The rebirth of Ghana’s Jeffrey Schlupp

“ It therefore came as no surprise when Schlupp beat Wilfred Zaha in the fans’ vote to pick up the Palace’s Player of The Month gong. ”

— Siphosethu Thwala, FirstTouch Africa

The adage “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” has an interesting way of playing itself out in real life. If Jeffrey Schlupp’s recent form is anything to go by, then Leicester City might have reconsidered offloading him two years back. The Ghanaian midfielder is certainly on a roll. Schlupp’s string of impressive performances have earned the in-form midfielder, the Club’s Player of The Month for February. The German-born Schlupp, who joined Palace from Leicester City in 2017, will hope to earn a Ghana recall ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations in June-July, having last played for the Black Stars in 2017.

The 26-year-old has been a regular throughout the month and has impressed Roy Hodgson enough to command a starting berth in the middle of the park, holding off competition from Max Meyer and the fit-again Cheikhou Kouyate. Being back in the starting eleven has rewarded Schlupp handsomely, with the player scoring five goals this season in all competitions and topping that with a handful of assists. It therefore came as no surprise when Schlupp beat Wilfred Zaha in the fans’ vote to pick up the Palace’s Player of The Month gong. With Wilfried Zaha struggling to match his output for last term, and the likes of Jordan Ayew and Christian Benteke underperforming, Schlupp is emerging as an unlikely hero for Palace as they look to pull away from the hotly contested relegation zone.

Jeffrey Schlupp of Crystal Palace celebrates after scoring his team's first goal 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)

Interestingly, Schlupp was amongst the goals during Palace’s opening match of the season against Fulham. Nonetheless, the player was in and out of the side during the latter part of 2018. As was the case at Leicester, where he was often overlooked for Christian Fuchs, it appeared as though Schlupp had failed to convince another Premier League manager that he was a worthy, regular starter in the top flight. Ironically, that has changed over the course of the season as Roy Hodgson has heaped praise on the underrated midfielder. Commenting on the 26-year-old’s resurgence off late, Hodgson said “I believe in him as a left-back, I believe in him as a left-sided player and I believe in him as a left midfield player in a three because he has a lot of qualities.”

Many will remember Schlupp as one of the first players to leave the Foxes after winning the Premier League in the 2016/2017 season. During his two years with Leicester, Schlupp managed just four goals, but he has already surpassed that tally this season alone as he had five goals as of end of February 2019. Now, filled with loads of confidence, and clearly taking responsibility as some of Palace’s bigger names lose their way, one would be forgiven to think that Schlupp’s fine run of form is most likely to continue.

Do you think the versatile Ghanaian international is underrated?

Africans on the move and what they bring to their respective clubs

Oumar Niasse of Everton arrives at the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Everton and Southampton at Goodison Park on May 5, 2018 in Liverpool, England.

(May 4, 2018 - Source: Alex Livesey/Getty Images Europe)

The winter transfer window is known for being an opportunity for the stranded to make-up on their weaknesses and bolster their squads in a bid to save their campaign with 6 months left before the end of the season for most football leagues across the globe. January came and passed, and it is no surprise that Africans dominated the headlines of players on the move to different leagues. Let’s briefly look into those that made the loudest buzz.

Niasse – Everton to Cardiff

With the unexpected disappearance of Emiliano Sala, Cardiff City were left stranded without a striker. In Sala, they had found the answer to their problems further up the pitch. Cardiff needed goals to get out of the relegation places and turned their attention to Everton forward Oumar Niasse.

Niasse was once again struggling for game-time this season, under Marco Silva. He was limited to just 5 substitute appearances since the beginning of the campaign. In contrast, Niasse has already started 3 matches under Neil Warnock at Cardiff although he is yet to repay the boss’ faith in bringing him to the struggling team in this difficult time.

What to expect: Niasse is not the prolific goalscorer that a club like Cardiff wish they had but he is guaranteed to put in a performance and chip in with an odd goal when it matters the most.

