while Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. will definitely fancy their chances of clinching that second spot in the group. The Ghanian black stars' road to Brazil was easy as they won against the Egyptians in the final qualifying round 7-3 on aggregate. Before that, they came top of the group that included Zambia, Sudan and Lesotho. Samuel Etoo will be leading the line for Cameroon in Brazil this year once again in what will be his fourth World Cup. First, this will be Cameroon's 7th World Cup appearance and the 4th for their evergreen talisman that will be looking to help his team make it through an extremely difficult group, which includes the hosts. Brazil, Mexico and Croatia are the teams coming up against Etoo and Co. They will need very strong performances against Mexico and Croatia if they want to join Brazil to the next round. Croatia is currently on the up and has got some really good players, while Mexico knows how to excel when it comes to the World Cups so Cameroon will really have to be at their best to have any chance of scrapping their way to round 16. The Indomitable Lions' road to Brazil saw them coming top of a very tough group that included Congo, Togo and Libya before facing another top African team in the form of Tunisia in the final qualifying round where they won by four goals to one in the second leg after a goalless first leg. The last African team at the World Cup is Nigeria, nicknamed The Super Eagles. Chelsea's pair Victor Moses and John Obi Mikel will be hoping to help their country clinch a place in round 16 after being put in a somewhat easy group which includes Iran, Bosnia and Messi's Argentina. Nigeria will be fighting Bosnia and Iran for that second spot in the group alongside Argentina who seems certain of clinching the top spot of the group given its superiority and status as one of the favourites to win the only missing title from Messi's trophy cabinet. The Super Eagles should not find it that difficult against Iran, but will surely find it tough against a very well organised Bosnia side that includes many top players like Manchester City's star Dzeko. Nigeria's road to Brazil started with coming top of a group that included Malawi, Kenya and Namibia before defeating Ethiopia 4-1 on aggregate in the final qualifying round to clinch their place in Brazil 2014. Overall, the chances of the African teams in Brazil reaching round 16 seems to be high except for Ghana, who will need massive performances and luck to pip the best player on the planet and his team, Portugal, to the second qualifying spot alongside Germany. The writer is a freelance journalist.
