Introduction
Football evokes very strong feelings in Africa, right from South Africa to Western Africa, nothing holds as grasps the continent as strongly as Africa football. Any time there is a football game being played in this continent, you will definitely know due to the enthusiasm that will be evident in the air all around. Literally, life seems to ground to a halt whenever Africa football is being played in a particular country.
History
One of the most common sights you will likely see all over as a passion of Africa football is young boys kicking a home made ball on dusty fields. Most of the time these homemade balls are made of plastic bags that are wrapped tightly all around with strings to make it hold together. As long as it can be kicked around, then there will be a game.
Africa football is a male thing; it’s not very common to see girls kicking balls around if you happen to walk around the villages. Most of the informed women will be more pre-occupied with chatting about European football and its superstars or busy working as their men watch soccer. Recently women Africa football is taking shape and more women are engaging in football unlike previously. It is encouraging to also note that various football organisations including FIFA are organising football tournaments for women. This in the long run will encourage more young women to take up the sport.
Features
Currently there is Africa football for women championship which is held every two years though it’s yet to gain a lot of publicity. Nigerian women have been quite good at Africa football managing to represent the continent in the Beijing World Cup held in September 2007. The 2011 Women world championship held in Germany also had Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria representing the continent.
Witchcraft and superstition plays a major role in Africa football so don’t make negative comments about it if you are watching a game in Africa. First time travelers to this continent may be surprised by when they witness player urinating on the pitch, especially before a game. However, there are many parts of the continet where such practices are slowly but surely becoming a thing of the past.
Tips and comments
Witchcraft is a very sensitive issue in Africa so it’s important to approach it with a lot of care, especially if one is an outsider, as the Africans are highly superstitious. Players sometimes slaughter a goat before the onset of the game in order to influence the results to their favor. Issues of witchcraft are quite sensitive to most Africans, yet it plays an important part in Africa football. While it’s hard to find most people, especially the educated, making public acknowledgements about witchcraft privately, most will tell you that superstition is quite rife especially when it comes to Africa football. Football officials have been trying to stamp out the superstitious practices in Africa football especially at both the national and international tournaments which is not a very easy thing to do.
Some of the top Africa football teams include:
- Supereagles-Nigeria
- Indomitable lions-Cameroon
- Lions of Teranga-Senegal
- Pharaohs-Egypt