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)

Victor Moses – Chelsea to Fenerbahce

This is a weird one. You would have thought the former Nigerian international would have a chance to show his true potential in a wide forward role at a big club after announcing his retirement from international football. Maurizio Sarri had other plans. There were early signs that most of us ignored. Callum Hudson-Odoi was handed a start against Arsenal in pre-season ahead of the experienced Victor Moses. The situation did not get better for him as he could only manage 26 minutes in the English Premier League.

However, he has since sought greener pastures after deciding to move to Fenerbahce on an 18-month loan deal. The move is positive for the African player as it presents him an opportunity to start afresh at a relatively competitive side that often play UEFA Champions League football. Victor Moses will look to make the right flank his own in the Turkish League and once again prove how deadly he can be with the backing of his manager.

Angel Martin Correa (R) of Atletico de Madrid competes for the ball with Yohan Benalouane (L) of Leicester City FC during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final first leg match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Leicester City at Vicente Calderon Stadium on April 12, 2017 in Madrid, Spain.

(April 11, 2017 - Source: Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images Europe)

What to expect: Moses has long been criticized for his goalscoring stats and it does not look like he would change that anytime soon with the player well in his 20s. But, he could breathe a new life in terms of creativity for the legendary club and regenerate his career like Gervinho who happens to be steamrolling the Italian Serie A.

Yohan Benalouane – Leicester to Nottingham Forest

It was only a matter of time before the 31-year old left the King Power Stadium. His colleagues have been gradually freezed out of the first team fold because of their age and Claude Puel has preferred Harry Maguire who is owning the centre back spot and not looking back. Moving away from Leicester City was the only logical thing for the Tunisian international if he wished to increase the number of minutes he was getting.

Nottingham Forest came in for the experienced defender. Their ambition is to make it to the play-off places as they currently lie 5 points adrift of 6th placed Bristol City. The club have been in great need of a player to protect the backline and they have got one in Yohan.

What to expect: Yohan Benalouane might be a bit rusty which explains the 3 yellow cards and 1 red card he has already received in the Championship. However, they will soon enjoy the presence of the towering defender who bullies strikers for fun and shrugs off anyone who comes his way.

Kevin Prince Boateng’s shocking move to Barcelona explained

You know you are a liar if you say you saw this one coming! Yes, Barcelona have confirmed the signing of Ghanaian legend Kevin Prince Boateng from Sassuolo in the 2019 Winter Transfer Window. The versatile forward will be joining the club on an initial €2m loan for the remainder of the season with an option to buy mooted to be in region of €8 million. But why are we really surprised by this move?

His playing positions

Kevin-Prince Boateng of US Sassuolo pulls the ball into the goal during the serie A match between US Sassuolo and Genoa CFC at Mapei Stadium - Citta' del Tricolore on September 2, 2018 in Reggio nell'Emilia, Italy.

(Sept. 1, 2018 - Source: Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images Europe)

Kevin Prince Boateng is one of the most versatile players that we have seen in recent years. In the early stages of his career, he played in all of the midfield positions that you can think of. He anchored the stew in England with Portsmouth and Tottenham before being given the creative responsibilities in Italy and Germany with teams like AC Milan and Schalke FC. Just recently, he was deployed as an out and out striker at the Spanish club Las Palmas.

I do not see him adding anything to the already packed midfield of the Blaugrana who have Arthur and Coutinho taking turns to prove themselves in late cameos off the bench. Even in front, Ernesto Valverde has the experienced Luis Suarez and arguably the world’s greatest footballer of all time, Lionel Messi, who also plays as a forward. This would only mean that the African player will have to settle for a second fiddle role to the latter. He could be a competent substitute forward.

His age

The former Ghanaian international shined at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa with his nation. His performances left fond memories in our minds which make it surreal to even think that that was 9 years ago. On the 6th of March this year, Kevin Prince Boateng will be turning 32 years of age. The tall and aggressive all-rounder might not be past his prime yet but is close to the retirement package days which raises questions as to why he would join Barcelona now. He has lost some of his pace and will not be the ferocious threat he was at Milan under Allegri, but will have to complement it with his experience. He has been kicking the ball up and down the soccer pitch for close to 15 years now and can surely manage to do the basics in the remainder of this season.  

