The Blood of the Impure
The French national anthem is a pretty nasty song. It dreams, in one of its more memorable verses, that the “blood of the impure” will “irrigate our fields.”
SPORTS
Pope Francis is a football fan
The pope supports Argentina's San Lorenzo Club (nickname: Los Santos). What better way to dissect his ascension to the papacy than by way of football?
The Blue Kenyan
We may not all love Chelsea Football Club (John Terry, their klepto-petro-billionaire owner, John Terry, the
African Footballers in America
The US Major Soccer League is luring foreign players, especially decent African players, and not just those whose careers are on the wane.
Is there football in heaven?
The author, a football fan and writer, wonders if there is football in heaven? And if there is, does God himself play? And if he does, what position does he plays?
The Soweto Derby Sale
Kaizer Chiefs vs Orlando Pirates is South Africa's fiercest football rivalry. It is increasingly less about the football and more about merchandise on offer to fans of both teams, especially Chiefs.
African Football at The Shrine
Watching the African Nations Cup Final at The Shrine in Harlem.
The move is a win-win
Nigerian coach Stephen Keshi's decision to resign one day after winning AFCON is a metaphor for the current political climate in Nigeria.
Nigeria, Kings of Africa
It is appropriate that Stephen Keshi, an African champion with Nigeria in 1994, coached the team to victory in South Africa.
Wayne Rooney and a rhinoceros
The ultimate preview of the 2013 Afcon Final: Will it be Stephen Keshi's time or can the Burkinabé shock the world in Soweto?
Requiem for Les Éléphants d’Or
Or a playlist for Côte d'Ivoire's golden generation of footballers.
Ghanaian Hip-Hop Lyricist M.anifest Writes for Us: Laments of a Disappointed Ghana Black Stars Fan
Oh Ghana Black Stars! Again? Our time in the trophy-less wilderness just got a 3 year
Burkina Faso is this year’s Zambia
A footballing minnow has shocked the great names of African football with a series of audacious, spirited displays, making it all the way to the 2013 Afcon final.
#Ghana #BlackStars is trending
The Ghana Black Stars won their Afcon 2013 group and then beat Cape Verde in the
Who are you rooting for
The historian Laurent Dubois watches the African Cup of Nations in Senegal and can't help mix it up with the history of colonialism and neo-colonialism in the region.
The Black Stars of New York City
Watching the African Nations Cup with Ghana fans on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn.
Stephen Keshi is Pure Gold
Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi's understanding of Nigeria and its football politics may be a template to how think Nigeria out of its political leadership crisis.
A large piece of humble pie
The job of Nigeria's men national team is one of the worst places to be on the planet. So, when the team wins, we all celebrate.
Heroes of Afcon 2013: from DR Congo’s “bum shuffling” goalie to Ouwo Moussa Maâzou, the Nigerien striking sensation
The quarter finals are upon us, and this is where things get serious. The group stages
Is north African football in decline?
North African teams failed to get out of the group stages at the 2013 African Cup of Nations. The best spin is that at least we got to see their future potentials.