South Africa, July 14 -- For the first time in history, Africa arrived at the Fifa World Cup with ten nations. Before a ball had even been kicked, history had already been made. But what followed was even more significant. One by one, African teams refused to simply make up the numbers. They competed. They inspired. They believed. And, in doing so, they gave an entire continent something it rarely experiences at the same time - a shared emotional journey.

This has become Africa's biggest World Cup. Not just because of the number of teams on the field, but because of what has happened off it. Something remarkable has unfolded over the past few weeks. South Africans have celebrated Moroccan goals as though they were their own. Ghanaians ha...