“Kevin Prince Boateng is one of the most versatile players that we have seen in recent years. In the early stages of his career, he played in all of the midfield positions that you can think of. He anchored the stew in England with Portsmouth and Tottenham before being given the creative responsibilities in Italy and Germany with teams like AC Milan and Schalke FC.”

— Tinotenda Magiya, FirstTouch Africa

The Club

Kevin Prince Boateng is a well-known Real Madrid fan who once shared in an interview in 2017 that he would prefer to play for Real Madrid than Barcelona. He even went on to express his frustration that he had not gotten to the club of his dreams because he had not been hard on himself enough to improve his game to reach a level required at the Spanish club. Knowing all this, surely, the Barcelona fans would not be happy about having a Madridista on their books considering the rivalry between the two clubs. In his defense, Boateng said, “Don’t ask me about Real Madrid... is just the past! I only want to focus on Barcelona and I hope to score at Bernabéu for the next Clasico.”

We can say a lot about this transfer but there’s one fact to be acknowledged by all. Boateng has played for many clubs in Europe, now 11 to be exact, and has always delivered. It says a lot about him and the many African players who have done it before him. Make sure to follow him during his time at Barcelona.

We argue Real Madrid could be fixed in two Senegalese signatures

“This is where Koulibaly would come in handy. Plug him next to the experienced Ramos and the 2018 World Cup winner, Raphael Varane and no one would dare to attack them in open play.”

— Tinotenda Magiya, FirstTouch Africa

We all know it! It’s not working. The biggest club in world football is struggling. They lost two leaders at the end of last season. Cristiano Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane departed the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu for personal reasons which are closely linked. With them, they left a club with an ageing defence and toothless attack. Both of them were bringing out the best in the Madrid squad to play on the biggest stage, but the Spanish club has since lost that. So now what? How do they solve this? Two players. Kalidou Koulibaly and Sadio Mane.

Add another body in defence

Kalidou Koulibaly is arguably the best centre back in the world right now. The Senegalese has been consistent in his performances for a while now and his efforts are starting to be recognized by many. But what about Ramos you may ask. Check his stats. Whoscored gathered that he’s averaging 0.7 blocks per game in the Spanish La Liga. His defensive work rate is now off the pace although his attacking prowess is undeniable. Ramos has scored 7 goals and provided 1 assist already across all competitions this season which shows that he has a lot to offer. With him leading the attack from the back, he could benefit from having the presence of the African defender who is more than capable of bossing around some of the toughest strikers in Europe having already pocketed the likes Edinson Cavani when Napoli faced Paris Saint-Germain in November 2018. Koulibaly could ease the pressure off the Real Madrid captain who is turning 33 in less than two months.

Trying a different formation

Sadio Mane of Senegal 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: Michael Steele/Getty Images Europe)

It’s all fun and games when a team plays one way and are getting results. We have seen it over the years with Roberto Mancini’s Manchester City that was conservative against its opposition and pounced on the break with some frightening counter-attacking play. Real Madrid have had that aura in them and dispatched teams the Madrid way. But gone are the days when the never changing 4-3-3 formation of the Los Blancos was feared. They have been figured out. Changing formation to a 3-4-3 could prove to be a masterclass. Antonio Conte used it at Chelsea and he has an English Premier League title to show for it. But Madrid cannot use it as they lack the quality at the back. This is where Koulibaly would come in handy. Plug him next to the experienced Ramos and the 2018 World Cup winner, Raphael Varane and no one would dare to attack them in open play. Such is the significance of the Senegalese defender who brings a new dimension not only to the defense but to the style of play for the whole team. I am rooting for his signature.

