An African country has never won the World Cup, but along the way countries from the continent have produced special moments such as Senegal’s victory over France in the 2002 World Cup that sent shockwaves around the competition.

Along with Senegal, Cameroon and Ghana have also reached the quarter-finals of the tournament. Players have made names for themselves on the grand stage of the World Cup and earned moves to the Premier League and other leading sides across Europe. Here are two players that excelled in the tournament.

Asamoah Gyan (2010 World Cup)

Gyan was the star of the World Cup for Ghana in their run to the quarter-finals of the competition. He certainly made a name for the Black Stars, and his nation could be a wildcard in the World Cup bets, with a talented squad that has long odds 300/1 to win the tournament.

The 2022 iteration of the Black Stars has a lot to live up to in Qatar and will be hopeful of a performance like the one Gyan put forward in South Africa. Gyan scored three goals over the course of the competition, including a decisive late strike against the United States to secure the Black Stars’ place in the last eight.

However, he is probably more renowned for his penalty miss after Luis Suarez’s handball on the line against Uruguay in stoppage time in extra time that ultimately prevented Ghana from becoming the first African team to reach the semi-finals.

It was still one of the great performances by a player from Africa, but one with a…