Is Sadio Mane Real Madrid material?

During this period when one of the biggest soccer clubs in the world is struggling in the Spanish La Liga, many performing players across the best leagues in Europe will continue to be linked with a move to Real Madrid. This week, we assess the prospect of an African international, Sadio Mane, switching clubs to play at the highest level. Here are a few reasons why Real Madrid need the services of the Liverpool player.

Sadio Mane of Liverpool warms up ahead of the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC at Stamford Bridge on September 29, 2018 in London, United Kingdom.

(Sept. 28, 2018 - Source: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images Europe)

Of course, one attribute that the biggest players need to have is the swag and confidence to take on defenders. Real Madrid is a club that thrives on fear in their opponents whenever they hear that they are set to face the Spanish team from the capital, but this fear factor has gradually died down since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo. The likes of Marco Asensio, Lucas Vazquez and Diaz Mariano have lacked that fierce threat that the Portuguese had with the ball at his feet. Sadio Mane has it. The Senegalese international is always on his toes in the English Premier League, sweeping past either Kyle Walker, Antonio Valencia, Kieran Trippier, Hector Bellerin or Cesar Azpilicueta – supposedly the best right backs in the league. His swift touch and low body feint is enough to deal with opponents as he creates a path for himself on his way to goal. Mane also has those Ronaldo-like tricks that shake stubborn defenders and unlocks goal scoring opportunities for his club. Ask Neymar! Real Madrid need that quality and his place in the team will be undoubted if he so chooses to be another Real Madrid Galactico signing.

If not that, then you need to have players who turn up at the biggest games. Arsenal fans have been at Mesut Ozil’s back since his move from Real Madrid due to his inconsistent performances against big teams. Our African is the exact opposite. In fact, Sadio Mane turns up more in the biggest games as evidenced in the UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid. The Liverpool forward stood up to the test in the absence of Mohamed Salah who unfortunately picked up a hand injury after an altercation with Sergio Ramos. Mane was a constant menace down the left channel and was the one who scored the equalizing goal in the final. Already, Real Madrid have lost to Sevilla and failed to win their local derby against Atletico Madrid as they currently sit in 10th position – an unfamiliar situation for the club. With Mane on their books, they are guaranteed a player who will fight for the pride of the club and performs to his best in such games. The Spanish Giants would probably not be trail in the likes of Barcelona in this early stage of the competition.

“His swift touch and low body feint is enough to deal with opponents as he creates a path for himself on his way to goal. Mane also has those Ronaldo-like tricks that shake stubborn defenders and unlocks goal scoring opportunities for his club. Ask Neymar! ”

— Tinotenda Magiya, FirstTouch Africa

In addition, the Hazard factor is a plus for Mane. The fact that Real Madrid are lining up a bid for the Chelsea forward proves they are in need of a player of Mane’s stature. Eden Hazard like Mane, carries his team. He is the player that Chelsea look up to in times of need. This has been the case for quite a number of years which suits the setup of a club like Madrid who idolized Ronaldo and played to his strengths. Sadio Mane also carried his teams from Southampton to Liverpool who recently acquired another great gem in the Egyptian Mo Salah. Mane can easily step into Ronaldo’s shoes and unleash his true potential playing next to the likes of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Marcelo etc. The club is already set up to play for an individual which explains their recent struggles in the Spanish La Liga. With Mane, they will be formidable force again.

Sadio Mane of Liverpool is challenged by Wesley Hoedt of Southampton during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield on September 22, 2018 in Liverpool, United Kingdom.

(Sept. 21, 2018 - Source: Alex Livesey/Getty Images Europe)

Finally, I think it is about time that Real Madrid had an African player in their team. The last time I recall an African player turning up in the famous white jersey was back during Mourinho’s tenure when the Portuguese coach sought the services of Emmanuel Adebayor and Michael Essien. You might wonder why I refer to these old times when Real Madrid have Achraf Hakimi on their books. That’s because the player has not been handed the opportunities to play and is now further down the pecking order with the recent acquisition of Odriozola who competes with Dani Carvajal in the right back spot. It has truly been a while and the club need to think about this proposition if they want to go back to their rightful place at the top.

It seems as if all points are pointing towards the signing of the African forward but he also has his shortcomings. His numbers to be specific, are not enough to stake a claim for one of the biggest club in the world to invest hundreds of millions to bring him to the Santiago Bernabeu. Mane still scores goals short of expectations for a club like Madrid who require consistent goals in all competitions. Mane is yet to score more than 20 goals in a single campaign which brings questions about this claim. However, this has been down to the countless injuries that the Liverpool forward picks up as he is a target for all the defenders in the league. Dribblers will always be kicked and tussled as they are not well-protected in the English Premier League. Therefore, it is also tricky to judge this part of Mane’s game. Maybe a move to Madrid will give us all the answers we need.

I think he is ready for a move to Real Madrid. What are your thoughts?

UCL Matchday 3 Preview: After Salah and Co. struggled with Koulibaly, next up is the challenge of PSG's 'MEN'

Paulo Dybala of Juventus battles for the ball with Kalidou Koulibaly of SSC Napoli during the Srie A match between Juventus and SSC Napoli at Allianz Stadium on September 29, 2018 in Turin, Italy.

