Standards of football pitches and stadiums in Africa must improve for one side from di continent to win di Fifa World Cup, according to Democratic Republic of Congo coach Sebastien Desabre.
Im comments come as Ghana become di latest kontri wey dem ban from hosting international matches by di Confederation of African Football (Caf).
Desabre, wey coach DR Congo to di semi-finals of di 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) dis year, say di standard of players dey improve, but di infrastructure no dey dia to back di coaches.
“Unfortunately some pitches, some structures, no dey di level of di objective of di [Caf] president or di objective of federations,” Desabre tell Newsday on BBC World Service.
“Na why e dey more difficult in Africa to get results.”
Benin, Kenya and Madagascar dey among several nations wey dem force to host 2025 Afcon qualifiers dis month at neutral venues afta failing to meet Caf requirements for international matches.
Ghana look set to join dat contingent next month becos of technical infractions for di Baba Yara Stadium, including concerns ova di quality of di pitch in Kumasi.
Ghana ministry of youth and sports don ask Caf to inspect two oda stadiums in Accra instead, but if none of di ones wey dem don approve no meet di standard den di Black Stars go need to hold next month tie against Sudan outside of di Kontri.
Morocco reach di semi-finals of di 2022 World Cup in Qatar, becoming di first African side to progress to di last four, but Desabre think say infrastructure must improve for anyone to go further.
“Di standard of di professional game dey improve,” di 48-year-old tell di BBC.
“From more dan 10 years in Africa, I see changes in Caf, in federations, in academies.
“I know, one time surely, African team go win di World Cup becos either way e dey destined for African football.
“But we need to kontinu to build stadiums and training pitches to help di coaches and players [put on] good spectacle and [get] good results.”
Desabre dey among number of national coaches wey don assembled in Ivory Coast for two-day coaches symposium wey Caf organise.
Di objective na to reflect on dis year Nations Cup final in di West African kontri and to look at how future tournaments fit improve.
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Sharing knowledge wit oda coaches
Desabre say di Caf symposium na good opportunity to tok to colleagues and oda coaches wey compete for di 2023 Afcon finals, especially now dat qualifying for di 2025 edition in Morocco don begin.
“We get link and a lot of respect dey between us,” e tok.
“Di work of each [coach] fit dey different but e dey important to also take some experience from oda coaches to kontinue to learn and to improve our knowledge, and also to do feedback about di competition.
“E dey also important for us to look at di improvement or how to prepare for di next one.”
DR Congo don enjoy strong start to qualifying for Afcon 2025, winning both dia opening Group H matches against Ethiopia and Guinea.
“E dey important for our confidence to start wit two wins, but na six games and dis no be di end, becos we neva qualify,” Desabre tok.
“We need to keep our focus on di next game in October.”
Dem go complete di Morocco 2025 qualifying campaign in November, wey mean di teams go need to wait more dan one year bifor di actual tournament kick off.
Di finals go run from 21 December next year to 18 January 2026.
“I tink e betta if di competition na immediately afta di qualification, but na di same during World Cup qualification,” Desabre tok.
“We be professional. We need to adapt to di situation.
“We take game afta game and for our team, our fans, our kontri, e dey important to win di next game weda na qualifier, friendly or World Cup qualifier.”
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