Did they bottle their lead because of an inferiority complex?

Haaland breaks Ivory Coast at 86’. Lukaku breaks Senegal at 86’. Kane’s second against DR Congo lands at 86’. That’s not luck. That’s a pattern.

People on Twitter are calling it inferiority complex. I don’t buy that. What happens from the 80th minute is physical, not mental. It comes down to sports science staff, recovery facilities, and squad depth that was actually paid for. When Norway, England or Belgium bring on a substitute late in the game, that player is often better than the one coming off. When our teams make a change, it’s usually the same level player. Not because we lack depth in talent, but because that depth was never funded.

I looked into what Morocco and Egypt are doing differently, and it backs this up. Morocco has put over $500 million into stadiums and training facilities ahead of AFCON 2025, plus the Mohammed VI Academy, which is already producing players for Europe’s top clubs. Private companies like Attijariwafa Bank and Inwi are putting real money into clubs and academies too. Egypt is doing it a different way. Al Ahly has 45 league titles and decades of institutional strength, and the federation is pushing a new Sports Law so clubs can turn into proper companies instead of running informally. Two different approaches, same result. When you invest in football like it’s real infrastructure, it shows up in the moments that matter most, like the last 10 minutes of a match.

We don’t need psychologists on the bench. We need federations that fund depth the way Morocco funds stadiums. Talent was never our problem. Investment is.

This whole mentality talk is not taking us anywhere.