Menzi Magubane
Extra-time: Menzi Magubane argues that the much-criticised Jose Mourinho raised a serious point: African players should stick to their roots.
Mourinho believes that players with African origins should represent their countries of origin especially the players who ply their trade in Europe.
He even urged Fifa to interfere and stop African players from wearing other countries’ jerseys.
“I know I won’t be popular for making this statement but Fifa should make things fair by refusing to let players represent other countries. This will make Fifa tournaments more competitive and not one sided,” said Mourinho.
The “Special One” also believes that once this is done African countries would start winning the World Cups.
“I want the world to see that Africa is equal to everybody. Africa is not behind when it comes to talent. They have the talent to win any tournament but their best players are scattered around the world playing for other countries instead of their homelands.”
Mourinho was slammed for his comments, with many arguing that players’ nationalities can be complicated and a mix of different countries. It would be wrong, they argue, for Fifa to dictate to them who they must play for.
But he has a point. It has happened in the past and it is still continuing that we see players who are eligible to represent their African national teams but instead opted for the European teams. France’s national team has benefitted the most from African players.
Their two Fifa World Cup titles in 1998 and 2018 were dominated by African players. The likes of Zinedene Zidane (originally from Algeria), Patrick Vieira (Senegal), Claude Makelele (DR Congo) and Marcel Desailly (Ghana) are just a few of France’s heroes of 1998.
In 2018 they were at it again when Paul Pogba (Guinea), N’golo Kante (Mali), Kylian Mbappe (Cameroon) and others were instrumental in winning their second World Cup.
It should be noted that these players have differing degrees of closeness to their African home nations. Some grew up in their native African homelands while others were born and raised in France, admittedly complicating the issue.
On the other side of the coin, we must applaud those who decided to get back and be with their national teams.
Didier Drogba (two-time African player of the year) Kolo and Yaya Toure (helped Ivory Coast win 2015 Afcon), Samuel Eto’o (record four-time African player who won two Afcon titles with Cameroon), Mohamed Salah (Egypt), Sadio Mane (helped Senegal to win 2021 Afcon).
South Africa also had players that could have easily opted to play for the European national teams, the likes of Benni McCarthy, Steven Pienaar, Quinton Fortune and many more.
So Mourinho is right, Africa has the talent. Fifa needs to step in and support his plea.