Add quality in attack

Real Madrid are lacking the quality on the top end of the pitch. That’s evident. Galacticos have always been a solution in times of need for the club and they always will be. Why not make Sadio Mane the next Galactico. I know, I know, not a name on everyone’s minds but hear me out. He’s a player more than capable of carrying the weight of the team on his shoulders. We saw it not long ago. At the biggest stage, Sadio Mane stood up for Liverpool in the 2018 UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid. He came through with a goal and caused havoc for the reigning European champions. In him, Real Madrid have got a player who beats players, creates and a player who is hungry for success having not won any trophy since moving to Liverpool from Southampton in 2016. Sadio Mane could bring back that fear factor that is lacking from the Spanish giants.

Inspire the new generation

Florentino Perez has made efforts to improve his attack. He has put his faith in the youngsters making noise in the junior age groups and managed to attract them to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. We have seen it Vinicius Jr, Brahim Diaz, Marco Asensio, Diaz Mariano and with Rodrigo Rodrigues who is still yet to make his way to the club from Gremio. There has been a lot of hype around these youngsters and we have seen some glimpses of hope in some. However, they have come short whenever they have been called up to task this season. I am sure they probably watched Ronaldo when he was playing and learnt a few lessons. What then do they need? They need another player with influence whom they can pick a few things from. Sadio Mane could come in and do that job. Show them another side of an attacking player capable of putting in the work and press high up the pitch when the team suffers. Bring some new inspiration into the dressing room and maybe, just maybe, Real Madrid could turn their misfortune around.

Get these two and Real Madrid could be revived in no time and forget the loopholes left by Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo’s departures.

Will Ivory Coast’s Jean Seri be enough for Fulham?

“With his midfield boxing ability and agility, he looks exactly like what Fulham needs but has had since the beginning of the season.”

— Simiso Shabangu, FirstTouch Africa

Sometimes when a ship sinks, it’s not all the mighty men that are called out for help, but rather many call upon the name of the captain. Fulham is finding itself in a similar position where relegation is looming closer than any possible win. With that threat slowly becoming a reality, players and fans have looked around and cast their eyes on Jean Michel Seri. Will the Ivorian be enough to stop what might befall the Cottagers or will he possibly go down together with the London ‘ship’.

Looming Danger

Jean Michael Seri poses with the Carling Goal of the Month Award for August 2018 at Fulham FC Training Ground on September 12, 2018 in New Malden, England.

(Sept. 11, 2018 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

Fulham were recently promoted to the English Premier League after waiting for a while. In the 2015/2016 season, they finished 20th in the EFL Championship and were saved from relegation by 11 points. In typical water into wine staff, they got the “We are finally Premier League” card in June of this year. Even though they are stars in the current LilyWhites setup acquired for over £120 million in the summer, things are not looking good for the West Londoners as they are rock-bottom on the Premier League standings with a single win in 12 matches.

Technical Ability

With his midfield boxing ability and agility, he looks exactly like what Fulham needs but has had since the beginning of the season. His former coach, Slavisa Jokanovic, who just got axed was quoted saying, “Fulham does not have players like that, so he has come as the right answer.” The talented midfielder is physically fit in a way that is worthy of the Premier League which is arguably the most demanding league in Europe. He knows how to snatch the ball from the opponent while possessing the ability to shoot  from distance. Above that, he is quite acquainted with the 3-5-2 or 4-2-3 formations that demand very gifted midfielders like himself. With what he has to offer, is it enough for him to help his team survive the chop? It is argued that if a player has the ability to play in the formation that most teams in the league play, then victory is not something that is far off. It is also a bit too early in the league to draw conclusions about relegation in the league as we are only 12 games into it. A lot can still change and Seri can still show up more for the Cottagers.

Bigger Challenge

Riyad Mahrez of Leicester City shakes hands with manager Claudio Ranieri as he is replaced during the Barclays Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Leicester City at Selhurst Park on March 19, 2016 in London, United Kingdom.

