‘Outsider’ Pogba talisman for African newbies Guinea
MARGAO: In football circles, Guinea is famous as the land from where Paul Pogba’s family comes from. While Pogba’s parents migrated to France before he was born, young Guineans have been inspired by the exploits of their ‘big brother’ playing at Manchester United.
“He may have not been born in Guinea, but he is very much a Guinean,” says Guinea FIFA U-17 World Cup coach Souleymane Camara. Pogba’s elder twins Florentin (he plays for Saint-etienne in Ligue 1) and Mathias (plays for Sparta Rotterdam in the Dutch league) have already represented the Guinea national team. Both were born in Guinea.
The country, crippled by years of political unrest, is slowly finding its feet, and so is its football. The passion is evident from the fact that some 45 fans are in Goa to support the Guinea U-17 team. “Pogba is a big role model. But players like Naby Kieta (RB Leipzig) and Francois Kamano (Bordeaux) are also inspiring them,” says Camara. “Life’s not easy in Guinea and youngsters find solace in football.”
Their biggest export has to be Kieta. The 22-year-old was a main factor in Leipzig finishing second in the Bundesliga and qualifying for the Champions League. Next year, he will play for Liverpool, who have secured the services of the attacking midfielder.
But his rise wasn’t without struggles. “I had to learn to look after myself. After training, I had to ask people for food. But now I am in a position where I can help others the way others once helped me. I always think of my roots, of where I came from,” Kieta had told the Bundesliga website while discussing the life of an young footballer in Guinea.
The West African country, which shares borders with illustrious football nations Senegal and Ivory Coast, is still on the fringes when it comes to being counted among the continental heavyweights.
But their football fortunes have headed north over the last few years. The Guinea U-17 team were third in the 2015 and 2017 African Cup of Nations.
The under-20s came third this year.“qualifying for the World Cup shows we’ve very good juniors. There are a lot of good players at U-15, U-16s, U-17s; my job is to develop them for the senior team,” says Camara. KOLKATA: Why didn’t you just belt it? Gareth Southgate, the current England senior team coach, was famously asked by his mother Barbara after the 1996 Euro semi-final ended in another tie-break heartbreak. Rhian Brewster’s mum wouldn’t be faulted if she asked her son why he did belt it on the run. Six minutes into the England-mexico match on Wednesday, all he needed was a tap-in.
Brewster though made amends and how! Then, Philip Foden showed what a left foot he has, ending a three-pass move with a shot that streaked like lightning into Cesar Lopez’s goal in the 48th minute.
And the crowd favourite Jadon Sancho, under heavy Mexican police bandobast for most of the match, got his name again on the scoresheet with a 55th minute penalty after his cross hit Carlos Robles’ hand.
But just as it seemed Steve Copper’s boys were having fun with football as teenagers should — check Foden’s turn and run — Mexico brought this contest alive.