(Sept. 28, 2018 - Source: gabriele maltinti/Getty Images Europe)

Here at FirstTouch, our affection and appreciation for Napoli and Senegalese centre back, Kalidou Koulibaly has never been a secret. Time and time again, we have made cases as to why he is one of the best centre backs in the world of soccer today. On one of the biggest stages to showcase yourself as a footballer, the UEFA Champions League, the 27-year-old Senegalese has done even more than that. On matchday 2 of the 2018/19 Champions League campaign, Kalidou was one of the focal points as Napoli outplayed Liverpool to a 1-0 win. In partnership with Raul Albiol, He got the better of both Salah and Sadio Mane. That is, ⅔ of the infamous FAB 3 at his mercy on the day. Wednesday is another opportunity for the Senegalese to bring all his doubters to salvation.

The UEFA Champions League matchday 3 is on us and Napoli will travel to Paris. It’s one of those fixtures you just have to look forward to. Paris St Germain have all the rights to be more than confident heading into this one especially after being the only European club remaining, that has won all its domestic league matches. That is 10 wins in 10 French Ligue 1 matches for PSG. Their weekend fixture against Amiens, where they ran away 5-0 winners is the perfect momentum anyone needs heading into a match of this magnitude. Before that one, Mbappe bagged four goals as they ran riot over Lyon in another 5-0 demolition. Still rolling back the days, Tuchel’s men had beat Red Star Belgrade 6-1 on matchday 2 of the UCL.  A welcome result after the opening loss to Liverpool at Anfield. Napoli have not been bad either, winning all their last three matches in all competitions and more importantly in the Koulibaly conversation, keeping a clean sheet in all the three matches. They currently sit second on the Italian Serie A table, four points behind Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus.

“Kalidou was one of the focal points as Napoli outplayed Liverpool to a 1-0 win. In partnership with Raul Albiol, He got the better of both Salah and Sadio Mane. That is, ⅔ of the infamous FAB 3 at his mercy on the day. Wednesday is another opportunity for the Senegalese to bring all his doubters to salvation. ”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Group C match of the UEFA Champions League between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield on September 18, 2018 in Liverpool, United Kingdom.

(Sept. 17, 2018 - Source: Julian Finney/Getty Images Europe)

As far as the champions league is concerned, Napoli occupy first position of group C with four points. A win in France would consolidate their position at the top ahead of Liverpool and PSG who both have 3 points. And would surely put them in a good position to qualify for the knockout stages before the return leg in Naples. What’s also true is that all of PSG’s investments and efforts have been towards winning a UCL trophy. With their form and the deadly trio of Mbappe, Edinson Cavani and Neymar, nicknamed MEN, expected to lead their attack on Wednesday, entertainment is almost guaranteed.

It goes without saying that PSG will most likely dominate possession and push through for a win with everything. A draw away from home, will not be so bad for table topping Napoli. Central to a solid Napoli performance to deny MEN, will be the Senegalese mountain man and his defensive partners. He has done it before against Liverpool’s fast and counter attacking FAB 3, my money will be on the African centre back repeating the same feat on Wednesday.

English Premier League Matchday 8 African Roundup

Liverpool vs Manchester City

Jose Mourinho, Manager of Manchester United in discussion with Eric Bailly of Manchester United as he is substituted during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Newcastle United at Old Trafford on October 6, 2018 in Manchester, United Kingdom.

(Oct. 5, 2018 - Source: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images Europe)

The most anticipated match so far was the meeting between Manchester City and Liverpool. The away club had not won at Anfield since 2003 and were looking to break that duck. Algerian international Riyad Mahrez was preferred over German winger, Leroy Sane while Liverpool had Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane in their front three. Our bet of having one of the North Africans decide the early title race tie was well on the cards with the starting formations picked up by both coaches. The work rate and talent of these African players has been second to none which explains an increasing number on African players joining big teams in recent years. Naby Keita came on for James Milner in a match that was tight-locked. The best scoring opportunity fell to Mahrez who blazed an 86th minute penalty over the bar. The match ended in a goalless draw.

Fulham vs Arsenal

Egypt international Mohamed Elneny’s situation at Arsenal has not improved as he continued to watch from the stands as his African brothers shined against a fellow London club, Fulham. Naija boy Alex Iwobi and Gabonese international, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang were at it again as they helped Arsenal to a 5-1 win over Fulham. The latter scored a brace and provided an assist for Aaron Ramsey.

Southampton vs Chelsea

Victor Moses failed to make it to the Chelsea squad that faced Saints on Sunday. Things are not looking very well for the former Nigerian international who retired from national duty to focus on his career at Chelsea. Victor Moses has to step his game up if he is to replace Willian or Pedro in Maurizio Sarri’s first three because Eden Hazard’s position in that duo is simply out of bounds. Rightfully so. On the other end of the pitch, Mario Lemina had another highly impactful outing for Southampton and was at the heart of most of their positive moves. Southampton may have avoided the drop last season, but how long will they be able to keep hold of Lemina after yet another loss.

Victor Moses of Chelsea looks on during the FA Community Shield match between Manchester City and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on August 5, 2018 in London, England.