(March 18, 2016 - Source: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images Europe)

The challenge is that the issue of relegation does not come as a result of one player and cannot be solved by individuals. Tim Sherwood, the former Tottenham manager cited the lack of quality of players in the squad as a reason for the relegation fears. He said the problem even goes beyond the way they play but it lies deeply with the caliber of players that they have bought. What that then means is that in spite of how good the 27-year-old Jean Serri can be, he cannot save his team from relegation. After all, he is just a midfielder, who takes up so much space of the field and cannot be a complete squad on his own. Furthermore, Fulham also spent over £120 million purchasing new players into the team. Having a lot of new players is coin toss as you have may people who are not accustomed to the style of play of the team. Being a great player is one thing, but being merged into the culture of a team is a game changer. With all the challenges that the team is facing, it becomes even more evident that the talent and dedication of the Ivorian midfielder may not enough to save the day.

The final word, though, is that the talks about relegation might be a bit premature at this point. A single game can change a team’s course. We will sit back and see if the highly rated Jean Michel Seri who previously attracted the likes of Arsenal and Barcelona before eventually switching to West London, will be enough to avert Fulham’s relegation. Additionally, the sacking of Slavisa Jokanovic and appointment of Claudio Ranieri who led Leicester City to a fairytale premier league title in the 2015/16 season could be an interesting plot twist for Fulham and Seri. Other African players such as Riyad Mahrez and Jeffrey Schlupp shined under Ranieri’s tenure at the Foxes. Seri and Fulham may be the latest beneficiaries of his abilities and experience, or not.

We will be watching.

Zimbabwean teen signs Burnley deal

England born forward, Tinashe Chakwana, has signed his first professional contract with Premier League side, Burnley. Chakwana has been nothing less than phenomenal at the Turf Moor, shining for the club’s youth teams. The 19-year-old was the top scorer for the club’s Under 18 side in the 2016/17 and carried that momentum into the 2017/18 season where he again topped the scoring charts, this time for the Under 23 side. The Wigan-born striker is really showing signs of possibly breaking into the Sean Dyche ’s first team at the club who remarkably secured a seventh-place finish in the English top flight league, behind the acclaimed big six of Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham, Chelsea, and Arsenal.

He is one of only two players from the youth teams that were offered professional contracts by the Clarets. Chakwana and age mate, Mark Howarth signed one-year deals with an option to add another year. Speaking about Chakwana who has been at Burnley since 2015 on scholarship, his former coach, Michael Jolly at the Under-23 side said:

"Tinashe's quality is improving tremendously. He is scoring goals for the team and that's important for a forward player Our aim is to get more players into the first team and we have more players training as part of the first team group from the Under-21 side and Tinashe is one of those players who have the potential to break into the first team soon." - Michael Jolly

By virtue of being born in England, Chakwana is eligible to play for the Three Lions or his parents’ origin. Zimbabwe will most definitely be keeping tabs with this exciting talent.

Abroad: Latest instalment of the Salah show, a dozen club accolades

Man of the hour, perhaps the days, months, years and lifetimes is not showing any signs of losing his blistering form. The Egyptian forward struck again on Tuesday night in Liverpool’s UEFA Champions League victory against Manchester City to book a semi-final date with AS Roma on the 22nd of April. Football commentators now believe he has some ice in his veins because of his ever-increasing ice-cold finishes that have always proven decisive to Liverpool’s cause in this campaign. The club, Liverpool FC have awarded him a sixth Player of the Month award for March 2018. Moh Salah scored six goals in five matches in the month including the four he bagged against Watford. In similar fashion, the Premier League also merited him a third Player of the Month Award for March, becoming the first person to win a hat-trick of such awards.

Salah is the leading goal scorer in the Premier League with 29, five goals ahead of closest chaser, Harry Kane. He is on 39 goals for the season and one more goal will make him the first player to reach 40 goals for Liverpool since Ian Rush in 1986-87. Speaking at Melwood after receiving the club award, he is what the Egyptian King had to say.

“Thank you. I’m very happy to win it again, but as I said many times the most important thing is to win the games and to get the points. I always try to score to help the team to get the points.”

— Mohamed Salah

His Manager, Jurgen Klopp, also had something to say on his Premier League Player of the Month hat-trick.

