- Alternatively, a relative minnow like Angola or Cape Verde may emerge as the unexpected victor.
- Of the 630 players who were registered to play by teams competing in the 2023 edition, 200 weren’t born in Africa.
- Equatorial Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo have 17 and 16 diaspora squad members, respectively.
The phenomenon seems to be on the rise and has allowed some African teams (and several with very limited footballing history) to rise up the footballing ranks in recent years. But some people argue that diasporas are undermining the progression of African football, principally by engendering a culture of complacency.
Bolstering their ranks
- After all, there’s an intense talent battle taking place in world football.
- For instance, Mahrez was born in Paris to parents of Algerian and Moroccan origin.
- In 2022, Ziyech explained it thus: “Choosing one’s national team is not done with the brain but with the heart.
- For instance, former Arsenal starlet Alex Iwobi has gone from being a potential future England star to a sometimes criticised Fulham midfielder and Nigerian international.
But at what cost?
- At the Qatar World Cup in 2022, Morocco became the first African nation to reach the tournament’s semi-final stage.
- This has helped the country become the current highest-ranked team in Africa and the 13th-best team worldwide.
- Bell would no doubt approve, having previously called for Africa to develop its own solutions to talent identification and development.
- However, the birthplace of the captain who eventually lifts the trophy will probably fuel further debate about the importance of African football’s diasporas.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
