A Challenge to the Football Media
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just days away, a powerful call to change the way African football nations are discussed has emerged from an unexpected source. Mokolo, a prominent pundit on RMC Sport’s flagship show After Foot, has urged the media to permanently drop the word “exploit” — or “upset” in English — when describing victories and strong performances by African teams on the global stage.
‘I want the term “exploit” to be banned for African nations,’ Mokolo declared during the broadcast, igniting a debate that resonates far beyond the studio.
Why the Word Matters
Mokolo’s argument is not merely semantic. He contends that the reflexive use of “exploit” whenever an African team records a positive result against a European or South American opponent is fundamentally condescending. It implies, whether consciously or not, that these victories are anomalies rather than legitimate achievements.
‘It suggests these teams are not supposed to win, that they are not supposed to compete with the great footballing nations,’ Mokolo explained. ‘But African football has evolved. The talent is there, the infrastructure is improving, and the results on the pitch prove it.’
A New Benchmark: Morocco 2022
The context is hard to ignore. Morocco’s historic run to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar — where they defeated Belgium, Spain, and Portugal — shattered the glass ceiling for African football. Yet even that remarkable achievement was routinely framed as a series of “uexploits” rather than the natural outcome of a well-coached, tactically disciplined team with world-class individual talent.
Senegal, Africa Cup of Nations champions in 2022, and Nigeria, with their deep squad of Premier League and European stars, enter this year’s tournament with legitimate ambitions of matching or surpassing Morocco’s feat.
The Bigger Conversation
Mokolo’s comments also tie into a broader reckoning about how the global media covers football outside the traditional European and South American powerhouses. The segment on After Foot covered several World Cup talking points, including Morocco’s stated target of reaching the quarter-finals — a target that was not described as an upset.
What It Means for 2026
With 48 teams competing across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the 2026 World Cup offers African nations more representation than ever before. Nine teams from CAF will take part, each carrying the hopes of a continent that has long argued it deserves more respect from the football establishment.
As Mokolo put it: ‘It’s time to recognise that African teams belong here. They are not here to make up the numbers. They are here to compete.’
Source: RMC Sport / After Foot