( CNN ) -- Patrick Vieira knows what it takes to win football 's greatest prize -- and the former France star believes Africa is close to claiming a historic first World Cup title . Only three teams from the continent have ever reached the quarterfinal stage of the tournament -- Cameroon in 1990 , Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010 -- yet none have made it to the last four . Despite high expectations , first sparked by Pele 's prediction in 1977 that `` an African nation will win the World Cup before the year 2000 , '' there have been a series of disappointments . Undoubted talent has often fallen foul to ill-discipline on the pitch , arguments off it , ego problems , administrative issues and sheer bad luck . Cameroon , Ghana , Ivory Coast , Nigeria and Algeria will all be hoping to overcome these hurdles in Brazil this time and perhaps go even further than their predecessors . And Vieira , who helped France to World Cup glory on home soil in 1998 -- coming on as a substitute to set up Emmanuel Petit 's goal in the shock 3-0 final win over Brazil -- is convinced it will not be too long before an African champion is crowned . `` I believe ( they can ) and I really hope they will win the World Cup in the near future because I think that will help African football to develop even better , even more , '' says Vieira , who was born in Senegal but moved to France as an eight-year-old . `` And when you look at how many big names African football has produced in the last few years , it 's unbelievable , '' he told CNN . Those big names include the likes of Samuel Eto ' o , Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure , who would all love nothing more than to add a World Cup winners ' medal to their lengthy list of honors in Brazil . But while Cameroon and Ivory Coast have such world-beaters among their ranks , Vieira feels they will need to be at the top of their game to avoid past disappointments . Quality . Ivory Coast has earned the nickname `` the chokers '' -- cruel given the quality of opposition the nation has faced -- after a talented set of individuals struggled to perform when it counted most , failing to make it out of the group stage in both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups . `` You need quality . When you look at the African national teams individually , they are really talented so they 've got talent , '' Vieira says . `` But I think to be in the World Cup , you need your talented players to be at their best because the quality will make you win , the quality will make the difference . `` Quality will make the player make the difference at the right time when your team needs you . You may just go on to create one chance and you need to score the chance to go to the next round . '' Vieira , though , believes that for talented players to flourish they must be in a team that has togetherness and unity . Cameroon lacked in that department during its disastrous 2010 campaign , where the `` Indomitable Lions '' had been expected to do well in the first World Cup held on African soil . Eto ' o threatened to snub the competition after being criticized by compatriot Roger Milla , himself a former World Cup star for Cameroon . And when he did turn up , the four-time African player of the year -- who had just won the European Champions League for the third time , on this occasion with Inter Milan -- struggled in South Africa after not being used in his customary striker 's role . Arsenal 's Alex Song , meanwhile , found himself on the bench and coach Paul Le Guen was forced to quit after the team failed to register a point for the first time in six appearances at the finals . `` I would say togetherness ( is important ) , and I think if you want to do well in the championship , in the World Cup , the team has to be together , '' Vieira says . `` It has to fight for the same objective and I believe that togetherness will make them go to the end . '' Unity . Togetherness certainly played a role in France 's 1998 win . Aime Jacquet 's squad was seen as representing a new France , with Vieira born in Senegal , Marcel Desailly from Ghana , Lilian Thuram from Guadeloupe , Zinedine Zidane 's family hailing from Algeria , while others were of Polish and Armenian descent . `` We had the players from all around the world and I think we showed the diversity of the French national team , we showed what the diversity of the French people are , '' Vieira says . `` We showed to the French nation what France is really . '' If an African side 's unity can ever be questioned then it could be argued that it has been a result of African football 's structural failings . The Federation Camerounaise de Football temporarily suspended Eto ' o from playing for the national team in 2011 for instigating the boycott of a friendly in Algeria over unpaid bonuses . Emmanuel Adebayor , meanwhile , has criticized the Togo Federation in the past for its poor organizational skills , blaming the governing body for his late return to English club Tottenham following the 2013 African Cup of Nations . `` The only problem in Africa is our leaders , who do not respect us , '' Eto ' o told the Confederation of African Football 's ( CAF ) official website . `` Until we are respected , other ( continents ) will never have any consideration for us . '' Vieira adds : `` I think what African football needs is better organization , better structure , and I think after that we 'll help the players to be more professional when they 're coming to play for their national team ... I think the structure around these players is not strong enough and I think if we do n't have that , it will take time ( for an African nation ) to win the World Cup . '' The man in charge of African football -- CAF president Issa Hayatou -- however , feels the structures put in place by his confederation and its member associations should allow for a nation or two to go far in Brazil . `` I do not see why Africa can not have one or two of our representatives reach the semifinals or even the final , '' he told CAF 's official website . Discipline . Two representatives from Africa reaching the semifinals or final would make for huge progress , given that there has never been more than one at a time to reach the knockout stages . That statistic could well have been banished in 1998 had Cameroon 's players kept their heads when it mattered most . The Indomitable Lions picked up three red cards in just three games , including two in the final group clash against Chile -- a match they drew , when victory would have been enough for a place in the second round alongside Nigeria . `` I would talk about discipline ( as being vital if an African team wants to win the World Cup ) , '' Vieira says . `` Discipline and sacrifice , so that means you have to concentrate on your objective , you have to concentrate on what you have to do for the months to get at your best , and be at the peak of your game . '' Focus . Hand-in-hand with discipline often comes focus -- something Nigeria lost for a split-second in 1994 , denying the team a quarterfinal spot , long before Senegal and Ghana 's heroics . The Super Eagles were just two minutes away from becoming only the second African team to reach the last eight at their debut World Cup , but let a 1-0 lead slip against Italy before conceding again in extra-time . `` ( You must ) focus on your objective because when you are in the World Cup , you can get your head a little bit all over the place , '' Vieira says . `` And I think it 's important for you to get focused on your objective , focused on what you want to achieve as a team . '' Luck . Having all these ingredients is no guarantee for success , however , as at a major international tournament the winning team often needs a little luck along the way . Ghana found this out the hard way after a run to the last eight of the 2010 World Cup that captured the imagination of much of Africa -- but was brought to an end in the most controversial of circumstances . With the Black Stars ' quarterfinal clash against Uruguay destined for penalties with the scores tied at 1-1 and just seconds remaining , Dominic Adiyiah saw his goal-bound header cleared off the line by Luis Suarez 's hand . Suarez was sent off for his actions -- and widely condemned by the world of football afterwards -- but the damage had already been done as Asamoah Gyan missed the resulting spot-kick , before Uruguay went on to win the ensuing penalty shootout . Luck was not on the side of Algeria in 1982 , either . With the Desert Warriors having already played their final group game , West Germany knew that a one- or two-goal win over Austria would take the neighboring nations through to the second round at the expense of the debutant team . After 10 minutes , West Germany took the lead , before the two teams proceeded to kick the ball around aimlessly for the rest of the match . `` You need luck , because you will not win the best competition if you do not have luck . But the luck , you have to provoke it to make it happen , '' says Vieira . `` I think when you look at all the African teams who are playing in the World Cup , they lack one of the five ingredients ( quality , togetherness , discipline , focus or luck ) . `` So hopefully they will have built it all up in the last few weeks so they will get to the first game where the togetherness , the quality of the players , the focus , and of course the luck at the end ( is all there ) , because luck is very important . ''
Patrick Vieira believes an African nation will one day win the World Cup . The former France coach has been in charge of Ivory Coast since 2006 and is currently working with his team at a training camp in Morocco ahead of their final group game against Ghana on Saturday. Vieira , born in Senegal , won the World Cup with France in 1998 .