“It’s deserved — it’s not that you think; Wow, how did that happen?. He is an outstanding player and we played a really good season, but he is in all the decisions — in decisive moments, he is involved.”

— Jurgen Klopp

Do you think Salah can lead Liverpool to UCL glory, an outstanding World cup campaign for Egypt and possibly win the Ballon D’or?

Abroad: Harry Kane desperate to beat Salah to the golden boot

Tottenham and English striker, Harry Kane has revealed his intentions to try and catch up with Egyptian trickster, Mohamed Salah on the race to the English Premier League top goal scorer award. Kane claimed Spurs’ second goal in their 2-1 win away at Stoke City. However, the Premier League Goals Accreditation panel gave the goal to Kane’s Danish teammate, Christian Eriksen. In a post-match interview, the English forward alluded that the Eriksen’s free kick brushed off his shoulder before hitting the back of the net.

“I swear on my daughter’s life that I touched the ball, but there’s nothing I can do. If they turn it around, they turn it around. If they take my word, they take my word.”

— Harry Kane

Tottenham have made a decision to lodge an appeal to the Premier League to review their decision for Kane to be awarded the goal. The 24-year-old was starting his first match for Spurs since 11th of March after being sidelined with an injury. He is currently on 24 EPL goals, five behind Salah who would win the golden boot in his first season at Liverpool if Kane fails to catch up. The Tottenham man is hunting his 3rd consecutive golden boot to equal Thierry Henry’s EPL record and very much believes he can still get the job done. But with Salah firing across all cylinders, only time will tell.

When asked about Mo Salah, Kane replied:

“I’ve got to focus on my game. I can’t control what he does. Obviously, as a striker, it would be great to win the golden boot again and I will keep working hard from now until the end of the season”

— Harry Kane

Sanchez's Manchester United Career Off to a Mixed Start

Alexis Sanchez switched from Arsenal to Manchester United in a swap deal that involved Henrikh Mkhitaryan going the other way. The player was frustrated by the lack of ambition that is surrounding the Emirates Stadium. What he probably did not expect was that his move to the Red Devils would not yield instant results like he did at Arsenal. Most recently, his coach Jose Mourinho admitted that the team is not getting the best out of the forward. This is because he came in as a big profile signing that was expected to bring back the attacking aura to the second placed team but had little time to gel with the philosophy of the coach and the chemistry of the team. That is still yet to happen. In his defense, Mourinho is a defensive minded coach and his tactics are mostly centered on counter-attacking the opposition which does not suit the winger who always demands the ball and wants to have a go at defenders. Time is running out for the winger before critics start calling him a flop because his current return of 1 goal in 441 minutes in the Premier League is quite shocking for a player with his abilities. After turning in his best performance to date in a 2-1 win over Liverpool at Old Trafford, he will be looking to build some momentum both in the league and Manchester United's upcoming 2nd leg against Sevilla in the Champions League. 

Race For EPL Top Goalscorer

Mohamed Salah of Liverpool is on par with Harry Kane as the English Premier League top goal scorer with 24 already to his name this season. The Egyptian winger is the talk of the moment and was interviewed by former Liverpool player Jamie Carragher on Friday. The player reflected on the fact that he has managed to score against all the other top 6 teams except for Manchester United and he feels he still has some unfinished business. He recalls the missed chances in the game played at Anfield and has been studying De Gea’s weaknesses because he is planning on scoring past the goalkeeper who is in the form of his career as well. The player says he looks for a goal in each game and wants to continue with his impressive form and go on to win the golden boot ahead of the best strikers in England. Do you think the Egyptian has what it takes to outscore Harry Kane, Sergio Aguero and the rest? Drop your comments below.

Batman in Town!

About a year ago, the English Premier League was in awe of the performances of Liverpool attacker Sadio Mane who had joined the team from Southampton. He graced the stench supporters of the Merseysiders who had lacked quality in the final third after having lost Suarez, Sterling and losing Daniel Sturridge to injuries. Now the 2017/18 season brought more excitement to the League through the team’s acquisition of a gem in Mo Salah who has surprised most by his goals. But that is not the end of it. Arsenal have brought their own.