(Aug. 4, 2018 - Source: Clive Mason/Getty Images Europe)

Manchester United vs Newcastle

Not a good game for Eric Bailly. The Ivorian defender was handed a rare chance to prove to underfire manager, Jose Mourinho that he was ready to lead the back line next to Smalling. He however was substituted early in the match after conceding two silly goals in the Theatre of Dreams. It is only after his replacement that Manchester United showed resilience and came back from 2 goals down to win 3-2. The African defender’s situation at the club continues to be tough one. He has all the attributes to succeed at the club except for concentration and a lack of confidence in recent appearances. He needs to cut out unnecessary mistakes from his game if he is to become a regular under Jose Mourinho, or maybe a different club or manager could very well get him back to his best. The 24-year-old is a player seriously needing a vote of confidence.

Crystal Palace vs Wolves

Cheikhou Kouyate of Crystal Palace in action during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage on August 11, 2018 in London, United Kingdom.

(Aug. 10, 2018 - Source: Christopher Lee/Getty Images Europe)

Wilfried Zaha’s Palace fell to an unexpected 1-0 defeat at the hands of Wolverhampton Wanderers, just a few days after losing 1-0 to Bournemouth- the match were Zaha stormed out of the pitch a frustrated figure forgetting to applaud the fans. Ghanaian footballers Jeffrey Schlupp and Jordan Ayew could not score against a well set up Wolves team. Matt Doherty scored on the 56th minute and Palace could not come back from that. They tried to bring on the Senegalese midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate to use his legs and wear their opponents down but to no avail. Wolves were ready to fight to the end and had a plan B in case things went south with the pacey Adama Traore on standby, the fastest player in FIFA 19.

Tottenham vs Cardiff

Bruno Ecuele Manga from Gabon was the only African player who started the match between the two clubs. He was matched up against the Brazilian Lucas Moura and Tottenham Hotspur’s English left back, Danny Rose. The Gabonese international was quite decent considering how much attacking threat he had to deal with in the 90 minutes. At the end, Cardiff lost 1-0 to Tottenham. The result shows Cardiff’s character as they played over half an hour of the match with a man down. The Kenyan midfielder, Victor Wanyama came on very late in the match to add some steel to the back.

Leicester vs Everton

The African connect for Leicester could not help their team to a victory at home against Everton. Daniel Amartey (Ghana), Onyinye Wilfred Ndidi (Nigeria), Kelechi Iheanacho (Nigeria) all played against the Merseyside club who won 2-1 courtesy of Sigurdsson and Richarlison’s goals. Idrissa Gana Gueye was the general in the midfield for Everton as usual and helped stop Leicester’s intentions to counter them on the break.

Observation

It has been a week of mixed performances from Africa’s top players. Some have not been on form and failing to cement their positions in their respective teams. It’s not particularly encouraging going into the International Break as it might affect their performances in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers. Hopefully, they will take this break to work on their game and come back stronger knocking for a start in the forthcoming English Premier League fixtures.

Ligue 1: Out with Mariano, in steps Bertrand Traore

His name has been buzzing in the news in patches for quite sometime now. It’s probably because he is such a top talent and had the media monitor his growth journey. At 23 years of age, it is beginning to look more like Burkina Faso’s Bertrand Traore is a fully grown footballer. It will not be far off from now before he follows the footsteps of other great African forwards such as Didier Drogba, Emmanuel Adebayor and Nwankwo Kanu who shook the football world. Let’s talk about three reasons why he will get a seat at the table of the legends.

Bertrand Traore of Chelsea celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Stoke City at Stamford Bridge on March 5, 2016 in London, England.

(March 4, 2016 - Source: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images Europe)

Ask Olympique Marseille, they know.

On Sunday, matchday six of the French Ligue 1, Olympique Lyonnais humiliated Marseille 4-2, handing them only their second loss of the 2017/18 campaign. Central to Lyon’s performance was 2018 FIFA World Cup winner, Nabil Fekir who has African roots by the way, his parents hailing from Algeria and of course Bertrand. Traore struck twice in a space of nine minutes to put the game beyond Marseille. His first goal came in the 51st minute after he was fed a long upfield ball which he controlled from the left wing, cut inside, dribbling past one player and netting it in the far side of the post. It was really a typical “Riyad Mahrez goal.” The second was even better, Malian-French footballer Moussa Dembele fed Traore a pass from the same wing who then played a neat one-two with Nabil Fekir before netting his second for the game, this time in the near post. He has now scored four goals in six 2018/19 Ligue 1 matches for Lyon, second most goals scored so far by a single player behind Florian Thauvin. Watching Traore’s passing with teammates, finishing and dribbling against Lyon, one would really appreciate that there aren’t as many good and physical forwards in the modern game today, more so who are as young as twenty-three. He sure looks ready for any challenge now!

