Ruud Gullit and the Struggle for South African Freedom
When Gullit won the Ballon d’Or in 1987, he dedicated the award to the imprisoned Nelson Mandela; then made a reggae song about Apartheid.
Football
Finding the Afro- in Brazil
Last week I wrote a post about my excitement around the African musical permutations I was
The Tragedy of Justin Fashanu
An insight into the openly racist and homophobic atmosphere that passed for public life in Margaret Thatcher's England.
Give that man a Bells
There’s a commercial for Bell’s, a popular South African whisky (“Give that man a Bells”), that
The closest thing to real life
The documentary film. “Zoran and his African Tigers,” shows how harsh and unforgiving international football can be.
The “Apartheid-era Robin Hood”
I wrote a long piece on Zola Mahobe, a Soweto businessman who died last December (two
Boss Player
The Newscaster Komla Dumor loved sports, basketball (he had skills), and, above all, the beautiful game. He especially loved his Ghana's Black Stars.
The Black Manager
Can you name at least ten at least 10 black football managers who are in charge of club teams in the top leagues; and by top, we mean Europe.
Lilian Thuram’s burden
Why should black players have the burden of calling out racism, while white players don't feel compelled to do the same?
Nkrumah’s team is going to the World Cup
A short history of football, nation building and the consolidation of pan-African solidarity in 1960s Ghana.
The Big Boss
Stephen Keshi’s success as Nigeria's national men's soccer team coach, will perhaps encourage more African countries to look closer to home for coaching salvation.
If This Is Banter
The Newcastle United defender, Steven Taylor, is another no-nonsense (racist) English centre-half.
Hollywood Pelé
The news that a major studio is bankrolling a film about the Brazilian Pele, contender for greatest player of all time.
The Emperor’s Son
The decision by Spain's national football team to go play a football friendly in its former colony, Equatorial Guinea, has spotlighted how the latter country is run.
The Old Smiling Guy
Eqatorial Guinea in West Africa was a Spanish colony. Few Spanish football fans know where it is or how the rulers continue the violent politics inherited from Spain.
Football and Dictatorships
How much of Equatorial Guinean's tax money did the Obiangs pay to the Spanish FA for a meaningless match between its national teams?
Kwadwo Asamoah makes it 150 appearances in Serie A
Asamoah, who just achieved milestone of 150 Serie A appearances, is not shy about publicly sharing
When marketing men make films about football
I finally got around to watching “Thierry Henry 1:1” on iTunes. The promo material is written
Palestine Scores
European football officials may have missed it, but Palestine already scored several goals in this season’s UEFA Champions League.
The Love Affair between Nigerians and Arsenal
The love affair between Nigerians and Arsenal is an enduring one. Other English teams are also