Africa watch

GRude wrote:I only count the black teams as African tbh.

GRude wrote:I only count the black teams as African tbh.

Luca wrote:A low point?

When exactly were African nations known to be powerhouses in the World Cup?

2014:
Cameroon 0 points
Ivory Coast 3 points (3rd in group)
Nigeria 4 points (2nd in group)
Ghana 1 point
Algeria 4 points (2nd in group)

Are we that far off?

Seems like these nations are being overrated heavily because they have a couple easily recognizable players

However, the football projects established in Africa are often used for political and economic purposes that only harm Africa’s future rather than support domestic development, both at grassroots and national level. Hence while individual African talents continue to emerge and flourish in Europe, the game itself in Africa seems to have declined and reversed back to its beginnings. Of course, whether we should subscribe to this myth of ‘progress’ is entirely up to individuals, but the evidence of institutionalized corruption in Africa as well as the increase exploitation of players by European sides, or as some say the new form slavery, is putting the future of the game into jeopardy.

The European clubs that cream off the best African talent are not there to develop the infrastructure or grassroots of the game; for them it’s all about business and trying their best to secure talented players at an early age in the hope of striking it rich in the future. Great chance for players to develop and establish themselves in Europe, no doubt, but little does it help to shape the legacy of football development within Africa.

Some of the individual-ran football projects around the world targeting to help develop an African football community are also not, unfortunately, always operating to the best interest of African football per se, as often their sole purpose is to market their project as an opportunity to earn a prestigious football or academic scholarship to pursue a career in international football.

The Barcelona Football Festival and Qatar’s ASPIRE Football Dreams are some of the example projects that, from the outset, is designed to offer children from many developing countries in Africa the opportunity to enter professional football, but what it really offers is the chance to attract scouts from Europe to snatch up talented individuals away from Africa.

Despite that South Africa has in recent years managed to earn a solid reputation for its youth football development, with Cape Town’s African Soccer Development School a prime example and Rivaldo Coetzee one of their most prominent graduates today, the shifting of the European market and economic system means that the best players from Africa, if not properly rewarded, will be tempted to move abroad, which, in the long run, only benefits the European sides, and not Africa.

What makes matters worse is that developing the game in Africa is also not short of controversies related to politics and corruption. Sepp Blatter of FIFA, for instance, has been accused of using football development projects to befriend African football administrators for political intentions.

Read more at http://www.worldsoccer.com/blogs/african-football-the-talent-is-there-bur-progress-remains-slow-360262#Bd7LHcYIE7Qttd8V.99

CBarca wrote:

Luca wrote:A low point?

When exactly were African nations known to be powerhouses in the World Cup?

2014:
Cameroon 0 points
Ivory Coast 3 points (3rd in group)
Nigeria 4 points (2nd in group)
Ghana 1 point
Algeria 4 points (2nd in group)

Are we that far off?

Seems like these nations are being overrated heavily because they have a couple easily recognizable players

People are still biased by Ghana 2010 and some decent Ivory Coast teams in World Cups past

rincon wrote:Nigeria 98 too. Knocking out Spain and winning the group.

rincon wrote:Nigeria 98 too. Knocking out Spain and winning the group.

Freeza wrote:

rincon wrote:Nigeria 98 too. Knocking out Spain and winning the group.

I only have fond memories of that team

Nishankly wrote:

Freeza wrote:

rincon wrote:Nigeria 98 too. Knocking out Spain and winning the group.

I only have fond memories of that team

Agreed, Was at a time when I was mastered speaking basic sentences WATTBA

S wrote:Senegal 2002 was my very first time watching an African team compete and they beat reigning champs France. What a game that was

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

S wrote:Senegal 2002 was my very first time watching an African team compete and they beat reigning champs France. What a game that was

You watched two African teams in one game

@Sportsczy

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

Campbell would have been disgraced by Sterling's performances for the Reggae Boyz tbh.

S wrote:

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

S wrote:Senegal 2002 was my very first time watching an African team compete and they beat reigning champs France. What a game that was

You watched two African teams in one game

@Sportsczy

Watched Jamaica destroy Denmark on a rainy night in Japan too (:

Sol Campbell, ufff

Freeza wrote:

S wrote:

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

You watched two African teams in one game

@Sportsczy

Watched Jamaica destroy Denmark on a rainy night in Japan too (:

Sol Campbell, ufff

This never happened

S wrote:

Freeza wrote:

S wrote:


Watched Jamaica destroy Denmark on a rainy night in Japan too (:

Sol Campbell, ufff

This never happened

They beat you handily bro. Those fcking immigrants !

Much to Unique's dissatisfaction

farfan wrote:

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

Campbell would have been disgraced by Sterling's performances for the Reggae Boyz tbh.

African diaspora > Caribbean diaspora

Main reason why France has an edge over England imo.