“At Chelsea, just like Salah, he left an unwanted child who never really got a chance, at Ajax the stage was not big enough and perhaps now - all things align for Traore. Lyon might have to ward off interests from potential suitors for the Burkinabe international who debuted for his country at only 15 years of age.”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

Champions League Spotlight

Lyon look like a side that is on the up. Other than Marseille, Premier League champions, Manchester City also fell victim to their detailed, intricate and clinical style of play in the UEFA Champions League opening round of matches at the Etihad Stadium. With his side not just rubbing shoulders but inflicting pain on the likes of City, it will be difficult for anyone not to spot Traore, future suitors included. He was good in the Eredivisie for Ajax on loan from Chelsea, even reaching the UEFA Europa League final where they lost to Manchester United and made it to the 2016/17 Europa League team of that season after scoring four goals in the campaign. But, that stage put his name to a certain level and this new stage is even bigger. The likes of Kylian Mbappe were astonishing in the French Ligue 1 but only got the world’s stamp of approval after repeating the same feats in the Champions league with Monaco in the 2016/17 season when they reached the semis. At Chelsea, just like Salah, he left an unwanted child who never really got a chance, at Ajax the stage was not big enough and perhaps now - all things align for Traore. Lyon might have to ward off interests from potential suitors for the Burkinabe international who debuted for his country at only 15 years of age.

Chelsea also know

The North Londoners were big losers after letting Mohamed Salah leave for Roma, the Egyptian who could be crowned by FIFA as the World’s Best Football Player for the year 2018. This time, they wisened up a little bit, knowing Traore’s potential, they sold him to Lyon for €10 million with a buy-back clause reportedly inserted in the contract of sale, meaning they would have the first choice resigning him or get a 15% profit from a future sale to any other club. Chelsea know his potential and know that a big money move in the near future for Traore cannot be off the the cards.

With attributes almost similar to that of Emmanuel Adebayor who played for Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham, Real Madrid amongst many other clubs; from the height, dribbling and finishing - Traore time is perhaps just now!

African midfield trio help Fulham secure a point against Watford

The Premier League weekend kicked off with new boys Fulham welcoming highflying Watford who had won all of their first four matches, only losing to Jose Mourinho and Manchester United in the fifth. It is in games with opposition outside the so called “big six” that the Whites’ big money signing, Jean Michel Seri would be expected to really have a go, splash his creative juices and run the match from start to finish. As expected, Watford proved to be a tricky opposition, forcing the Craven Cottagers to start on the back foot after Andre Gray had put the visitors ahead in the second minute.

The Ivorian, Seri and his teammates were forced to play ping pong basic football as the Premier League fourth placed team showed why they had done so well in their first matches of the season. There was simply no place for Jean Michel Seri and his creative juices to flow in the first half. Watford’s defence marshalled by Belgian-Congolese, Christian Kabasele was as cool as ice, pocketing Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic who had proved lethal in all his Fulham matches from the time he was loaned from Newcastle and most recently when they made the move permanent in the summer. Up front, a much slimmer Troy Deeney who recently lost close to 6.4kilos in weight continued enjoying dividends of his new shape as he partnered with Andre Gray. It was business as usual in the midfield and the flanks as arguably Watford’s best player of the campaign so far, Roberto Pereyra, William Hughes and Abdoulaye Doucoure emerged as a superior backbone while Holebas ran up and down the left wing at will. After watching the first-half, one would be tempted to conclude that Fulham could be easily one of the easiest candidates for relegation and that their over £100 million expenditure on transfers in the summer was misdirected. However, things took a different twist in the second forty-five minutes.

Floyd Ayite of Fulham and Daryl Janmaat of Watford in action during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Watford FC at Craven Cottage on September 22, 2018 in London, United Kingdom.

(Sept. 21, 2018 - Source: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Europe)

“With Seri, Ayite and 22-year old Anguissa now deployed as Fulham’s backbone, tables turned. The West-African flavor now present, helped bring the best out of everyone else at the Cottage. ”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa of Fulham in action during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Watford FC at Craven Cottage on September 22, 2018 in London, United Kingdom.

(Sept. 21, 2018 - Source: Steve Bardens/Getty Images Europe)

Fulham Manager, Slavisa Jokanovic made two changes in the midfield of three, bringing in Togolese international, Floyd Ayite and Cameroonian prodigy, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa who joined them in the summer from French Ligue 1 side, Marseille. With Seri, Ayite and 22-year old Anguissa now deployed as Fulham’s backbone, tables turned. The West-African flavor now present, helped bring the best out of everyone else at the Cottage. England teenager, Ryan Sessegnon found his rhythm in the left-wing back position putting out any fires and racing upfield at the slightest of opportunities. He even burst his nose at some point but changed his shirt and ran back into the match. Argentine Luciano Vietto on loan from Atletico Madrid got his playmaker instincts resuscitated as a more spirited Fulham led from the midfield by the Ivory Coast-Togo-Cameroon trio pressed for an equalizer.

It eventually came in the 78th minute as Vietto won the ball on the left flank and setup Mitrovic for his fifth goal of the season launching him to the top of EPL scoring charts alongside Chelsea’s Eden Hazard. He could have had a second but Watford goalkeeper, Ben Forster was equal to every challenge and ensured the match finished tied at one goal apiece. Mitrovic who was pocketed the entire first-half of the match by Kabasele now looked the most dangerous player on the pitch. The African midfield personnel deployed in the second half by Fulham really lifted the spirit of the team and their game play.

The question for Jokanovic now will be whether he will stick to his guns or sacrifice even the captain of the team, Kevin McDonald to deploy Seri, Anguissa and Ayite? Oh perhaps change the tactics to accommodate all? Only time will tell. Fulham will visit Everton this coming weekend before welcoming Arsenal at the Craven Cottage the following one.