Pierre Emerick Aubameyang (nicknamed the Batman for his heroic antics) is a prolific goalscorer proven in the German Bundesliga where he outscored Robert Lewandowski before his move to Arsenal. Aubameyang’s move created a buzz and brought hope to the Arsenal side that have been struggling in recent months if not years. He showed early signs of what he is capable of when he chipped Jordan Pickford as he scored Arsenal’s fourth goal against Everton. We hope the striker lights up the league as his predecessors in Mahrez, Mane and Salah in recent years.

The Legacy of African Football

Introduction

For many years, the African continent has been described as the “dark continent” because of its myriad of challenges such as civil wars, malnutrition, poor governance amongst many other reasons. That narrative is slowly changing, as Africa the has become the second fastest growing economic region. Just as citizens are working together to bring out the much desired change in Africa, football stars have been no different. Coming from humble and sometimes difficult backgrounds and then going on to bag big monies in Europe or elsewhere, they hardly forget their roots. Here is a list of some of the icons who have left their mark on the continent.

Didier Drogba

Who else to begin with but the Chelsea man who scored more than 100 English Premier League goals and won them their only UEFA Champions League trophy in 2012. He certainly was a fan favorite in London but even more adored in the West African nation. Even though he failed to win the Afcon title for the Ivory Coast, he did give them a lot to cheer about. Drogba once used his influence to broker a ceasefire between rebel fighters and the government by advocating for an African Cup of Nations qualifier to be held in the rebel town of Bouake.

He established the Didier Drogba Foundation to improve the health and education of children in Africa. Didier once pledged to use all his endorsement revenues for charitable causes beginning with the $3 million he got from Pepsi. He used it to set up a hospital in Abidjan in 2009.

Michael Essien

The midfield maestro who was loved by Mourinho for his resilience and strong tackles on the pitch was truly a “black star” in Ghana, giving light and hope to thousands. He had a very successful career in Europe playing for Chelsea, Real Madrid and AC Millan. The ever smiling Ghanaian set up the Michael Essien Foundation to raise funds to help the less fortunate access basic amenities such as public toilets, health care equipment, libraries and clean drinking water. He is also involved in Reading Goals initiative which seeks to inculcate reading habits in students. In June 2013, Essien organized the “Game of Hope” charity match in Accra which pitted African footballers against other global footballers to raise awareness on the need of peace.

Nwako Kanu

The ex-Arsenal and Nigerian Super Eagles star was such a wonder on the pitch. Standing over 6 ft. tall, he would dance past defenders and surely became a reliable marksman for the Gunners. After escaping a heart scare himself, Kanu opened the Nwako Kanu Heart Foundation in 2000 to assist young children in Nigerian and the rest of Africa to obtain heart surgeries. The UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador’s Foundation has arranged for over 1000 children to travel abroad and get heart surgeries done.

George Weah

Mister George is perhaps the most decorated African player of all time. He really had a great time in Europe where he played for Monaco, PSG, AC Millan, Chelsea and Manchester City. In that period, he won two French titles, 2 Italian Serie A titles, 3 CAF Player of the year awards and the FIFA Ballon d’Or. After being involved in Goodwill ambassadorial work for the UN and UNICEF, Weah began a political career which peaked with him becoming Liberia’s President in a historic election for the country.

Joseph Yobo

The former Everton and Nigerian center-half is probably not as popular as the above four man in football matters but his work off the pitch has been equally beneficial. He started the Joseph Yobo Charity Foundation in Nigeria which has seen over 300 students ranging from primary to university receive educational scholarships. Yobo also set up a football academy in Nigeria’s Ogoni Region.

Conclusion

It may not be all of them but if we are to sum up the legacy of African football legends in a sentence, it would be that of developmental work on the continent. With their contributions and that of other individuals from varied industries, the rising continent of Africa has a bright future that will forever be linked to the game of football..