An African view on African football

Growing up at school in Uganda 60 years ago, my favourite game became Cricket, followed by Tennis and then Football (Soccer). I made the school teams in all three, later I added 

athletics in my last year, since you ate meat on Fridays if in that team! Later at University I was in the teams for only cricket and tennis.

I would say that traditionally Africans love football above all other games, although you have to add that in Kenya and Ethiopia at world level they excel highly at athletics, particularly at the longer events. There they hold most of the world records. But driving along on African roads the game you will unfailingly see being played everywhere, is football. The pitches cover the spectrum, down to those not even covered by grass, where few of those playing don football footwear. At dusk they limp homeward to nurse their bruises, but fulfilled. May it ever be thus!

That Africans have football in their blood is proved by how many of the best teams in the world have them in their teams. During the current World Cup in Brazil it’s amazing how many times African faces (or those with Afro-blood in their veins!) are flashed on the screen when mighty deeds are done. Years ago India and Pakistan were the star sides in field hockey but then rugged teams like Germany and Spain used their brawn to manhandle their brains aside. The game is the less entertaining for it! So with soccer today!

Indeed an African ex-international footballer, one of the current commentators on the World Cup, opined that the African competitors would, as before, find it impossible to go very far in this year’s competition. While individually brilliant many were, they lacked the brute force and total concentration necessary for the modern game. It is true. However, it is also true, and welcome, that very many of them are paid huge salaries overseas to play in the leagues there, and sometimes even to represent the foreign countries concerned.

Some of these Africans use the money gained to help their people, and even countries. Football becomes then not only the beautiful game, but a huge tool for advancement, bruises notwithstanding.