As for Cameroon, Togo and Ivory Coast, they will be delighted with their boys repping them in style. With the AFCON 2019 Qualifiers continuing in October and the tournament itself kicking off in June next year, there is no better way to prepare for the showdown than deciding Premier League matches.

Jean Michael Seri of Fulham runs with the ball during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Watford FC at Craven Cottage on September 22, 2018 in London, United Kingdom.

(Sept. 21, 2018 - Source: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Europe)

English Premier League Round Up: Matchday 5

Cardiff City vs Manchester City (Saturday, 22 September 2018)

Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City scores his team's fourth goal during the Premier League match between Cardiff City and Manchester City at Cardiff City Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Cardiff, United Kingdom.

(Sept. 21, 2018 - Source: Stu Forster/Getty Images Europe)

Pep Guardiola’s men thumped the home team by five goals to nil and the Algerian international made a mark in this game. Mahrez scored two goals on the day which are his first goals for the Premier League champions.

Manchester United vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (Saturday, 22 September 2018)

Ivorian centre back Eric Bailly’s struggles continued as he was benched again on Saturday when the Manchester club played Wolves. The defender was not available to help his team who were disappointing in front of their fans at the “Theater of Dreams”. It was also Sir Alex Ferguson’s first appearance back at the club since being discharged from the hospital. United drew 0-0 with Wolves.

Liverpool vs Southampton (Saturday, 22 September 2018)

It was the Cameroonian international, Joel Matip’s debut for the season as his club took on the Saints. He marked his return to the first team with a goal on the 21st minute courtesy of a brilliantly taken corner kick by Trent Alexander Arnold.

Also, another African player made it on the scoresheet for Liverpool. English Premier League top goal scorer for the 2017/18 season, Mohamed Salah, scored Liverpool’s third in a 3-0 victory against Van Dijk’s old club. This result means that Liverpool maintain their perfect start to the season with five straight victories in the league. Watch out for the African connection at this club!

Joel Matip of Liverpool celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield on September 22, 2018 in Liverpool, United Kingdom.

(Sept. 21, 2018 - Source: Alex Livesey/Getty Images Europe)

Brighton vs Tottenham (Saturday, 22 September 2018)

Tottenham grinded out a 2-1 win away from home. The main highlight from this match for us was the fact that Vincent Wanyama did not play yet again. The African player seems to have fallen out of favor at the London club which raises questions about his future. The Kenyan midfielder is too talented to be wasted on the bench at any club having been denied the opportunity to get some game time in the UEFA Champions League opener against Inter Milan.

Lucas Moura and VIctor Wanyama of Tottenham Hotspur FC play around while visting Venice Beach on July 24, 2018 in Venice, California.

(July 23, 2018 - Source: Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images North America)

West Ham vs Chelsea (Sunday, 23 September 2018)

We were keen to see two African players in action, with DR Congo international, Masuaku playing in his preferred left back role for West Ham United as well as Victor Moses being preferred on the right hand side of an attacking three for Chelsea. It was unfortunate to see Sari rotating that position bringing on William ahead of the Nigerian international who recently announced his retirement with an intention to focus on his career with Chelsea. Both teams had little to separate them as the game ended in another goalless draw.

Arsenal vs Everton (Sunday, 23 September 2018)

Gabonese international striker, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang continued his goal scoring form for Arsenal as he scored the second goal for the club in a 2-0 victory against Everton. The first was scored by fellow striker, Alexandre Lacazette who has formed a bromance with the former Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan striker. Nigerian midfielder, Alex Iwobi could only come off the bench for Aubameyang after his stellar performances in mid week where he was by far the man of the Match for Arsenal in the UEFA Europa League match against Vorskla Poltava.

FT Hidden Gem Series: On the rise, Senegal's Ismaila Sarr

“Sarr’s fast. He’s Mane fast. It must be a Senegalese thing. ”

— Tinotenda Magiya, FirstTouch Africa

Remember the world cup star boy? The name that people were looking forward to behold when Senegal played ought to be the Liverpool forward, Sadio Mane, but the African team had much more to offer in terms of depth with the young winger, Ismaila Sarr, stealing the show. The young forward was a surprise starter in the team ahead of the highly rated Keita Balde Diao and he never disappointed. His work-rate on the right flank warranted him a special mention in FirstTouch’s Hidden Gem Series. In this one, we catch up with what the player has been up to as well as making mention of the things that you might not have known about the player before his bow at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.

UEFA Europa League Stunner

Metz' Senegalese midfielder Ismaila Sarr (R) vies for the ball with Caen's French midfielder Julien Feret during the French L1 football match between Metz (FCM) and Caen (SMC) on April 15, 2017 at Saint Symphorien stadium in Longeville-Les-Metz, eastern France. . / AFP PHOTO / Jean Christophe VERHAEGEN

(April 14, 2017 - Source: AFP)

On Thursday, 20th of September, Ismaila star made the headlines for scoring a stunner in a UEFA Europa League match between his club, Stade Rennais and FK Jablonec. He received the ball on the left wing before playing a one two with a player in front of the arch before rifling in a short from 25 yards out which landed in the top right corner. There was only so much the keeper could do to stop Sarr’s opener. His club went on to win the match 2-1 thanks to another goal scored by Hartem Ben Arfa, another French player with African roots.

