ANALYSIS | The senior men’s World Cup in perspective: Dlangalala

“BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD” The World Cup of the World This is the Cup where the whole World is truly represented.

At least, in the first round of the finals.

But, most definitely, the journey starts much earlier — in each continent, in each FIFA Confederation, and in each of the football-playing nations that dream of standing on the podium one day.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has 46 members.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has 54.

The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) has 41.

South America (CONMEBOL) has 10 members.

The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) has 11 members, while the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has 55 members.

This accounts for no less than 227 Member Associations — 227 National Football Federations, each with its own football story, its own challenges, its own identity and, ultimately, its own dream.

For some, the World Cup is over.

For others, it will come in four years’ time.

For others, those four years have already started.

And for others still, it started a long time ago.

The plans put in place in the Under-8s and Under-10s are designed to bear fruit in the future.