Gambia: From lowest ranked team to top eight

It is a meteoric rise for the Gambia national team who were making their debut  in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon. 

The lowest-ranked team at this year’s African football tournament managed to reach the last-eight of the tournament.

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It will be noted that the team came through the pre-qualifiers with Africa’s eight worst-ranked sides, squeezed past Djibouti on penalties, reached the last-eight of the AFCON, beating Mauritania and Tunisia in the group stages and Guinea in the last-16 along the way. 

The Scorpions fairy AFCON dream however ended when they lost 2-0 to Cameroon on Saturday.

Gambia goalkeeper Boubacarr Gaye has said himself and the entire team are proud to make the top eight best teams in Africa. 

Speaking in the mixed zone, Gaye said their performance is a great moment for Gambia, a country experiencing her own share of insecurities.

It was gathered that the team’s hotel was heavily guarded by soldiers because of the conflict between government forces and local armed groups pursuing a breakaway agenda from Francophone-dominated Cameroon.

“We dreamt of being among the best teams in Africa. And now it is great to be among the best 8 teams on the continent.

“It is a great moment for Gambia and we hope to replicate this and even improve on it in the future,” he said after the game on Saturday. 

Gaye however toed the line of his coach, Tom Saintfiet who described Cameroon as the champions.

“Cameroon is an amazing team and it was good playing against them. I hope the win the tournament,” Gaye said.