His start to the 2018/19 season

Sarr’s star has not been shy of goals having already scored 2 in the French Ligue 1 in just four starts. That’s an average of a goal in every 180 minutes. That is not actually a bad return for a 20-year old player still trying to find his feet at a new club which he moved to a little over a year ago. The Senegalese international is set to take Europe by storm having seen how other young players like Kylian Mbappe have developed their skills in the same league and have gone on to join Paris Saint Germain in a record breaking deal for a teenager. This should serve as enough motivation to up his game and impress Europe’s bigger sisters who can take his game to the next level. The player, however, looks happy and settled in Sabri Lamouchi’s team which is a positive for the club if they are to bring the best out of the African. The UEFA Europa League fixtures for Stade Rennais will be a priceless opportunity to see the young talent as he fares against some better opponents from across Europe. Fingers crossed that he won’t get any bad injuries which tend to slow most players’ progress.

Sarr’s Roots

Ismaila Sarr of Senegal and Juan Quintero of Colombia in action during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group H match between Senegal and Colombia at Samara Arena on June 28, 2018 in Samara, Russia.

(June 27, 2018 - Source: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images Europe)

You must be curious to find out how these amazing talents are identified, developed, and scouted to play for such teams. Ismaila Sarr was born in Saint-Louis, Senegal. He started his career at Generation Foot, a Senegalese football club in 2009. The player then signed for FC Metz, a French team in Ligue 2 on 13 July 2016. The skills he possessed in his locker could not allow him to respect his 5-year contract with the club as Stade Rennais came calling for his services just a year later. He has been with the club ever since.

What you need to know about him?

1. Sarr’s fast. He’s Mane fast. It must be a Senegalese thing.

2. The youngster is hard working. He has the energy to drop back and help out the defenders when out of possession.

3. He’s unorthodox. Sarr is unpredictable sometimes when in possession but that does not take away his quality contribution to the team.

4. He’s young which means there is a lot more to come from him.

FirstTouch sheds the light on the African players that seem to be under the radar. Sarr’s the latest. Follow him in his career as he plays for Stade Rennais and the Senegalese national team.

FT Hidden Gems Series: The short-gun, Ademola Lookman

Most of us might be familiar with the name Lookman because of the latest headline about him snubbing the chance to represent England for an African team. Aside from that, there is little known about the teenage prodigy that has been shaking the ground in the minor age groups but is still giving a headache to his current coach at Everton FC. Ademola Lookman is one of the many players in world football that we zoom into their career to understand what they are about.

Background

The 20-year old started his professional career at Charlton Athletic where he made his senior debut as a forward. In 2017, he was snapped up by Everton in a deal reported to be around £11 million which topped the world transfer news. The player has since been used as a winger to date. Before that, Ademola had attended St Thomas the Apostle College where he attained 3 A* and 5 As before pursuing his passion for football. As football fans, we appreciate the support from his family who encouraged him to pursue sport as a professional career ahead of academia. In the African context, it is not quite often that parents embolden their children to play soccer especially when their kids are A students like Lookman. Just a couple of years down the line, their faith in his decision is starting to pay off. Lookman has since played for the first team at Everton as well as RB Leipzig on a short stint this year.

On his attributes

Lookman started off as a striker as mentioned earlier. His goal scoring record in the U18 and U21 teams warranted him a position in the first team at Charlton where he eventually starred at a young age. He scored on his full debut before adding a brace in his second appearance just 10 days later. He managed a total of 10 goals in the 45 appearances he made for the club before moving to Everton. This rings a bell to how Marcus Rashford started off his career at Manchester United where he banged in goals for fun in his first UEFA Europa League, English Premier League and  FA Cup debuts. Much like Rashford, a change of management meant that the Lookman had to adapt to a new position at Everton.

Ademola Lookman of Everton is challenged by Arthur Masuaku of West Ham United during the Premier League match between Everton FC and West Ham United at Goodison Park on September 16, 2018 in Liverpool, United Kingdom.

(Sept. 15, 2018 - Source: Alex Livesey/Getty Images Europe)

The young forward was turned into a winger under the wings of two Everton managers in Roberto Martinez and Sam Allardyce, who deployed him mostly on the left side in the absence of the injured Yannick Bolasie. Lookman was mostly used later on in the match when Everton needed to waste time in the dying minutes and needed a fresh player capable of holding the ball at his feet. Little did they know that the young forward would grab his opportunity and start knocking on the door for a start in the Everton team. Sam Allardyce realised that the young player needed to gain some experience before making the next step in his career, and sent him on loan to RB Leipzig in Germany where he shined. Lookman came on as a late substitute against Borussia Monchengladbach and scored a late winner on his debut. He ended up scoring 5 goals in 11 appearances before the end of the 2017/18 season. The German club were dazzled by his direct play as he always demanded the ball before making forward runs which produced the goods for the club. Even from playing on the flanks, he still managed to score goals which is an attribute that many teams are lacking in the present day. It is not surprising that Leipzig tried to secure another short-term acquisition of the youngster to help their team especially in the summer in which they lost their Guinean starman, Naby Keita, to Liverpool.

