At the end of the colonial period, football was construed in Africa as a symbol of hope tied to nation-building projects. Since then, the situation has changed drastically. The contrast is stark: when the World Cup took place in 1970, none of the players on the Zairian team had careers outside their country; the 2006 Cup will highlight the footwork of several Ivoirians, all playing for foreign teams. To grasp the growing focus on extroversion that this state of affairs underscores, we must consider a complex mix of factors. These include the role played by local actors in the transfer of players abroad; the warm welcome European-controlled training institutions have received on African soil; European selection mechanisms focusing on African expatriates; and the granting of citizenship to players brought to Europe from Africa.
Mise en ligne 11/15/2012
