Semenyo Backs Africa’s Rise After Cape Verde’s World Cup Fairytale

Antoine Semenyo, Manchester City forward, expressed admiration for Cape Verde’s remarkable performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a result he had anticipated after watching the island nation's strong showing in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations. Africa, as a whole, staged an unprecedented campaign, with nine out of the continent's ten representatives advancing to the knockout stages.

Semenyo, who played in every minute of Ghana’s World Cup run, believes these performances highlight the rapid advancement of African football. The 26-year-old recalled their 2022 AFCON encounter with Cape Verde and admitted he recognized their quality from the outset. "We played against them in the Africa Cup of Nations in 2022.

I remember coming off that game thinking, 'Oh my gosh, this is one of the best African teams I’ve played,'" he recalled. Emphasizing Africa's growing competitiveness, Semenyo affirmed that African teams are now capable of challenging the world's best. Meanwhile, Semenyo himself had a noteworthy Premier League season, scoring 17 goals, breaking Tony Yeboah's record for the most goals by a Ghanaian in a single Premier League season.

This achievement holds special significance for the forward, who grew up admiring Yeboah, Asamoah Gyan, and Didier Drogba. Semenyo's path to stardom was unconventional; he honed his skills through non-league football before joining Manchester City from Bournemouth. Adapting to the new regime under City manager Enzo Maresca, Semenyo is confident that the squad has embraced the manager's philosophy and is targeting success in all competitions.