Lookman can also play as a makeshift wing-back. He has the workrate and the pace needed on the byline which you can see in a player like Ashley Young who plays for Manchester United. However, it would be limiting his contribution if deployed in such a defensive position because he is far more dangerous when he is further up the pitch.

“Lookman was mostly used later on in the match when Everton needed to waste time in the dying minutes and needed a fresh player capable of holding the ball at his feet. Little did they know that the young forward would grab his opportunity and start knocking on the door for a start in the Everton team.”

— Tinotenda Magiya, FirstTouch Africa

On his decision to play for Nigeria ahead of England

Being born in England to Nigerian parents meant that the winger was eligible to represent a country of his choice between the two. He first turned down the advances made by Gernot Rohr, the Nigerian coach in 2017 because he had his mind set on playing for England in the FIFA U20-World Cup. One year later, it is a different story altogether.

Ademola Lookman of England gets past Dragos Nedelcu of Romania during the International Friendly between England U21 and Romania U21 at Molineux on March 24, 2018 in Wolverhampton, England.

(March 23, 2018 - Source: Gareth Copley/Getty Images Europe)

Recent reports on European football news suggested that the youngster realised that his chances of playing for England are blocked by quite a number of promising youngsters like Josh Onomah, Demarai Gray and Ryan Sessegnon. This explains why he intends to play for the Super Eagles of Nigeria instead of England whom he has represented at youth level.

Also, the fact that Victor Moses announced his retirement from international football means that there is a position up for grabs in the first team which Ademola Lookman would be looking to grab and make his own. With Everton’s Henry Onyekuru also lurking, it will by no means be a walk in the park.

Achievements:

1. FIFA U20-World Cup 2017 (he scored 3 goals in the tournament

2. LFE Championship Apprentice of the Year 2015/16

What’s next for the Nigerian?

Lookman has fallen down the pecking order at Everton now that Marco Silva is the new head coach and acquired the services of Richarlison for £50 million pounds from Watford. The Brazilian plays in the same position as the young Nigerian and seems to have the confidence of the manager. Maybe Lookman has to keep his head down and wait for his chance at the club after he failed to secure another loan move away from Everton before transfer deadline day.

Another option could be to leave for another club that will give him a chance to prove that he deserves a place in the Nigeria’s Super Eagles squad for the 2018 Africa Cup of nations which will be hosted by Cameroon. Lookman has a bright future ahead of him and FirstTouch would want to benchmark his career to that of other football legends like Didier Drogba, George Weah, etc. when he eventually hangs his boots.

France's second World Cup triumph a win for African immigrants everywhere

France's World Cup 2018 winning team featured no less than 15 players with African roots.

Moscow, Russia - Luzhniki Stadium:  With a 4-2 win on Sunday, July 15th, France stepped over Croatia onto the podium for their 2nd ever World Cup title. The historical win marks their first major tournament win since 2000 when they won the European Championship, just two years after their legendary and inaugural World Cup win in 1998. And just like in ’98, France’s current batch of champions features a generous amount of immigrants. That first wave of the Golden Age graced the world with multinational French talents such as Marcel Desailly, Patrick Viera, and even Zinedine Zidane. For France, ’98 marked an unveiling of sorts of a talent pool so rich that for the tournament, then coach Aime Jacquet only selected three Parisians in his World Cup roster. The previous ’84 Euro-winning team had just one. The youth of Africa had created a new formula for the French.

Where was this infamous talent pool located? You’d have to go back to the late 1940s-50s when France was rebuilding the country after the destruction of WWII. By 1965, almost 3 million of France’s population were immigrants. By 1975, after a second wave of immigrants came to France from West Africa and the Caribbean, due to an economic shift and a country-wide labour shortage, 35% of France’s immigrants were African. These immigrants would often relocate on the outskirts of major cities such as Paris, Lyon, and Marseille, and in recent decades, these cities have become home to the children and grandchildren of these African immigrants. These cities are separated from Paris only by a single highway that circles around the city like a cage.

Thierry Henry, a youth product of Clairefontaine thrived in World Cup '98 for France

Timing, they say, is everything, but rarely a coincidence. During this same period of time, France were experiencing by far their least successful era in international football. Through 1960-1975, their men’s national team failed to qualify for two separate World Cup tournaments and a European Championship. In 1975, with the “How the f!@# do we get better?!” question creating pressure amidst the FFF (French Football Federation), then president Fernand Sastre created Clairefontaine, an academy for the country’s youth elite. At the time, Clairefontaine was regarded as arguably the finest footballing academy on the globe, as it produced some of the most gifted French players of the budding French Golden Age like Thierry Henry, Nicolas Anelka, and William Gallas. The rest is, what you call, history. 

Today, France's championship-winning World Cup team featured 15 players African roots, including the young man of the hour Kylian Mbappe, who was born to a Cameroonian father and an Algerian mother.  Defender Samuel Umtiti was born in Yaoundé, Cameroon, before emigrating with his family when he was two years old. Fellow defenseman Adil Rami, was born in Corsica to Moroccan parents and is the only player in the squad with North African descent. Midfield general N’Golo Kanté is also of Malian heritage. It has been wonderful for the world to get to see the entire team of heroes as well as their African sports icons embraced for bringing honor to the nation they have chosen to represent.

Mbappe finished the tournament with 4 goals and World Cup's best young player honors. 

