Legendary French footballer, Marcel Desailly has said that he expects the Black Stars to excel at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled to take place in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

According to him, with the talent and potential in the squad, Ghana deserves to reach the World Cup final and make Africa proud.

He indicated that with Africa having nine teams at the Mundial, he expects the jinx to be broken, with a team from the continent qualifying for the final.

He mentioned Morocco, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire as countries with the potential to achieve this feat.

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“Statistically, Morocco managed to reach the semi-final during the last World Cup. We are now hoping, with nine African teams in the system, that one of them will reach the final. Maybe Côte d’Ivoire, you never know. Even though I would love Ghana to reach the final, I believe Côte d’Ivoire also has the potential. The hope and belief bring excitement to every single fan who loves the game because football is absolutely magnificent,” he told the media.

The 1998 World Cup winner stated that he felt honored to be given the opportunity to promote the Mundial during the trophy tour in Côte d’Ivoire.

“It’s a blessing to come back here and present the World Cup, which brings a lot of hope. We are talking about the biggest sporting event in the world, which is football. I’m very glad to be here and promote the energy that the World Cup always brings, along with the hope that comes with it,” he added.

The World Cup trophy tour in Côte d’Ivoire also gave journalists, sports personalities, and fans the chance to catch a glimpse of the prestigious trophy.

Watch the interview below:

The World Cup trophy touched down in Abidjan yesterday ahead of the 2026 tournament in the USA, Mexico and Canada.

1998 World Cup winner Marcel Desailly, who was born in Ghana, says he hopes the Black Stars can reach the final.#JoySports’ @Muftawu_Nabila reports from Abidjan. pic.twitter.com/SApPZsoRSh

— #JoySports (@JoySportsGH) February 4, 2026