Morocco made history when they became the first African team to reach the semifinal of the World Cup at Qatar 2022 and now Panama said they hope to match such a superb run at the forthcoming World Cup.

The Atlas Lions of Morocco beat top teams like Spain and Portugal to reach the last four of the Mundial four years ago.

Panama coach Thomas Christiansen said he is putting no limits to what his team could achieve at the World Cup.

“Why not be the Morocco of this World Cup?” he said.

Panama are in Group L with Ghana, Croatia and England and they open their campaign against Ghana on June 18.

The post Panama want to be ‘Morocco of 2026 World Cup’ first appeared on Score Nigeria.

Bafana Bafana of South Africa finally lifted off to Mexico ahead of the 2026 World Cup after a day’s delay but without their assistant coach.

Bafana Bafana departure was delayed after problems of securing travel visas to the United States of America.

Some players and officials did not get these visas before Sunday’s planned take off and hence the delay.

However, assistant coach Helman Mkhalele was refused visa into the US, where the team will play a group game.

No reason was given for this refusal.

South Africa will open the 2026 World Cup in Mexico City on June 11 against co-hosts Mexico,

The post South Africa finally off to World Cup without coach first appeared on Score Nigeria.

Did you know that Super Eagles legend Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha holds the record for the most successful dribbles in a single World Cup game?

According to FIFA, Okocha made 15 successful dribbles against Italy at the 15th edition of the World Cup at USA 1994.

‘Jay Jay’ did this against a defensive team like Italy in the Round of 16 as he ghosted past the likes of Paolo Maldini, Demetrio Albertini and Alessandro Costacurta.

Okocha is followed by Brazil’s Jairzinho (13 v Uruguay in 1970), England’s Paul Gascoigne (13 v Cameroon in 1990), Portugal’s Eusebio (12 v Hungary in 1966), West Germany’s Reinhard Libuda (12 v Bulgaria in 1970), the Netherlands’ Johan Cruyff (12 v Sweden in 1974), Italy’s Sandro Mazzola (12 v Poland in 1974), Argentina’s Diego Maradona (12 v England in 1986), and Germany’s Jamal Musiala (12 v Costa Rica in 2022).

Lionel Messi has completed the most take-ons in World Cup history (125), with fellow Argentinian Maradona pulling off the most in one edition (53 at Mexico 1986).

The post FIFA: Okocha holds World Cup dribbles record first appeared on Score Nigeria.