During the 2010 World Cup, the team encountered many discipline issues. Instead of an investigation into the dysfunction that had led to such a situation, the criticism was focused on questioning the players’ loyalty to their country since they had roots abroad.

I hope that this national pride continues. It was not too long ago, when in 2011, the French Football Federation and then France manager, Laurent Blanc, faced accusations that they had secretly discussed limiting the number of places for players from ethnic minorities at their headquarters in Clairefontaine that would have seen players as young as 12 passed over in order to make room for their white counterparts.” In 2000, a poll indicated that around 36 percent of the French population thought that there were “too many players of foreign origin in the French football team.” Though the newfound celebration of their multi-racial national team is a positive, it is even more essential that this respect extends to the non-sports playing immigrants in the country who are still dealing with racial and ethnic discriminations based on the color of their skin or the countries they may be migrating from.

Steven Nzonzi, a French midfielder for Sevilla, is born to a Congolese father. 

A fan of the game myself, it has been rather enjoyable to watch the world celebrate the Boys from the Banlieue. Like you, I have read the articles, Facebook posts, and Twitter comments celebrating the French team as the last standing African team in the tournament. As a Cameroonian, these statements have been relatable. A lot of us share a sense of pride when we see moments of African excellence such as this. And while I congratulate France for adding a second World Cup star to their jersey, this is not a hate piece against the country, but rather a challenge to the African football federations. While even the harshest critic would admit that luck was not on the side of the five African nations representing the continent in the 2018 World Cup, the reality has still been a bitter pill to swallow for most. Out of these countries, none made it past the group stage of the tournament. This marks the first time since 1982 where an African team hasn't progressed to the Round of 16 in World Cup competition. AFCON 2019 will represent a chance for the continent to celebrate its culture, and the teams, especially the ones who missed out on Russia, an opportunity at redemption. The question that will be looming over many heads at CAF and the Ghana’s, Nigeria’s, and Cameroon’s of the world is how can we not only retain but continue to improve the youth talent pool in our African countries?  

African Football 101: FirstTouch’s 8 points

Introduction

Nwako Kanu, Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Toure, George Weah, Samuel Kuffor and now Mohamed Salah – these are some of the big name African footballers who have illuminated Europe’s top domestic leagues. But with so many dazzling stars over the years, what does football on the African continent really look like? Do they have leagues, transfer windows? Are there any more Sadio Mane’s that some clubs could benefit from? How do Africans and the world see their football? Well, the list of questions goes on but here is one perspective from an African.

A.It all begins with a rubbish ball

Old newspapers, plastics, string, foam rubber and a touch of fire are all the right ingredients that make a soccer ball. In the streets of Harare, kids barely five years old scan through rubbish dumps to collect materials to make their own soccer balls either because their parents cannot afford a real one or that it would smash windows when they play in the streets. That’s where stars are first made, in the tiny tarred roads separating homesteads, battling it out barefooted. Fast forward a few more years and then the kids are old enough to play in dust community football pitches or at school where they soon become town celebrities. This is largely the narrative, not only in Harare but most parts of Africa. They are not a lot of fancy football academies there.

B. Club football

Probably 1 in maybe 1000 talented footballers actually end up playing for the local clubs. Most of them are lost in the system of “get good grades to get a job,” a popular slogan of risk averse parents. But who would blame them, as most of the domestic football leagues are poorly funded and dominated not by young talent but more mature “talent” looking to fend for their families.

For those few who actually make it, there is a bit of silver lining in some leagues. For example, the South African Premier League (PSL) which is fast becoming a powerhouse. It ships players mainly from Zimbabwe, Nigeria and many other African countries because in reality, other countries seem to host better talent than them. They do have a footballing calendar closely aligned to that in Europe and transfer windows where millions of rands are spent. But for a long time, club football on the continent has been dominated by North African clubs such as Al Ahly and Zamalek.

It is in some of these football leagues, where the Mo Salahs or George Weahs are first spotted and find themselves living the dream in Europe. There is another route where affluent parents send their children to academies abroad or that the families relocate and the kids found themselves growing up in foreign countries and pursuing the dream. This is the case of Alex Iwobi, the Nigerian and Arsenal youngster who grew up in England, Delle Alli (a Nigerian adopted by English parents), Mario Balotelli and many more.

C. Internationals

Like anywhere else in the world, when nations clash, its mostly about the bragging rights. Over the years, Africa has been dominated by West Africans such as Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Mali and Ivory Coast. They are known for their huge physicality while North Africans who consistently rank hire boast of some scintillating passing football, probably because they are close to countries like France and Spain. But all this is slowly changing, physical or scintillating football is coming from anywhere, it all depends on who is coaching the team especially now when most African teams employ coaches from outside the continent.

In terms of performances on global tournaments like the World Cup, because of the talent both at home and abroad, Africans should be doing more. But usually, inconsistent showings are earmarked by stories of low or non-payment of allowances and lack of insurance for players.

The nicknames of most national teams are as fierce as they come, Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, Super Eagles of Nigeria, Lions of Terranga (Senegal), Warriors of Zimbabwe, Lions of the Atlas (Morrocco), Desert foxes (Algeria), Copper Bullets of Zambia, the list is endless. What a powerhouse of names!