Africa scores on Europe’s biggest stage
Players of African origin have had a prominent role in the Euro, with 45 of them tracing their roots to the continent
Last week, a German politician from the rightwing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party caused a furore after the national team made their exit from the European Championship. “Maybe next time the German NATIONAL TEAM should play again,” the party’s deputy leader, Beatrix von Storch, tweeted.
She was trying to profit from the defeat of a multi-cultural, multi-racial team that two summers back won the World Cup. AfD is not new to such abhorrent statements. Before the Euro, another of its leader, Alexander Gauland, told Der Spiegel: ‘German or English football team hasn’t been German or English in the classical sense for a long time’.
Germany are not the only side with players from different backgrounds and religions. In fact, 45 of the 552 players in the tournament trace their roots to Africa, hosts France have 11 and fellow finalists Portugal six. SHRILL VOICES At a time rightwing and extremeright parties are rising across Europe — AfD in Germany, National Front in France, Freedom Party in Austria, Swiss People’s Party in Switzerland, and more — the success of Africanorigin players in Europe’s biggest football tournament is a welcome counterbalance, something that would resonate with people.
The success of the likes of Paul Pogba, whose roots can be traced to Guinea, and Dimitri Payet, born in Reunion, a speck in the Indian Ocean controlled by France, could also inspire the newer generation of immigrants to Europe. The rhetoric of closing the borders isn’t limited to US presidential hopeful Donald Trump, as the world has seen with the Brexit campaign, while opinion is divided over welcoming refugees from Syria and Iraq.
Though there isn’t any player from the Middle East in Euro 2016, the assimilation of those with Moroccan roots in Belgium (Marouanne Fellaini) and France (Adil Rami) and Germany’s Tunisian-origin Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil, whose grandparents moved from Turkey, could help. ARDUOUS JOURNEY Many from Africa still risk the perilous journey to Europe. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, around 48,400 Eritrean asylum-seekers were registered in 2014. Nigeria (22,100), Somalia (19,900) and Mali (13,413) are the other African countries from where a huge number of people have sought a move. And thousands of youngsters among them can dream of becoming future sports stars in their adopted countries.
The story of Wales’ Hal RobsonKanu, who scored the outrageous Cryuff-turn goal against Belgium, Italy’s Angelo Ogbonna (both of Nigerian origin) and France’s Ngolo Kante, of Malian origin, can inspire them. So can Germany defender Jerome Boateng, of Ghanaian origin.
Then there is the case of Ruben Okotie of Austria, who like teammate David Alaba, is of Nigerian origin. Okotie was born in Karachi.
Nine players in the Euro 2016 have roots in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a former Belgian colony. Nigeria and the archipelago of Cape Verde account for five each. Portugal’s find, Renato Sanches, hails from Cape Verde in the Atlantic.
Thus, no matter who lifted the trophy in Paris on Sunday night, the real story will belong to Africa.
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