History of African Soccer

Soccer is the world's most popular sport. It is played by hundreds of countries around the world in massive stadiums, city parks, backyards, alleys and streets. Its powerful cultural influence has understandably played a part in the history of nearly every country where it is played. The history of African soccer is vital to understanding how the country has evolved socially and politically over the last 100 years.

  1. Colonization

    • Soccer did not exist in Africa before the British began their colonization. Sport and soccer specifically was developed in private schools in Britain to develop a sense of discipline, loyalty and unity among boys. These characteristics were crucial in developing a strong, imperialistic army of colonizers. Inevitably, British colonizers brought their beloved game of soccer to their colonies, where the colonized Africans first saw and experienced the game.

    Function

    • Africans began playing soccer at the behest of British officers. The officers believed that the same principles of discipline and hard work that soccer had instilled in them at the schools could be transferred to the Africans. Officers believed that soccer would make the Africans more obedient and easy to control. The rules and consequences of the game would be transferred to the psyche of the colonized Africans. Games and leagues were created among different neighborhoods and groups within cities, pitting Africans against Africans.

    Effects

    • Contrary to British hopes, the Africans did not become obedient followers guided by the rules of soccer. Instead the Africans developed a different set of values that focused on unity and loyalty. Colonized groups that had once been divided along neighborhood or tribal lines became unified in the game of soccer. These relationships helped the Africans to launch resistance movements and policy changes. For the first time, all African teams began to play all British teams in highly symbolic and emotional matches.

    Cup of Nations

    • In 1956, the the Confederation of African Football was created, immediately followed by the Africa Cup of Nations, the first country-wide soccer tournament pitting nations against each other. South Africa chose only Caucasian players for its team, leading to its disqualification from the cup and leading to a powerful symbolic move for colonized Africans. Soccer became a way to challenge the oppressive forces of apartheid and colonization on a national scale.

    Modernization

    • As colonization dwindled in Africa, soccer became a symbol of modernization among African nations. International matches between African countries and modern Western countries became important measures of a countries' evolution. To win a match against a former colonizer proved a country's value. According to history professor Shaun Lopez, "football competitions provided an internationally recognized cultural arena for the performance and evaluation of post-colonial modernity."

    2010 World Cup

    • 2010 marked the first year that an African nation hosted the World Cup. To host the cup is a major step in Africa's history. It shows that the world views Africa as a modern country, capable of hosting a major international event. Africa's hosting of the cup illustrates that it has taken a major step beyond its oppressed colonized history to host and compete against those nations that once used soccer to control Africa's nations and citizens.